For preparing several meals in advance, start by choosing an appliance to suit the dishes you cook: a multicooker or electric pressure cooker for a range of one-pot cooking, a slow cooker for dishes that take a long time, an air fryer for roasted food, or a cooking food processor if preparing the ingredients is part of the job. Before choosing a model, compare its usable capacity and fill limits with your portion sizes, then check how much space it will take up and which parts need cleaning.
If you mainly make soups, curries, stews or complete meals, check whether the appliance can brown ingredients and then continue cooking without transferring them to another pot. UFC-Que Choisir lists these among the possible functions of multicookers.
If you chop, grate, mix or weigh ingredients before cooking, a cooking food processor can bring together tasks you might otherwise do with several appliances. Check the functions and accessories included with the specific model.
An air fryer could be a good fit for roasted vegetables or crispy sides. However, it’s worth considering how much space it takes up and how noisy it is: UFC-Que Choisir highlights both as potential drawbacks of this category.
Best for: one-pot meals when you want to brown, slow-cook or, on a suitably equipped model, pressure-cook.
Check: not every model has all these functions, and the stated capacity alone won’t tell you how many portions you can make.
Best for: dishes that need to cook slowly at a low temperature.
Check: if you brown the ingredients first, make sure the model can do this or plan to use another pan.
Best for: roasting or crisping food, rather than making soups and dishes with a sauce.
Check: the space available and the noise level. UFC-Que Choisir also notes that cooking results vary between the models it tested.
Best for: if chopping, mixing or weighing is part of your weekly meal prep, as well as cooking.
Check: the bowl’s usable capacity, the accessories you need and how much space the assembled appliance takes up.
| Criteria | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the stated usable capacity and fill limits with your recipes and the number of portions you want to make. | If I’m cooking for several days, I want to avoid making multiple batches without choosing an unnecessarily bulky pot. Around 27% of consumers put this need for capacity first. |
| One-pot cooking | Check that the appliance has the settings you’ll use, particularly browning, slow cooking or pressure cooking. | When I’m making a complete meal, my main aim is to cut down on the number of pots and steps I need to keep an eye on. This comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Cleaning and storage | Find out which parts are dishwasher-safe and measure the assembled appliance, as well as the accessories you’ll need to store. | In a small kitchen, I want to be able to clean and put the appliance away without it taking up too much space. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this consideration. |
| Preparing ingredients | Check which tasks the appliance can actually do, such as chopping, grating, blending or weighing, and which accessories are included. | If my meals involve a lot of chopping or mixing, I want to cut down on the number of appliances I need to get out before I even start cooking. This is the main priority for around 13% of consumers. |
A bowl’s total capacity isn’t necessarily the same as its usable capacity. For example, Magimix gives the Cook Expert XL Connect’s total capacity as 4.8 L and its usable capacity as 3.8 L. Fill limits also depend on what you’re making.
Compare the stated usable capacity and the instructions with the quantities in your usual recipes, rather than working out portion sizes from the litre figure alone.
An appliance with several cooking settings won’t necessarily chop ingredients. Equally, a cooking food processor’s functions may not suit the dishes you make, so check them carefully.
Think through the steps involved in a few meals you make regularly, then check which ones the model you’re considering can actually handle with the accessories included.
The bowl, lid and accessories also take up space. Noise may also be a factor if you’re cooking in a living area, as UFC-Que Choisir points out when discussing air fryers.
Measure the space you have, including the clearance needed to use and open the appliance, then check its dimensions when assembled.
In its air fryer tests, UFC-Que Choisir found that cooking results varied between models. A programme on its own doesn’t tell you what the results will be like.
For a specific model, look for a test covering the food you plan to cook, as well as cleaning and noise.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for a multicooker with browning and several one-pot cooking settings.
A brand to look at if you want a cooking food processor that prepares ingredients and has a large bowl.
A brand to consider if you want to combine food preparation, cooking and guided recipes in a cooking food processor.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for a dedicated slow cooker for dishes cooked slowly at a low temperature.
These Joybuy products cover food preparation with a cooking food processor, one-pot cooking with electric pressure cookers, and roasting with an air fryer. Start by choosing the method that suits your dishes, then compare the features of the model you’re interested in.
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Worth a look if you want to prepare ingredients and cook with the same appliance. The product name specifies an XL bowl, built-in scales, a large touchscreen and 750 recipes. Check that the bowl’s usable capacity suits the size of your batches.
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An option to consider if you want to cook several portions in one pot. The product name gives its stated capacity as 7.1 L and specifies a stainless steel inner pot. Check the fill limits and dimensions before planning your batches. When pressure cooking, follow the instructions for releasing the pressure.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a cooker with a high stated capacity. The product name specifies 8 L, 1200 W, 12 preset programmes and a non-stick cooking pot. Compare the usable capacity and dimensions with your recipes and kitchen. Follow the fill limits and never open the appliance while it’s under pressure.
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Another stated capacity to compare if you’re preparing one-pot meals. The product name mentions slow cooking, steaming and four customisable presets. Check the permitted fill level for your dishes and follow the instructions for releasing the pressure.
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Worth a look if you want to cook roasted or crispy food at the same time. Its stated capacity of 7.6 L is split between two drawers, and the product name mentions six functions and dishwasher-safe baskets. Check that you have enough space and that the drawers are large enough for your food, rather than treating this as the capacity of a single cooking pot.
Compare the usable capacity and fill limits with the quantities in your usual recipes. The difference matters: Magimix gives the Cook Expert XL Connect’s total capacity as 4.8 L, but its usable capacity as 3.8 L.
An air fryer can be suitable for roasted or crispy food, but it won’t necessarily replace the cooking pot you’d use for soups or slow-cooked dishes. Choose based on the meals you make most often, and check the settings on the model you’re considering.
Check the cooking pot or bowl, lid, baskets and other accessories individually. One dishwasher-safe part doesn’t mean that all the others are too, so check the model’s cleaning instructions as well.
Check the availability of spare parts, access to the instructions and the warranty terms for the model on sale. Magimix states that parts for the Cook Expert XL Connect will be available for 30 years. Check the terms that apply to the appliance you choose.