If you start dinner as soon as you get home, first compare the programmes on a multi-cooker with the pressure-cooking function of an electric pressure cooker. A slow cooker is better suited to meals prepared several hours before you eat; a food processor cooker is only worth considering if you also want to automate ingredient preparation. In every case, check the usable capacity, how easy the cooking pot is to clean and how much space the appliance needs.
If you start cooking as soon as you get home, look for programmes that suit the dishes you usually make and, if it appeals to you, a pressure-cooking function. According to a 2024 OpinionWay survey for Lustucru of 1,020 adults in France, 61% of respondents generally spend 30 minutes or less preparing dinner on a weekday evening. This figure relates to their preparation time, not their choice of appliance.
If you can put the ingredients in the cooking pot several hours before dinner, a programmable slow cooker is worth considering. Check that the cooking time and keep-warm setting suit your recipe and the manufacturer's instructions.
Decide whether you only want to automate cooking or also want to chop, mix and knead. A multi-cooker won't replace these preparation steps. A food processor cooker can handle them, depending on the model and its accessories, but you'll also need space to store it.
Start with when you prepare the ingredients, then compare the cooking methods you actually use. Cleaning and available space can help you choose between two appliances with similar features.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation time | Look for settings suited to your recipes, such as rice, steaming or pressure cooking. Distinguish between the time needed to prepare the ingredients and the time they spend in the cooking pot. | I start dinner after work and want to keep adjustments to a minimum. In an online OpinionWay survey for Lustucru, conducted from 31 July to 1 August 2024 among 1,020 adults in France, 61% said they generally spend 30 minutes or less preparing dinner on a weekday evening. |
| When you cook | If you fill the cooking pot in advance, check the model's timer and keep-warm function. If you only cook when you get home, compare its immediate cooking settings instead. Follow the instructions in the manual for each recipe. | My dinner time varies. I need an appliance that suits when I can prepare the ingredients, without assuming that every dish is suitable for a delayed start. |
| Ingredient preparation | A multi-cooker cooks food; it doesn't chop or blend. For these steps, check the specific functions and accessories of a food processor cooker, as well as how to maintain them. | If I already chop my own vegetables, an appliance dedicated to cooking may be enough. If I also want to automate chopping or mixing, I need to look at the functions of a food processor cooker. |
| Capacity | Compare the stated capacity with the fill limit in the manual and the portions you usually make. Check the dimensions of both the appliance and its cooking pot. | I sometimes cook several portions at once, but I don't want to choose a large cooking pot based on its stated capacity alone if it takes up too much worktop space. |
| Everyday cleaning | Check exactly which parts are dishwasher-safe. Find out how to remove and handle the cooking pot, then clean the lid and electrical housing. | After a meal, I want to know which parts I'll still need to wash by hand and where to store the accessories. |
| Extra features | Compare the basic settings with the recipes you make regularly. If you're considering an app, a frying function or specialist programmes, check how they work on the specific model. | I'd rather focus on the features I'll use during the week than choose an appliance based on its total number of programmes. |
A multi-cooker can automate cooking, but it won't chop or blend ingredients. A food processor cooker adds preparation steps and accessories that may not be useful for simple meals.
Make a note of the tasks you'd like to avoid: keeping an eye on cooking, chopping ingredients or mixing them. Then choose features that match those tasks.
A long list of settings doesn't tell you whether the appliance can handle the cooking methods you use on weekday evenings.
Match your usual recipes to the settings on offer: pressure cooking if you're interested in it, slow cooking, steaming, searing, reheating or keeping food warm. Only consider the other programmes if you plan to use them.
The fill limit may be lower than the stated capacity, depending on the appliance and what you're cooking. The capacity shown in a product title isn't enough to tell you how many portions you can make.
Check the maximum permitted fill level in the manual and compare it with your usual portions. Don't forget to allow space to store the appliance, too.
Removing a hot cooking pot, washing the lid and storing accessories are all part of everyday use, even when the appliance needs little attention while cooking.
Check the handles, the parts explicitly listed as dishwasher-safe and the model's cleaning instructions. For a specific product, you can also check RappelConso for any published recalls.
These product ranges show different ways to organise cooking. Check the features of the specific model you're considering.
The range includes Cookeo electric pressure cookers, designed for cooking and guided recipes, as well as Companion food processor cookers that can also handle preparation steps.
Its programmable slow cookers are suited to starting a meal several hours before you eat, rather than beginning a dish only when you get home from work.
The Cook@Home range focuses on everyday cooking methods in one pot, including rice cooking, steaming and slow cooking.
These models are designed for programmable cooking, including pressure-cooking options. To choose between them, consider the portions you want to prepare, the features listed for each model and the space and cleaning requirements in your home.
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If you're starting dinner when you get home from work, compare its cooking settings with your recipes and check how to clean the cooking pot. If Wi-Fi is important to you, confirm which features are available through the app and whether it's compatible in France before relying on remote control. Also check the plug type.
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If you regularly cook in the evening, check that the Classic's settings suit the dishes you make and that its usable capacity is right for your portions. Measure the space available and confirm the plug type. If you want to set a delayed start, check that this feature is available on the exact model.
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If you're batch cooking, compare the stated 7.1 L capacity with the portions you need to prepare. Also check the fill limit for your recipes, the dimensions and the plug type before deciding where to put it in your kitchen.
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If you usually make smaller portions, compare the 3.8 L capacity with the amount you typically cook and check the fill limits. Before setting it up, confirm the plug type. If power is a factor in your comparison, check the specification for this exact model.
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If you're preparing larger quantities, compare the permitted cooking capacity with the stated 6 L volume. The two pressure levels listed in the model name may also influence your choice, depending on your recipes. Check the dimensions, electrical specifications and dishwasher-safe parts, then decide whether you'll use the frying function and its accessories.
No. A multi-cooker is primarily for cooking, while chopping and blending are features found on some food processor cookers. If you want to avoid these preparation steps, check the accessories supplied with the food processor cooker you're considering rather than looking only at its cooking programmes.
Start with the cooking methods your usual recipes need: pressure cooking if you want to use it, slow cooking for suitable dishes, steaming for certain vegetables, or searing if you want to do this in the cooking pot. A keep-warm function can be useful if your mealtimes vary. Specialist programmes are only helpful if you'll use them.
No. Once you've added the ingredients and selected the right setting, a programme may mean you need to keep a closer eye on the cooking less often, but it doesn't replace the instructions in the manual. In particular, follow the fill limits and the model-specific installation and operating instructions.
Check your model's manual for details of the cooking pot, lid, seals and any baskets or accessories. Dishwasher compatibility varies by appliance; the housing containing the electrical components can't be washed in the same way as a removable cooking pot.
Search RappelConso, the French government's website for alerts about dangerous products, using the brand and exact model reference. Searching for the general category “multi-cooker” won't be enough to identify your model.