For weekday meals, choose based on the tasks you do most often: an air fryer for roasting or reheating portions that fit its basket, or a multicooker for dishes cooked in a pot, particularly slow-cooked or steamed meals. A cooking food processor combines food preparation and cooking. If your existing appliances already cook your meals, a food processor may be all you need for chopping, grating or kneading. Before you choose, compare usable capacity, available space, the parts you’ll need to clean and, in an open-plan kitchen, the noise level of the model you’re considering.
The right category depends as much on what you do to prepare food as on how you cook your meals.
If your meals often include roasted vegetables, pieces of fish or meat, frozen food or gratins, check the surface area of an air fryer’s basket. Also consider how much worktop space it needs and how noisy it is, especially in an open-plan kitchen.
For rice, dishes with sauce, steamed vegetables or slow-cooked recipes, look at the multicooker’s programmes and the amount its pot can hold. You’ll also need to prepare the ingredients: not all these appliances can chop or blend.
If you chop, mix or knead before cooking, compare the functions of a cooking food processor. If you already have a cooking appliance that suits you, a food processor without a cooking function is a more direct solution for grating, slicing or blending.
Start with a few meals you cook regularly, then check whether the appliance makes the main tasks easier without making storage or cleaning more difficult.
| What to consider | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday recipes | Think about the main tasks: roasting with hot air, cooking in a pot or preparing ingredients. Check the programmes on the exact model rather than relying on its category name. | I mainly roast food in portions that fit a basket; or my meals are more often slow-cooked, steamed or preceded by chopping and mixing. |
| Capacity and space | Compare the surface area of each basket, the usable capacity of the bowl or pot, and the appliance’s external dimensions. If it has two drawers, check what each one can hold on its own. | I need enough room for my usual portions without taking up unnecessary worktop space. |
| Cleaning | Count the parts you’ll need to wash after a typical recipe: the basket or pot, lid, seals and accessories. Check the instructions to see which parts are dishwasher-safe. | If I use this appliance several evenings a week, cleaning it needs to fit the time I have available. |
| Noise | For an air fryer, look for a measurement taken using a stated method and compare tests carried out in similar conditions. UFC-Que Choisir measures noise at 0,50 m as part of its air fryer testing protocol. | In an open-plan kitchen, I want to know how noisy it is while running, not just during a brief demonstration. |
A function you rarely use won’t make up for the space the appliance takes up. Hot-air cooking, cooking in a pot and food preparation are different tasks.
List the meals you make regularly during the week and identify the tasks that genuinely take up your time before comparing functions.
The total volume doesn’t tell you how much surface area a basket offers or how much you can usefully fit in a bowl. Two drawers won’t always hold the same food as one large basket.
Consider the shape of the baskets or bowl, usable capacity and external dimensions in relation to the portions you prepare.
After cooking, you may need to clean the lid, seals or accessories as well as the basket or pot.
Check which parts can be removed and how to wash them in the instructions for the model you’re considering. Never immerse the motor unit in water.
The fan makes noise, which can be more noticeable in an open-plan kitchen. UFC-Que Choisir highlights this in its advice on air fryers.
If noise matters to you, look for a test that explains how it measured the noise of the model in question.
These ranges illustrate different functions. Always check the reference and accessories included with the version you’re considering.
Cookeo and Companion meet two different needs: cooking in a pot or combining food preparation and cooking.
The MAX PRO range is worth considering if you’re looking for a single-basket air fryer.
The Thermomix TM7 is designed for people who want to combine food preparation and cooking functions with guided recipes.
The Cook Expert combines food preparation and cooking, while the CS 5200XL is a food processor without a cooking function.
This Joybuy selection includes a cooking food processor, single- and dual-basket air fryers, and a multicooker. Compare them based on the recipes, portions and cleaning requirements that matter in your kitchen.
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Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking. The product name specifies an XL bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Check the usable capacity for your portions, along with the functions and accessories included with the version on sale.
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A single basket to consider for roasting or reheating food. The stated capacity is 6,2 L. Check that the basket’s surface area suits your portions, and look for a noise measurement if you’ll be using it in an open-plan kitchen.
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The two drawers may suit households that want to cook two dishes separately. The stated total capacity is 9,5 L. Check the size of each drawer against the food you plan to cook, rather than relying on the total capacity alone.
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This 5,7 L multicooker is worth considering for meals cooked in a pot. Check the programmes available on the version for sale, how much space it takes up and, if you use the pressure-cooking function, the filling and steam-release instructions.
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The two baskets may suit you if you want to cook foods separately; check their usable surface area for your recipes. The product name lists eight programmes. Before buying in France, confirm the voltage, plug type and dimensions of the version for sale.
Not for every dish. An air fryer is mainly for hot-air cooking in a basket, while a multicooker cooks in a pot, for example rice or slow-cooked dishes, depending on its programmes. Compare the meals you make most often before choosing.
Look for a test that explains how it measured the noise of the model you’re considering. UFC-Que Choisir measures air fryer noise at 0,50 m and also has three experts assess it as part of its testing protocol. A short in-store demonstration may not reflect how it sounds in an open-plan kitchen.
Compare how much you can actually use for your recipes, as well as the shape of the container. For an air fryer with two drawers, check the size of each one. For a cooking food processor or multicooker, distinguish between the stated usable capacity and the total volume.
Yes. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, in its publication dated 9 September 2026, the statutory guarantee of conformity is mandatory for new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a consumer in France. If the goods do not conform to the contract, contact the trader you bought them from.