If your current appliances already take care of cooking and you mainly want to chop, grate, slice, blend or knead, a food processor equipped for these tasks means you won’t be paying for a cooking function you don’t need. A cooking machine is better suited to bringing together the preparation and cooking you do regularly. If you often repeat just one task, a specialist appliance may be all you need. In a small kitchen, check how much room you’ll need for the bowl and accessories, as well as the usable capacity.
If your appliances already take care of cooking, focus on the food preparation tasks you do repeatedly: chopping, grating, slicing, blending or kneading. Check which accessories you need for these jobs rather than adding a cooking function you’re unlikely to use.
If you need to put the appliance away after use, make room for the base, bowl, discs and cable. A compact design only helps if the whole set fits in your storage space.
If your meals often involve preparing ingredients before cooking, simmering or steaming, a cooking machine can bring these steps together. Its usefulness depends on what your other appliances already do.
If worktop space is limited, start by choosing the tasks you genuinely want the appliance to handle, then check where you’ll store all its parts.
Choose this if: you already cook with other appliances and regularly repeat several food preparation tasks.
Bear in mind: it won’t cook food, and the bowl and accessories still need to be stored and cleaned.
Choose this if: you regularly want to prepare ingredients, then cook, simmer or steam them in the same appliance.
Bear in mind: the built-in cooking function may be redundant if your current appliances already meet this need.
Choose this if: one task, such as chopping or slicing, accounts for most of your food preparation.
Bear in mind: it won’t combine the other functions of a food processor.
| Factor | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | Measure the space with the lid on, and decide where you’ll keep the bowl, accessories and cable. | I need to clear the worktop after every meal and store all the parts together; around 36% of consumers would make storage their top priority. |
| Useful food preparation tasks | Check which blades and discs come with the version you’re considering for the tasks you repeat. | I often chop, grate or slice, but don’t want to collect accessories I’ll never use; around 29% of consumers would prioritise versatility tailored to their needs. |
| Built-in cooking | Compare the cooking modes and included accessories with the functions your current appliances provide. | I’d like to avoid switching between appliances when I regularly prepare and cook food; around 21% of consumers would prioritise built-in cooking. |
| Quantities | Compare your usual portions with the usable capacity and, for kneading, the model’s stated dough limit. | I want to prepare my usual quantities without making several batches or setting aside too much space for a large bowl; for around 14% of consumers, the right capacity would be the top consideration. |
The term ‘multi-purpose’ doesn’t tell you which discs, blades or other tools come with the version on sale. Que Choisir only assesses certain functions when the relevant accessories are supplied.
Compare the exact contents of the box with the tasks you repeat and the space you have to store each part.
An essential accessory sold separately means another item to buy and store.
The stated power rating alone won’t tell you how much dough the appliance can handle or which tasks are possible with the supplied accessories.
For kneading, check the model’s dough limit; for grating or slicing, check which discs are included. Que Choisir’s tests also look at results and durability.
According to Que Choisir, cooking is what distinguishes a cooking machine from a food processor. It may do less for your kitchen routine if your current appliances already cover the steps you repeat.
Before choosing this option, think about the meals where combining preparation and cooking would genuinely save you a transfer or a step that needs monitoring.
Total capacity and usable capacity can differ: Magimix, for example, states a total capacity of 2.6 L and a usable capacity of 1 L for the Compact System 3200XL.
Compare the usable capacity of the version you’re considering with your portion sizes, then measure how much room the appliance and bowl will take up when stored.
The MultiPro Go FDP23.140GY is a food processor worth considering if storage is a priority.
According to Magimix, the Compact System 3200XL brings together several food preparation tasks for households of 1 to 4 people.
The brand offers food processors and cooking machines in its Companion range.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes in the Vorwerk range.
These products offer three ways to handle regular food preparation: a food processor, a cooking machine or a specialist appliance. Decide which function you need before comparing the size and contents of each version.
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Worth considering if you regularly do several food preparation tasks but don’t need built-in cooking.
Check how much room you’ll need to store the appliance and its accessories, as well as the usable quantities for your recipes.
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Worth a look if you want to combine chopping, slicing and grating for everyday food preparation.
Check which accessories come with this version, its usable capacity and dimensions before deciding where to store it.
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Worth considering if you want one appliance to handle both food preparation and the cooking steps you repeat regularly.
Its cooking function may duplicate what your current appliances do. Measure the space you have available and check that it can handle the quantities in your recipes.
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Worth considering if chopping is your main task, rather than grating or kneading.
Allow space for both bowls. Follow the stated limit of 30 seconds’ continuous operation per cycle, and don’t use the bowls or lids with hot ingredients.
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Worth a look if slicing, grating or preparing julienne vegetables covers most of your needs and you don’t want a motorised food processor.
It won’t replace an appliance for chopping, blending or kneading. Check the blade configuration and make sure a hand guard is included; handle the blades with care.
A cooking machine is mainly designed to bring food preparation and cooking together in one appliance. If your current appliances already take care of cooking and you mainly want to chop, grate or knead, compare a food processor with specialist appliances instead. Choose built-in cooking if it would simplify steps you repeat often.
Measure the space available and compare it with the appliance’s dimensions with the lid on. Then allow room for the bowl, discs and cable. Kenwood, for example, says the MultiPro Go FDP23.140GY stores its accessories in the bowl; still, check that the whole set will fit in your drawer or cupboard.
Start with the tasks you repeat, then check which accessories are included with the exact version of the appliance. A compatible accessory that isn’t supplied shouldn’t be treated as though it’s already in the box.
According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies in France to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a private individual. Keep your proof of purchase and the description of the version you ordered in case a stated feature, such as an included accessory, is missing from the product you receive.