If you already have the means to cook and mainly want to chop, grate, slice or mix, a food processor is better suited to these tasks than a cooking food processor. Que Choisir also describes it as less bulky for people who don’t need built-in cooking. Do check which accessories are included and whether the capacity suits your recipes. If you want to cook or simmer in the same bowl, a cooking food processor meets a different need.
You already use an oven, hob or another cooking appliance, and mainly want to make chopping, mincing, blending or kneading easier. The question is which jobs to delegate to your food processor, without adding a second cooking function.
You’d like to combine several food preparation tasks in one appliance. Its dimensions, how its accessories are stored and how easy they are to clean are just as important as the range of functions.
You make dough regularly, but sometimes need to chop or grate too. How often you knead and which accessories are actually included may point you towards a stand mixer with attachments or a food processor.
If you already have cooking covered, start with the tasks you want to combine. Then consider the space available, the quantities of dough you make and whether you’d benefit from cooking directly in the bowl. These factors may lead you to different appliances.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks covered | Check which blades and discs are included for chopping, grating and slicing. If you need to knead, check separately for a dough tool. | I want to prepare vegetables, sauces and dough with one appliance, without discovering after purchase that a particular task requires a separate accessory. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this versatility. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space you have, check where the accessories can be stored and read the cleaning instructions for the parts. | With limited worktop space, I want to be able to put away the food processor and its parts without making every use more complicated. Space and cleaning come first for around 25% of consumers. |
| Frequent kneading | Compare the dough tool and stated dough capacity with your usual recipes, rather than looking only at the bowl’s volume. | I often make bread or bakes and don’t want to choose based on a promise of versatility alone. For around 25% of consumers, working with dough is the main requirement. |
| Cooking in the bowl | Decide whether you simply want to prepare ingredients or also cook, simmer or steam in the appliance. | I already have the means to cook, but I’m considering making hot meals in the food processor’s bowl too. Around 17% of consumers put this option at the heart of their choice. |
A blender or a small specialist appliance is also worth considering if you mainly repeat one task. If whisking and kneading are your priorities, compare a stand mixer and any chopping attachments it may come with against a food processor. Built-in cooking is what sets a cooking food processor apart from these food preparation appliances, as Que Choisir explains.
A function being available across a range doesn’t guarantee that the model you choose comes with the disc, bowl or tool you need for your recipe.
Match each important preparation task to the accessory listed for the exact model, then check that any extras you’d like to add are compatible.
Some tasks may require an optional accessory that needs to be stored and cleaned separately.
The stated volume alone doesn’t tell you how much dough the appliance can handle. For example, Bosch states that the MCM3631M can process up to 800 g of dough. This figure applies to this model alone.
If you knead dough, look for a stated dough capacity for the model you’re considering and compare it with the quantities you usually make.
A cooking food processor lets you prepare and cook in the same appliance. If you plan to transfer the ingredients to your hob or oven, this function may not meet your main need.
Choose one for recipes where you genuinely want to cook, simmer or steam in the bowl.
Accessories that are difficult to store or wash can make everyday food preparation less convenient, even if the appliance covers all the tasks you need.
Check the dimensions, how the parts are stored and which ones the instruction manual says are dishwasher-safe. The motor unit must not go in the dishwasher.
Magimix’s Cuisine System and Compact System ranges are designed for food preparation tasks such as grating, chopping and kneading.
The brand offers food processors and stand mixers. The right choice depends in part on how much you need to knead.
The MultiPro Go range may suit people who consider storage an important factor when choosing a food processor.
The MultiTalent 3 MCM3631M is worth considering if dough capacity and accessory storage will influence your decision.
These two appliances meet different needs without built-in cooking: a stand mixer with attachments for those who do a lot of work with dough, and a food processor geared towards slicing and chopping. Compare their accessories and capacities with the recipes you actually make.
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Worth considering if you want to combine dough preparation with blending and mincing meat. Before choosing, check the amount of dough it can handle for your recipes and the cleaning instructions for the accessories.
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Worth considering if your food preparation mainly involves chopping, grating or slicing, rather than cooking in the appliance. If you also make dough, check whether a kneading tool is included. Measure the space you’ll need for the appliance and its accessories too.
It can handle the food preparation tasks you need, provided the model has the right accessories. However, it won’t cook, simmer or steam in its bowl. Que Choisir identifies cooking as the key difference between a food processor and a cooking food processor.
Start with the tools your recipes need: a blade for chopping, discs for grating or slicing, and a kneading tool if you make dough. Check that they’re included with the exact model, rather than relying on the number of advertised functions.
No. Care instructions vary by model and part. For example, Moulinex says the Easy Force FP242B10’s accessories are dishwasher-safe, but its base isn’t. Check the instruction manual for your model before washing it for the first time.
Consider one if whisking and kneading are your main tasks. If you also want to chop, grate or slice, check which accessories are included or compatible. Moulinex offers these options on some stand mixers with attachments; they aren’t standard features across every model.