If you mainly prepare ingredients to combine later, start by looking at chopping and mixing functions. For slow-cooked dishes, consider the cooking programmes on a multicooker; for roasted food, check an air fryer’s genuinely usable capacity. A versatile appliance can reduce the number of gadgets you need, but it won’t necessarily deliver the same results with every function. If you use several cooking techniques in one session, also compare the space and cleaning involved in using a combination of appliances.
If you chop vegetables and make sauces, purées or dough before putting meals together over the following days, focus on the tasks you repeat and the bowl’s capacity. A cooking appliance won’t replace the attachments you need for grating or slicing.
If you want to cook several components in one session, check how much you can make in each batch and which cooking processes can run at the same time. The space appliances take up on your worktop also matters if you’ll be using several at once.
A versatile appliance can help you avoid accumulating lots of gadgets, but think about the attachments you’ll need to store and the parts you’ll have to wash. Que Choisir points out that food processors with lots of functions don’t necessarily perform equally well at all of them, so focus on the ones that suit the meals you usually make.
Start with the jobs involved in your cooking session, then compare the stated capacities with your portion sizes, cleaning needs and available space.
| Priority | What to check | Depending on your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Programmed cooking | With a multicooker, compare the recipes each programme supports, the permitted fill level, programming options and how easy the cooking pot is to clean. Que Choisir assesses factors such as how programmes manage heating and cooking times. | I’d like to start cooking rice, pulses or a slow-cooked dish while I get on with the other preparations. |
| Chopping and mixing | Check which attachments are included for chopping, grating and slicing, and whether the bowl is large enough for the quantities you prepare. Que Choisir tests these functions individually rather than judging a food processor by the number of functions alone. | A large part of my session involves preparing vegetables and other fresh ingredients before putting meals together. |
| Roasting | For an air fryer, check the usable volume, cooking surface and internal dimensions, not just whether it’s labelled ‘XXL’. Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L for four people and suggests 9 L or more for households of over five. | I want to cook several portions without having to make multiple batches. If two dishes need different settings, I’ll also check whether the cooking zones can be controlled independently. |
| Versatility | Make a list of the functions you’ll actually use each week and the attachments they require. A food processor and a cooking food processor don’t cover the same steps; Que Choisir stresses that having lots of functions doesn’t guarantee equally good results with each one. | If I prepare both ingredients and cooked dishes, I’d rather compare a versatile appliance with a combination of specialist appliances than choose based on the number of programmes. |
| After your session | Count the parts you’ll need to wash and store, then check how much room you have in the fridge. For foods that need careful storage, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) recommends 4 °C in the coldest part of the fridge, where cooked dishes should also be kept. | Storage, washing up and space for the prepared dishes all need to suit the amount I make at once. |
A large basket alone doesn’t tell you how much food you can cook in one batch. Que Choisir distinguishes between an air fryer’s usable volume and its stated capacity; the available cooking surface also affects how you can spread out the food.
Decide how many portions you want to cook together and what size they’ll be, then check the internal dimensions and instructions for arranging the food. If you’re interested in two cooking zones, check the settings for each one separately.
A food processor’s functions don’t all meet the same needs. Que Choisir notes that highly versatile food processors don’t always perform equally well at every task.
Make a note of the jobs you regularly do for your meals — grating, slicing, blending or cooking, for example — and check which attachments are actually included and what results are documented for those tasks.
After a session involving several dishes, lids, bowls and attachments all add to the washing up. Que Choisir’s testing procedures look at the cleaning and storage of multicookers, food processors and air fryers.
Check the manual for the model you’re considering to see which parts need to be washed separately, and measure the space you’ll need on your worktop and in your cupboards.
Cooking several dishes doesn’t solve the problem of storing them. According to Anses, poor storage, a break in the cold chain or cross-contamination can encourage bacteria to grow.
Before making larger quantities, check how much space you have for the dishes you need to store. Anses recommends keeping the coldest part of the fridge at 4 °C and storing foods that need careful handling there, including cooked dishes.
These appliances suit different stages of a meal-prep session: chopping ingredients, cooking dishes in a pot or countertop cooking. Compare them based on the tasks you want an appliance to handle, rather than treating them as interchangeable options.
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Worth considering if your cooking session includes two roasted dishes that need different settings.
The product description lists two 4,75 L drawers with independent time and temperature settings, giving a stated total capacity of 9,5 L. The drawers and crisper plates are described as dishwasher-safe.
How much you can cook depends on the food and how it’s arranged; the product description recommends a single layer for the best results. Check the usable dimensions and make sure the plug is compatible with your setup.
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This multicooker suits sessions focused on ingredients and pot-cooked dishes such as rice, pulses or soup.
The product description lists an 8 L cooking pot, 12 preset programmes, a 24-hour delay timer and automatic keep-warm function. Check the fill limits for the recipes you plan to make: the stated capacity isn’t necessarily the usable amount for every dish.
Follow the instructions for foods that expand, and never force the appliance open while it’s under pressure. Also check the manual for cleaning instructions and for guidance on using the timer with your ingredients.
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This food processor is for anyone who wants to prepare ingredients and cook some dishes using a single appliance.
The product description lists chopping, grating, slicing, steaming and slow cooking, as well as a touchscreen and built-in scales. The bowl has a stated total capacity of 4,5 L, with 3 L usable: compare this with the quantities you usually prepare.
If guided recipes are important to you, check how many are listed on the product page. Also make sure the plug and power supply are compatible with your setup.
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If your session involves chopping or blending several ingredients, the two bowls let you choose a container to suit the quantity. This food chopper doesn’t replace a cooking appliance.
The product description lists two speeds and two sets of blades. It limits continuous operation to 30 seconds and requires the appliance to cool between cycles, which is worth bearing in mind if you’re preparing lots of ingredients in a row.
The glass bowls are listed as dishwasher-safe, but the blades and motor unit are not.
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This cooking pot suits meals that combine pot cooking and steaming in one session.
The product description lists a stated capacity of 5 L, a removable steaming basket and two power settings. Check how much you can actually cook for your recipes; if you want to programme the cooking, also check whether the model has a timer function.
The surface gets very hot during use. Follow the handling and cleaning instructions: the appliance must not be immersed in water.
Compare the usable volume and cooking surface with the portions you prepare. For four people, Que Choisir recommends at least 6 L; for more than five people, it suggests 9 L or more. Also check the internal dimensions and how the food should be arranged: the stated capacity won’t necessarily give you enough room for a full batch of every recipe.
Not for every task. Que Choisir points out that a food processor with lots of functions won’t necessarily deliver the same results with each one. Identify the jobs you do every week, check which attachments are included, and distinguish between a food processor and a cooking food processor if you also want to cook food.
Read the manual for the specific model: check how many removable parts it has, whether any areas are difficult to reach, the cleaning instructions and how much storage space you’ll need. Que Choisir’s testing procedures take into account cleaning and ease of use for food processors, multicookers and air fryers. These factors matter particularly if you use several functions in one session.
No. The amount you cook needs to be in line with the space you have to store the dishes. Anses recommends keeping the coldest part of the fridge at 4 °C and storing foods that need careful handling there, including cooked dishes. It also highlights the risks associated with poor storage and cross-contamination.
No. According to the French Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), the CE marking indicates that the manufacturer declares the product meets the applicable regulatory requirements; it isn’t a certification mark. When choosing an appliance for preparing meals for the week, compare its capacity, useful functions and cleaning requirements separately.