Choose a programmable multicooker if your main aim is to cook everyday meals in one pot without having to manage every step yourself. Check the permitted capacity for your recipes, though, rather than relying only on the stated capacity. A cooking food processor is better suited to you if you also want to prepare ingredients, while separate appliances may still be the right choice if they already handle your recipes or you need to cook several things at once. In every case, check the manual for filling limits, cleaning advice and safety precautions.
The right choice depends as much on the tasks you want to avoid as on the dishes you make.
If you mainly make rice, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food, a multicooker lets you do it all in one pot. Compare its programmes with the recipes you actually make: a feature is only useful if it suits the meals you cook.
If chopping, blending, grating or kneading is a regular part of your routine, consider a cooking food processor and its attachments instead. A multicooker designed for cooking won’t take care of these preparation tasks.
Measure the available space with the lid and attachments in place, then compare the filling limit with the quantities you cook. The volume marked on a bowl or pot alone isn’t enough to tell you how many portions you can make.
Start with the tasks you want the appliance to handle, then check the quantities, space required and cleaning instructions for the model you’re considering.
Consider it: if your ingredients are already prepared and you mainly want to start cooking in one pot.
Drawback: a multicooker designed for cooking won’t chop or blend ingredients, so you’ll need to do those tasks separately.
Consider it: if preparing ingredients is also a big part of your routine.
Drawback: bowls, blades and other attachments mean more items to store and clean.
Keep them: if your current equipment already covers your recipes or you need to cook several things at once.
Drawback: cooking in several containers can mean more handling and washing up.
| Criterion | What to check | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday cooking | Look for the settings your recipes need, such as slow cooking, steaming, reheating or, depending on the model, pressure cooking. Check the settings and instructions for each mode. | I want to start making my usual dishes without having to stay by the hob, while still following the appliance’s instructions. |
| Usable capacity | Check the filling limits for each recipe, especially for liquids, ingredients that expand and pressure cooking. Que Choisir notes that the 6 L Cookeo pot cited in its guide has a maximum preparation capacity of 4 L. | The quantities I make should suit my household, without having to work out the usable cooking capacity from the stated capacity alone. |
| Ingredient preparation | Check which tasks the appliance can handle and which attachments are actually included, such as a blade, whisk, discs or steaming basket, depending on the model. A cooking mode doesn’t mean the appliance can chop or blend. | If I often chop or knead, I need to know whether the food processor can handle those steps, not just the cooking. |
| Space and cleaning | Compare the dimensions with the lid and attachments in place, then check which parts are removable and how they should be washed. Consult the manual to see which parts are dishwasher-safe. | My worktop space is limited, and I want to be able to clean the parts I use after an everyday meal. |
| Cooking several things at once | List the dishes you prepare at the same time and the containers you already have. Check whether cooking everything in one pot will really suit the way you work. | When different parts of a meal need to cook separately, keeping my current appliances may suit the way I cook better. |
You may need to leave room in the pot, depending on the recipe and cooking mode. For the Cookeo pot featured in its guide, Que Choisir gives a maximum preparation capacity of 4 L, despite its 6 L capacity.
Compare the quantities in your recipes with the limits in the manual for the specific model, particularly for liquids and pressure cooking.
Les Numériques distinguishes between multicookers, which are designed for cooking, and appliances that chop, grind or blend. If these tasks are part of your routine, a programmable pot won’t do them for you.
Make a note of the tasks you do each week, then compare the preparation functions and attachments offered by cooking food processors.
You may need to keep or buy a separate food preparation appliance for these tasks.
A cooking food processor may need bowls, blades or discs as well as its main space on the worktop. Storage and cleaning are part of everyday use, especially in a small kitchen.
Before choosing, check the dimensions with the bowl and lid in place, which attachments are included and the cleaning instructions.
Programmes don’t override filling limits or the safety rules for heat, pressure or blades. The Thermomix TM7 manual, for example, asks you to read it in full before first use; Magimix advises careful handling of its blades and discs.
Read the manual for your chosen model before using it for the first time, and follow the instructions for setting it up, using its attachments and cleaning it.
These ranges illustrate different uses; their features don’t necessarily apply to other models from the same brand.
Moulinex describes the Cookeo+ CE851A10 as a 6 L multicooker with six cooking modes and 150 built-in recipes.
The Cook Expert XL Connect is an example of a cooking food processor. Magimix gives its bowl a total capacity of 4.8 L and a usable capacity of 3.8 L.
According to Vorwerk, the Thermomix TM7 combines a 2.2 L bowl with a 6.8 L Varoma designed for steaming. These figures refer to separate containers with different uses.
This selection includes a cooking food processor for anyone who also wants to prepare ingredients, followed by four multicookers designed for cooking in one pot. Compare their features with your recipes and the limits given in their manuals.
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Worth considering if you want to bring food preparation and cooking together, with built-in scales and a large touchscreen listed in the product title. It also advertises 750 recipes; check that they suit the way you cook. Consult the manual for permitted quantities, and measure the space you’ll need with the bowl in place.
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This option is for meals you want to cook in one pot, rather than for mechanical food preparation. Its stated capacity is 5.7 L. Check the filling limits for your recipes and the appliance’s dimensions before deciding if this size is right for you.
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Its stated capacity of 7.1 L is worth comparing with the quantities you usually cook. This figure doesn’t determine the permitted amount for every recipe: check the manual for filling limits and make sure you have enough room on your worktop.
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This pressure cooker may suit households looking for a choice of cooking programmes. The title lists 8 L and 1200 W, but the description also gives the capacity as “8 quarts”. Confirm the capacity of the model supplied, then check its filling limits. Also check its dimensions and cleaning instructions.
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This model combines a programmable pot, an air fryer lid and built-in scales. Check whether you’ll use all these features for your everyday meals. Its stated capacity is 6 L; consult the filling limits and cleaning instructions. Before buying, also check whether clear instructions are available in French.
Not necessarily. Que Choisir notes that a 6 L Cookeo pot has a maximum preparation capacity of 4 L. For your appliance, follow the filling limits in the manual and recipe, especially when cooking liquids, ingredients that expand or food under pressure.
Choose according to the tasks you want the appliance to handle. A multicooker is mainly for programmable cooking, while a cooking food processor is worth considering if you also want to chop, blend, grate or knead. Check the functions and attachments of the specific model before relying on it to prepare ingredients.
Check the manual for the model to find out which parts are removable, which are dishwasher-safe and how to clean the bowl or pot, lid and attachments. With a cooking food processor, remember to check the instructions for its blades and discs too: Magimix advises careful handling.
No. It may reduce the need for manual adjustments, but you still need to follow the manual, filling limits and model-specific safety precautions. Vorwerk, for example, asks users to read the Thermomix TM7 manual in full before first use.