A multi-cooker makes sense if you regularly cook, simmer or steam food and want to combine these tasks with food preparation in one appliance. If your existing appliances already cook your meals and you mainly want to chop, grate or knead, a food processor is a more direct solution. If you rarely do these tasks or already have them covered, keeping your current equipment could save you from adding another appliance and accessories to store.
A multi-cooker is worth considering if you often make soups, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food, and would also like to prepare ingredients in the same appliance. Make sure you have enough room for it in your kitchen.
If your current equipment suits your cooking needs, a food processor can help with more specific tasks: chopping, grating, slicing, blending or kneading. Que Choisir makes a clear distinction between these appliances and food processors that can also cook.
Before adding a food processor to your kitchen, check which parts need washing after the tasks you usually do, what accessories you’ll need to store, and the repair and warranty terms for the model you’re considering.
Start with the tasks you do every week, then consider the space you have and how much cleaning you’re happy to do.
Consider it if: you want to prepare and cook food regularly in the same appliance.
The trade-off: you’ll need to make room for it and check that its cooking functions are genuinely useful for the meals you make.
Consider it if: you already have cooking covered and regularly need help with food preparation.
The trade-off: what you can do depends on the accessories included with your chosen model, and you’ll need somewhere to store them.
Keep them if: they already handle your regular tasks and a food processor would add little extra value.
The trade-off: food preparation and cooking will still be split between several utensils or appliances.
| Factor | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in cooking | Identify the cooking modes you’d actually use, then compare them with your current appliances. Check that the capacity suits the food you prepare. | I often make dishes that need to cook in the bowl, so bringing those steps together could be useful. In a survey published in 2020, Que Choisir reported that 52% of the 1,695 subscribers surveyed who owned food processors said their multi-cooker saved them time in the kitchen. This is user feedback, not a guarantee of the same results in every household. |
| Preparation and accessories | Check which chopping, grating, slicing or kneading tools are included, which are optional and where you’ll store them. Make sure the bowl is big enough for your portions. | I don’t need cooking functions, but I often prepare ingredients that need chopping or dough that needs kneading. I’d choose the accessories I’ll use rather than a long list of functions I’m unlikely to need. |
| Size and cleaning | Measure the space available for the appliance and its accessories. Check the model’s instructions to see which bowls, lids and tools are dishwasher-safe. | If an appliance is going to stay on the worktop, I need to have room for it there. After a meal, I also want to know how many parts I’ll need to clean. |
| Guided recipes | Check which functions work without an app, how you can access the recipes and what remains available without a related service. | If I plan to follow step-by-step instructions, recipe access matters to me. If I prefer to set the appliance myself, that service may be less important. |
| Long-term use | Check which spare parts are listed for the exact model number and the scope of any commercial warranty, including covered components and exclusions. | I want to be able to maintain my food processor and understand the terms that apply if a part needs replacing. |
Cooking is what sets a multi-cooker apart from a food processor. If your current equipment already handles the cooking you need, this function could be redundant while taking up valuable space.
Make a note of the dishes you’d genuinely cook in the bowl over a typical week. Then compare a multi-cooker, a food processor and the appliances you already own.
A product range name or advertised function doesn’t always tell you what’s in the box. Que Choisir also only assesses additional accessories in its tests when they’re included.
Check which tools come with the exact model number, which accessories are optional, where they can be stored and how they should be cleaned.
An optional tool also means one more part to store and clean if you decide to use it.
Recipes aren’t essential for using every multi-cooker, but some guided functions depend on a separate service. Vorwerk states, for example, that unlimited access to Cookidoo is available through a subscription with automatic renewal.
Check which recipes you can access with your chosen model, which functions are available without a subscription and the renewal terms for any service you’re interested in.
Warranty periods and the components covered can vary. For the Cook Expert, Magimix lists different terms for the motor and for parts, accessories and labour.
Read the terms and exclusions for the exact model number, and keep the documents you receive when you buy it.
According to Vorwerk, the Thermomix TM7 brings together food preparation, cooking and guided recipes through Cookidoo.
The range includes food processors that combine preparation and cooking, with features and accessories varying by model.
Magimix offers food processors designed for preparation, as well as the Cook Expert range, which includes cooking functions.
These models illustrate the two uses covered here: combining preparation and cooking, or focusing on preparation when you already have cooking covered. Compare their features with the meals you make, the space available and the accessories you need.
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Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking, and use built-in scales. Check how much space you’ll need and the terms for accessing connected recipes if you plan to use them.
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An option that combines preparation and cooking if you’d also like to follow recipes on screen. Check the washing instructions for the parts and the terms for accessing the recipes you’re interested in.
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Worth a look if you mainly need an appliance for food preparation and already have a way to cook. Compare the 1.5 L bowl with the quantities you usually make, and check that the accessories suit your regular tasks.
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The model name mentions blending, chopping, slicing and grating, so compare these tasks with the way you usually prepare food. Check which tools are included and how their parts should be cleaned. This model isn’t designed for cooking in the bowl.
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Compare it with your mixing, kneading and chopping needs rather than with a multi-cooker. Make room to store the listed parts; the product description recommends washing them by hand.
Not if you need to cook in the appliance: cooking is the functional difference highlighted by Que Choisir. If your current appliances already handle that step, a food processor can still take care of preparation tasks, as long as it has the accessories you need.
Not necessarily. Que Choisir says recipes aren’t essential for using a multi-cooker. If you’d like guided cooking, check which features on your chosen model depend on an account, an internet connection or a subscription. Vorwerk, for example, requires a subscription for unlimited access to Cookidoo.
No. Follow the instructions for each model and check the guidance for the bowl, lid, accessories and motor unit separately. Make sure you know how to clean the parts you’ll use most often.
Because what you can do depends on the tools actually included with the model you buy. Que Choisir only assesses additional accessories in its tests when they’re included, so check what’s in the box rather than assuming what comes with the range from its name.