Choose a cooking food processor if you regularly need to prepare ingredients and then cook them in the same appliance. If you mainly want to programme a dish to cook in one pot, a multicooker is a more direct fit, but it won’t handle most preparation tasks. If your current appliances already cover these jobs, weigh up the potential time savings against the space and cleaning a new appliance would require.
If dinner often involves soup, sauce, dough or a slow-cooked dish, a cooking food processor can bring several steps together in one appliance. Check that the model can handle the tasks you want to delegate, as features vary.
If you mainly want to programme rice, a slow-cooked dish or steaming, consider a multicooker. According to UFC-Que Choisir, these appliances generally don’t stir food, so chopping and stirring may still be down to you.
If you’ll need to put the appliance away after every meal, check its dimensions with the accessories in place, as well as which parts need washing. Recipe services linked to the appliance are also worth considering if guided cooking is one of the reasons you’re buying.
Consider it if: your meals often involve chopping, mixing or kneading before or during cooking, and you’ll use these functions regularly.
Bear in mind: functions, accessories and recipe services vary between models, and you’ll also need to find space for the appliance in your kitchen.
Consider it if: your main priority is to start cooking in one pot and spend less time keeping an eye on the food.
Bear in mind: according to UFC-Que Choisir, multicookers generally don’t stir food, so you’ll need to prepare the ingredients separately.
Consider it if: you mainly want to chop, grate, mince or knead, and already have the appliances you need for cooking.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to transfer the prepared ingredients to your cooking appliances and manage that step separately.
Consider this option if: your dinners are simple and manual steps aren’t what you’re looking to change.
Bear in mind: you’ll still handle the preparation and monitoring that a suitable appliance could take care of.
| Your priority | What to check before you buy | Consumers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing and cooking | Check which tasks the appliance actually handles and which accessories are included for the recipes you usually make. | When dinner involves chopping or mixing before cooking, I want to avoid adding more manual steps. Around 36% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Keeping a closer eye on cooking | Check the programmes, time and temperature settings, and keep-warm function. | For rice or a slow-cooked dish, I’d rather start cooking and then get on with something else. Around 29% of consumers would share this priority. |
| Cleaning and storage | Measure the space needed, including for accessories, and check the manual for cleaning instructions for each washable part. | If I have to get out and clean several parts after every meal, I may not use the appliance very often. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise ease of cleaning and storage. |
| Avoiding duplication | Compare useful functions with the appliances you already own and check the terms of any recipe services. | My pans and blender may already cover the essentials; I want to know what a new appliance would really change. For around 14% of consumers, avoiding duplication would be the main consideration. |
A multicooker can take care of cooking, but it may not chop, blend or stir. UFC-Que Choisir says that food generally still needs to be stirred by hand.
Think about a few dinners you make regularly and separate the preparation tasks from the cooking tasks before choosing an appliance.
The stated capacity doesn’t necessarily match the amount you can use for every recipe; a maximum fill level may apply, for example.
Compare the portions listed for your soups, slow-cooked dishes and steamed meals, then follow the limits set out in the manual.
A screen or app doesn’t tell you whether particular recipes require a linked service. Vorwerk says, for example, that the Thermomix TM7 works with Cookidoo 3.0, which requires a subscription for new customers.
If guided cooking is an important part of your decision, check which recipes are available without a subscription, whether there are any trial periods and the terms that apply to the model you’re considering.
The bowl, blades, seals and electrical base may all have different care instructions.
Check the manual for the specific model and identify which parts need to be washed by hand after the meals you make most often.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation and cooking with on-screen guidance and a recipe platform.
The Companion range combines food preparation and cooking functions, with specifications that vary by version.
The Cook Expert range combines a cooking bowl with food-preparation accessories, depending on the configuration.
The cooking food processors below are suited to meals that involve both preparation and cooking. The multicookers that follow are better for dinners where you want to programme the cooking. Choose according to the tasks you actually want to delegate.
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Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking for a range of dinners.
The product name lists an XL bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen. If built-in recipes are one of the reasons you’re interested, check how many there are and the terms for accessing them before you buy.
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Consider it if you’re looking for a cooking food processor with recipes displayed on screen.
The product name lists built-in scales, a touchscreen and 680 recipes. Check the terms for accessing guided content, as well as how to clean the parts that matter to you.
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For dinners where you mainly want the pot to take care of the cooking, with the ingredients prepared separately.
The model name lists a 5,7 L capacity, seven functions and four customisable settings. For pressure cooking, follow the manual’s fill limits and steam-release instructions.
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Worth a look if you cook in one pot and want to compare a larger stated capacity with the portions you usually make.
The model name lists a 7,1 L capacity, seven functions and a stainless steel inner pot. Prepare ingredients separately, and follow the instructions for closing the lid and releasing steam when pressure cooking.
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Worth comparing if you need a large stated capacity for one-pot meals, without expecting the appliance to chop or stir ingredients.
The product name lists an 8 L capacity, 1 200 W, twelve programmes and a non-stick pot. Check how much space you’ll need and how to clean the removable parts. For pressure cooking, follow the fill limits and safety instructions in the manual.
Yes, if you mainly want programmable cooking, but not if you also want to automate food preparation. UFC-Que Choisir says multicookers generally don’t stir food, so check who will take care of chopping, blending or stirring for your recipes.
Compare the portions and limits listed for the recipes you actually make, rather than looking at the stated capacity alone. Liquid recipes and pressure cooking may have a maximum fill level below the bowl’s stated capacity.
Don’t assume so. Check the manual for the specific model to find out about the bowl, lid, blades, seals and each accessory. An indication that certain parts are dishwasher-safe doesn’t automatically apply to the whole appliance.
It depends on the model and service. Vorwerk France says the Thermomix TM7 is compatible with Cookidoo 3.0, which requires a subscription for new customers; Moulinex advertises a free app for the Companion XL HF80DB10. Check the terms that apply to the recipes you plan to use.
According to the Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual. If the appliance doesn’t match what was sold, contact the retailer. Any commercial guarantee offered doesn’t replace this legal right.