If you want to prepare several meals while keeping a closer eye on the cooking, choose a multi-cooker if you mainly make rice, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food. A cooking food processor serves a different purpose: it prepares the ingredients and cooks them in the same appliance, provided its functions, cleaning requirements and recipe access suit you. If you already have a suitable cooking appliance, a multifunction food processor can take care of chopping and blending without replacing it.
If you mainly cook rice, slow-cooked dishes or steamed vegetables, a multi-cooker’s programmes and settings cover your main needs. Que Choisir also lists a keep-warm function among the features in this category, so check that it’s available on the model you’re considering.
A cooking food processor is worth considering if your recipes also involve chopping, mixing or blending. Before choosing a model, compare the functions it actually offers, the parts you’ll need to clean and the terms for accessing recipes.
If your current appliance is suitable for the dishes you have in mind, a multifunction food processor can help with grating, slicing or blending ingredients for several meals. You’ll still need to organise the cooking separately.
Start by deciding which steps you want the appliance to handle: cooking only, preparation and cooking, or preparation alongside an appliance you already own.
Consider it: if you regularly want to start cooking in a single pot, such as rice or slow-cooked dishes, with less supervision.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to prepare the ingredients and carry out some steps during cooking.
Consider it: if you want to combine several preparation and cooking steps in one appliance.
Bear in mind: the bowl and accessories need cleaning and storage, and the number of parts varies by model.
Consider it: if chopping or blending is your main priority and you already have a suitable cooking appliance.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to transfer the ingredients and coordinate cooking in your other appliance.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Less hands-on cooking | Look for programmes suited to your dishes and check the time and temperature settings. Then see whether the specific model has a keep-warm function or a delayed start. | I want to start cooking rice or a slow-cooked dish and get on with something else while it cooks. |
| How much you can prepare | Compare the maximum fill level in the instruction manual with the portions in your recipes. The bowl’s capacity doesn’t necessarily tell you how much you can cook. | To prepare several meals at once, I need to be able to make enough portions in each session, especially for liquid or saucy dishes. |
| Ingredient preparation | Check which tasks the appliance can handle — chopping, grating, blending, mixing or weighing — and which accessories are needed. A multi-cooker and a cooking food processor don’t do the same job. | Chopping takes me longer than cooking. Do I need a food processor for this step, even if I cook elsewhere? |
| Cleaning and storage space | Count the parts you’ll need to wash and store, and check the cleaning instructions for each one, as well as the appliance’s dimensions. | I want to cut down on the tidying up after meals without permanently cluttering my worktop. |
| Recipes and accessories | Que Choisir recommends checking which recipes are free to access and which are paid. Also check the access terms, the language of the recipes and whether the accessories are compatible with the model you’ve chosen. | If I’m planning to use guided recipes to organise my menus, I want to know what I’ll be able to use after buying the appliance. |
The maximum fill level depends on the recipe, so the stated capacity may seem generous even when the bowl can’t hold the number of portions you want to make. Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 l Cookeo bowl with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 l.
Check the maximum fill level in the instruction manual and compare it with the portions in your usual recipes, especially liquid or rice-based dishes.
Depending on the recipe, the bowl, lid, blades and other accessories may all need washing. Preparing and cooking in the same appliance doesn’t mean you can skip checking how it needs to be cleaned.
Check which parts are included, how they should be washed and how much storage space they’ll need.
Menu planning will be more or less useful to you depending on which recipes you can access and the terms of the associated service.
Check which recipes are included, whether there’s a trial period, the terms for continued access and whether you can use the appliance without the recipe service.
Depending on the model and brand, access to some recipes or digital features may require a subscription.
An appliance that automates cooking won’t solve the question of how to store portions you’ve prepared in advance.
Set aside containers and fridge space before you start cooking. ANSES recommends keeping an eye on your fridge temperature: it should be 4 °C in the coldest part.
These brands illustrate different approaches to cooking and planning. Check the functions and accessories available for each individual model.
The Cookeo range is an example of a multi-cooker designed for everyday meals.
The brand highlights menu planning in its app for food processors.
With the Thermomix TM7, Vorwerk combines food preparation, cooking and recipe planning.
These models include multi-cookers that automate cooking in a single pot, and cooking food processors that combine preparation and cooking. Compare their features with your recipes and the quantities you plan to make.
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Switch between pressure cooking, slow cooking and steaming in one pot. The product details state a 7.1 L capacity and up to eight portions; check the fill limits for your recipes. When pressure cooking, follow the instructions for locking the lid and releasing steam.
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Worth considering if you want to schedule the start of cooking: the product details list 12 programmes, a 24-hour delayed start and a keep-warm function for up to 12 hours. Compare the stated portion count with the fill limits for your recipes, and follow the pressure-cooking instructions.
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For a range of one-pot cooking options, the product details list pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming and a keep-warm function. They state that it makes six portions and that the pot, lid and accessories are dishwasher-safe. Check how much you can cook for your recipes and follow the pressure-cooking instructions.
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If you want to prepare ingredients and cook them in the same appliance, the product details list functions including chopping, grating, steaming and slow cooking, as well as guided recipes. It states a usable capacity of 3 L, so compare this with the quantities you plan to make and check the terms for recipe access and accessory care.
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For following recipes while preparing ingredients, the product details list chopping, grating, steaming and slow cooking, as well as built-in scales. They also mention eight automatic programmes and a rinse programme. Check the terms for accessing recipes and the cleaning instructions for the parts.
Compare the fill limits in the instruction manual with the quantities in your recipes rather than relying on the bowl’s capacity alone. Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 l Cookeo bowl with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 l; the amount you can cook also depends on the recipe.
No. Que Choisir recommends checking whether recipes are free to access or paid. Terms vary by service and model, so before you buy, check what’s included, what requires additional access and what you can still use without the service.
Make sure you have containers and enough fridge space for the portions you want to keep. ANSES recommends monitoring the fridge temperature: the coldest part should be at 4 °C.