For a wider range of cooking with less need to keep an eye on things, start by comparing a multi-cooker’s programmes and its genuinely usable capacity. Choose a cooking food processor if you also want to prepare some ingredients, or a dedicated appliance if you make a particular type of recipe. You may find your current equipment already meets your needs; either way, check the cleaning requirements, how much space it takes up and the instructions for the specific model.
You prepare a variety of meals during the week and want to spend less time watching the cooking, without assuming the appliance will also prepare the ingredients. Research by UFC-Que Choisir and an OpinionWay survey for Lustucru from August 2024 highlights the challenges of meal preparation, but does not establish that one appliance can handle every step.
You want to match recipes and the number of people you’re cooking for to the amount you can genuinely cook, not just the stated bowl capacity. UFC-Que Choisir makes a distinction between the bowl capacity and the maximum cooking quantity for the Cookeo model it reviewed.
You mainly make rice or slow-cooked dishes, or already own several appliances. In that case, a versatile model is only worthwhile if you’ll actually use its extra functions. The appliances and uses described by Tefal and Crock-Pot illustrate these more specialised options.
Choose this if: you make different types of meals and want to spend less time watching them cook.
Keep in mind: preparing ingredients and stirring are often still manual tasks; follow the model’s fill limits.
Choose this if: you’d also like to chop or mix some ingredients in the same appliance.
Keep in mind: check that the bowl is big enough for your recipes and consider which accessories will need cleaning.
Choose this if: your meals are mostly rice-based or involve planned slow cooking.
Keep in mind: these appliances are designed for particular uses and may not replace other cooking methods.
Choose this if: your appliances already cover the recipes you make during the week.
Keep in mind: you may not get new automatic programmes or a keep-warm function.
| Consideration | What to check | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping an eye on the cooking | Modes you’ll genuinely use; manual steps and programming required by the recipe. | If I’m making a variety of dishes while getting on with other things, I want to spend less time watching the cooking without assuming the appliance will prepare the ingredients. Around 36% of consumers prioritise a range of cooking options that need little supervision. |
| Usable cooking capacity | Maximum permitted fill level for the recipe; appliance dimensions and storage space. | When I’m cooking for several people, I want to know how much I can genuinely make using my recipes. Around 29% of consumers prioritise usable capacity suited to their household. |
| Ingredient preparation built in | Accessories actually included; chopping or mixing functions needed for your recipes. | If my dishes need ingredients chopping or mixing before cooking, I want to check whether one appliance can do both jobs. Around 21% of consumers prioritise built-in preparation functions. |
| Use, cleaning and storage space | How often you make the types of recipes it’s designed for; parts to clean and storage space required. | If I mainly cook rice or slow-cooked dishes, or already have the equipment I need, I’d rather avoid functions and accessories I’m unlikely to use. Around 14% of consumers prioritise a specific use and a compact footprint. |
The maximum quantity depends on the model and recipe; ingredients that expand may need a lower fill limit.
Compare the guidance in the manual with your usual portions, especially for ingredients that expand during cooking.
If the bowl is too small for a recipe, you may have to cook it in several batches.
A multi-cooker generally won’t chop or mix food; these tasks depend on the model’s functions and accessories.
Think through the steps involved in a few of your usual meals, then check whether the included accessories can handle them.
If the appliance can’t do these jobs, you’ll still need other utensils or to prepare the ingredients by hand.
Functions and accessories vary between models. Moulinex, for example, states that the Extra Crisp accessory for the Cookeo Wi-Fi 9-in-1 CE867810 is sold separately.
For the exact model, check which modes you’ll use, what’s included in the box, how it’s cleaned and how much storage space it needs.
An accessory sold separately or extra parts to clean can make the appliance less convenient to use.
Scheduling a cooking cycle doesn’t replace the rules for storing perishable food. Anses advises not leaving it at room temperature for more than two hours before refrigerating it.
Follow the appliance instructions and Anses’ food storage advice. Only use delayed start with ingredients and a recipe that are suitable for it.
Cookeo is designed for programmable cooking, while Companion combines ingredient preparation and cooking. Compare the specific models and accessories.
The Thermomix TM7 is aimed at people who want to combine ingredient preparation and cooking.
The Classic 2 RK102811 rice cooker is a focused option if rice and steaming suit the way you usually cook.
Programmable slow cookers can suit households that regularly make slow-cooked meals.
The brand’s multi-cookers combine several cooking methods. Check the exact model and its availability before choosing one.
This selection focuses mainly on programmable cooking, with multi-cookers and pressure cookers, as well as a cooking food processor that can handle some preparation steps.
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Worth considering if you want to programme a range of cooking settings, including pressure cooking.
The product description lists 9 menus, 2 pressure settings and a 24-hour timer. It distinguishes between a 6 L bowl and a stated usable capacity of 5 L.
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Worth considering if you want to switch between different programmable cooking modes.
The product description lists pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming and oven cooking, as well as time and temperature settings.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for several cooking modes and a bowl stated to suit larger portions.
The product details list a 7.1 L capacity, up to eight portions and four customisable presets. Some parts are listed as dishwasher-safe. When pressure cooking, follow the steam-release instructions and keep your face and hands away from the valve.
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Worth considering if your recipes involve both preparation and cooking.
The product description lists a 3.5 L bowl, built-in scales, chopping and grating functions, and guided recipes. It advises not leaving the appliance unattended while it’s running.
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Worth considering if you want several cooking modes and a delayed-start function.
The product details list 12 programmes, a 24-hour delay timer and an 8 L capacity for up to 10 portions. For ingredients that expand, follow the half-full fill line stated in the product details and the depressurisation instructions.
Not necessarily. For the Cookeo model it reviewed, UFC-Que Choisir states that the bowl holds 6 L, with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 L and a limit that varies by recipe. Check the fill markings and manual for your model rather than assuming this figure applies to every appliance.
Follow your model’s instructions for filling, the valve and releasing pressure. For its appliances, Instant Pot gives a usual fill limit of two-thirds, or half full for foods that expand, such as rice or beans. These instructions aren’t a universal limit for every brand.
No. A timer doesn’t replace food storage guidance. Anses advises not keeping food at room temperature for more than two hours before refrigerating it. Choose ingredients and a cooking plan that follow this advice.
Check the manual to see which parts can be removed and which are dishwasher-safe, then find out which replacement parts are available for the specific model. In France, for goods sold by a business to an individual, the Ministry of the Economy explains that the legal guarantee of conformity is compulsory; it is separate from an optional commercial guarantee.
No. The DGCCRF explains that the CE marking represents the manufacturer’s commitment to meeting the relevant European requirements; it is not a certification mark. The rules depend on the legislation that applies to the product category, and the logo alone does not prove that a particular model is safe.