If you regularly grate, slice or chop ingredients, first choose a food processor with attachments to suit your recipes, then check its usable capacity and how much storage space it needs. A compact design is easier to store, but that doesn’t mean it will handle large quantities; if you mainly blend soups and do little chopping, a hand blender may be enough. Built-in cooking is only useful if you also want to cook in the appliance, as Que Choisir explains when distinguishing a cooking food processor from a food processor without cooking functions.
If you often grate, slice or chop ingredients before cooking them elsewhere, choose discs and blades to suit the dishes you make most. Que Choisir and Darty also recommend checking which attachments are actually included.
If you need to put the appliance away after use, check its dimensions, usable capacity and how the bowls and attachments can be stored. Que Choisir points out that these also take up space.
If you already own cooking appliances or a blender, first work out which tasks you still need to cover. A new food processor could be redundant if it mainly duplicates jobs your existing appliances already do.
Worth considering: if you prepare small quantities and put the appliance away after each use. The Kenwood MultiPro Go FDP23.140GY is an example of this format, with a stated width of 16.8 cm and height of 29.7 cm.
Check: these dimensions don’t guarantee that it can handle a large quantity in one go; also make sure the tools are right for your recipes.
Worth considering: if you regularly use several tools for grating, slicing, chopping or kneading. The product listings for the black Magimix CS3200XL and Moulinex Double Force FP827E10 show different configurations.
Bear in mind: bowls and attachments need space and cleaning. Check what’s included with the exact model and its usable capacity for each preparation.
Worth considering: if your needs have changed and you’d also like to cook or simmer food in the appliance.
Keep in mind: if you don’t want to cook in your food processor, this function won’t meet your main need. Consider its size, cleaning requirements and the functions you’ll actually use separately.
Worth considering: if you mainly blend soups or purées and only chop small quantities. The Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X is an example of a set with a chopper, whisk and beaker.
Limitation: a set without grating or slicing discs won’t replace those tools for recipes that need them.
Start with the dishes you make regularly, then check how much space you have and the quantity you usually prepare in one go.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Attachments for your regular preparations | Does the model include the grating or slicing discs, blade or dough tool you need? | If I often prepare vegetables before cooking them separately, I want the right tools in the box. Around 31% of consumers prioritise attachments for their regular preparations. |
| Storing the appliance and its tools | Check the dimensions, the space needed to use the appliance, and how the bowls and attachments can be stored. | If I have limited worktop space, I need to be able to store the base and tools without cluttering my cupboards. Around 25% of consumers make storage their priority. |
| Quantity per preparation | Compare the usable capacity and the limits stated for the preparations you make, especially dough. | If I cook for several people or make dough, the quantity it can handle in one go matters more than the total capacity shown. Around 19% of consumers prioritise quantity per preparation. |
| Noise, assembly and cleaning | For noise levels, look for a test of the exact model; also check the instruction manual for assembly and dishwasher-safe parts. | If I plan to use the appliance often, noise and cleaning could influence my choice. Around 13% of consumers put ease of use first. |
| Appliances you already own | Identify which tasks your current appliances already cover and which would genuinely justify a new appliance. | If a blender already meets my needs for soup and small amounts of chopping, I’m looking for a function I’m actually missing. Around 12% of consumers prioritise avoiding duplication. |
Configurations vary by model: an advertised function doesn’t necessarily mean the corresponding attachment is included.
Choose two or three recipes you make regularly and check the exact list of discs, blades, bowls and attachments supplied with the model you’re buying.
Tools you don’t use still take up space and need cleaning.
A bowl’s stated volume doesn’t always match the amount you can use for a particular preparation. For the black CS3200XL, Magimix states a total capacity of 2.6 L and a usable capacity of 1 L.
Compare your usual quantities with the limits given for each preparation, rather than relying on the bowl’s stated volume alone.
If the capacity is too small for your recipe, you may have to prepare it in several batches.
A food processor without cooking functions prepares ingredients but doesn’t cook them. Depending on its attachments, a hand blender may already cover blending or chopping small quantities.
Make a list of the tasks your current appliances already cover and choose a new appliance to meet a need you actually have.
If you still need your existing appliances, a new one could mean more cleaning and storage without replacing them.
The MultiPro Go FDP23.140GY is an example of a compact food processor designed for preparations without cooking functions.
The CS3200XL comes with several bowls and tools for preparations without built-in cooking functions.
The Double Force FP827E10 is a food processor configuration with several tools and a blender.
The MultiTalent 3 MCM3201B is another food processor configuration, with a bowl and attachments, some of which can be stored inside the bowl.
The MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X is an alternative with a hand blender and small chopper, rather than a food processor with discs.
This selection includes food processors for preparations without built-in cooking functions, and hand blenders for blending and chopping small quantities.
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For grating, slicing, chopping or kneading, with no cooking function listed.
1.5 L bowl and listed attachments: grating and slicing disc, chopping blade and kneading disc. The product description warns that the blades and disc are very sharp. Handle them with care when assembling, dismantling and cleaning the appliance.
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For handling several types of preparation in one appliance, with no cooking function listed.
The title and product description give a 1.8 L bowl and chopping, slicing and grating functions. The description also mentions a blender and a meat grinder; check that these attachments suit your needs.
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For blending directly in a container and chopping small quantities, rather than grating or slicing with discs.
The product description lists a chopper and a 500 ml beaker, a whisk and a 36.5 cm blending shaft. The attachments don’t include a grating or slicing disc.
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For blending, whisking and chopping small quantities, without choosing a countertop food processor.
The title lists a 500 ml chopper and an 800 ml beaker; the product description also mentions a whisk. The listed attachments don’t include a grating or slicing disc.
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For blending, whisking and chopping in a small bowl, without the discs of a food processor.
The product description lists a 500 ml chopping bowl, a 600 ml beaker and a whisk. The listed attachments don’t include a grating or slicing disc.
Not necessarily. Check the usable capacity and the limit given for each preparation. For the black CS3200XL, Magimix gives a total capacity of 2.6 L and a usable capacity of 1 L; Bosch gives a dough limit of 0.8 kg for the MCM3201B.
Check the manual for the exact model, as instructions can vary between parts. Don’t assume all the attachments are dishwasher-safe just because some of them are.
The statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a consumer. The Ministry of the Economy and Finance states that you have two years to make a claim. This guarantee is separate from any commercial guarantee that may be offered.
No. The obligation to make spare parts available applies only to certain categories of goods. The DGCCRF states that the seller must tell you the stated period if they have been informed of it. Ask how long parts will be available and whether they’re compatible with the exact model.
For a product covered by European regulations that require it, the CE mark indicates that the manufacturer declares the product to be compliant. The DGCCRF explains that it is not an independent certification or a performance test.