Choose a multicooker if you mainly want to set rice, slow-cooked dishes or steamed vegetables cooking without having to keep an eye on the appliance. A cooking food processor is better suited to regular chopping, mixing or kneading before cooking. Check the usable capacity, how much space the accessories take up and how you access guided recipes.
If you mainly cook rice, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food, a programme that controls the heat and cooking time can mean less supervision once you have added the ingredients. This is how multicookers work, according to UFC-Que Choisir.
For soups, sauces or dishes that need ingredients chopping, mixing, kneading or whisking before cooking, look at the functions and tools available on a cooking food processor. UFC-Que Choisir points out that functions and capacities vary between models.
You’ll need room in your kitchen for the bowl, preparation tools and all the parts that need washing. If you’re interested in connected recipes, check the access terms too: Vorwerk says the Thermomix TM7 uses Cookidoo 3.0, which requires a subscription for new customers.
The key question is whether you want the appliance to take care of cooking alone or preparation tasks as well. It may also be worth keeping an appliance you already own if it does the job that matters to you.
Choose this if: your ingredients are already prepared and you mainly want to leave rice, a slow-cooked dish or steamed food to cook with less supervision.
Bear in mind: cooking programmes don’t replace tools for chopping, grating or kneading.
Choose this if: chopping, mixing or kneading before cooking is a regular part of your meal preparation, and the model has the tools you need.
Bear in mind: extra tools and parts take up space and need looking after.
Keep yours if: your casserole dish, rice cooker or food processor already does the job you’re looking to make easier.
Bear in mind: preparation and cooking will still be split between several utensils or appliances.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking with less supervision | Check that the programmes suit the dishes you make, and distinguish between a cooking time set by the appliance and any delayed start function. | If I want to set rice or a slow-cooked dish cooking and get on with other things, I value automatic cooking once I’ve added the ingredients; around 36% of consumers would put this need first. |
| Preparing ingredients | Check what the exact model can do and which tools are included, especially for chopping, mixing or kneading. | When I often make sauces or soups, I want to avoid switching between appliances before cooking; around 29% of consumers would prioritise this versatility in preparation. |
| Capacity and cleaning | Compare the usable capacity or filling limit, then consider how much space the assembled appliance and its accessories take up. | I need to be able to prepare the amount I want without cluttering my worktop or having lots of parts to wash; for around 21% of consumers, this would be the main priority. |
| Recipes and accessories | Check which recipes are available without a subscription, which require connected services, and which accessories are included. | If I use guided recipes, I want to know what will remain available and which tools come with the appliance; around 14% of consumers would prioritise these terms of use. |
According to UFC-Que Choisir, multicooker programmes control the heat and cooking time, but that doesn’t mean the appliance can chop or knead ingredients.
Think of a meal you cook often and separate the preparation tasks from the cooking steps. The extra functions of a cooking food processor are most useful if you’ll use them regularly.
The total capacity may be greater than the usable capacity: Magimix gives the Cook Expert Connect a total capacity of 3.5 L and a usable capacity of 2.5 L, while Lidl lists a 4.5 L bowl and a 3 L filling limit for the Monsieur Cuisine Smart.
Compare the limits of the exact model with the quantities you usually make. Also measure the space for the appliance and its accessories.
Terms vary by service: Moulinex describes its My Moulinex app as free, while Vorwerk’s Thermomix TM7 uses Cookidoo 3.0, which requires a subscription for new customers.
Check which recipes are built in, which functions are available without a subscription, whether any trial period is included and the renewal terms for the model you’re considering.
For purchases covered by French law, an optional commercial warranty does not replace the statutory guarantee of conformity, as the French Ministry of the Economy points out.
Read the terms of any commercial warranty separately, paying particular attention to exclusions and cover for parts or transport, and keep your proof of purchase.
These ranges illustrate functions and capacities to compare model by model; their inclusion here does not mean that these products are available on Joybuy.
The Cookeo range focuses on programmed cooking, while selected Companion models combine cooking with food preparation tools.
The Thermomix TM7 combines cooking food processor functions with Cookidoo guided cooking.
The Cook Expert range includes cooking food processors with preparation tools and bowls in different sizes.
The Monsieur Cuisine Smart is a guided-recipe cooking food processor sold under the Silvercrest brand.
This selection includes cooking food processors for preparing and cooking food, as well as multicookers focused on cooking. To choose between them, start with the tasks you want the appliance to handle, then check the specifications of the model you’re considering.
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Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking in one cooking food processor.
The listed version comes with an XL bowl and a large touchscreen. If guided recipes are important to you, check what’s included and the terms for accessing them.
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Worth considering if your priority is programming cooking rather than chopping or slicing ingredients.
The listing states that it has 9 menus, 2 pressure settings and a 24-hour timer. Before ordering, check that it’s electrically compatible with your home and that the instruction manual is in a language you can read.
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Worth considering if weighing ingredients in your cooking food processor is part of how you prepare meals.
This version is listed with a touchscreen. Check the bowl’s usable capacity and the terms for accessing recipes before choosing it for the quantities you usually make.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a multicooker for preparing larger meals, without expecting it to chop ingredients.
The listing states that it has 12 menus and a power rating of 1200 W. The 8 L capacity doesn’t tell you how much you can actually cook in it, so check the filling limit and electrical compatibility before buying.
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Worth considering if you want a multicooker with several cooking modes for everyday meals.
The listed version has a stainless steel inner pot. If you need to set the appliance to start cooking at a specific time, check that it has a delayed start function. Follow the instructions for the lid and steam release.
A multicooker may be enough if you prepare the ingredients yourself and mainly want to cook rice, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food with less supervision. If you also want to chop, knead or whisk in the appliance, check the functions and accessories of a suitable cooking food processor.
No, it depends on the appliance and service. Moulinex describes its My Moulinex app as free; Vorwerk says the Thermomix TM7 uses Cookidoo 3.0, which requires a subscription for new customers. Check which recipes are available without a subscription and the renewal terms for the model you’re considering.
Compare the usable capacity or filling limit with the amount you cook at a time, rather than looking at the total capacity alone. Magimix gives the 3.5 L Cook Expert Connect a usable capacity of 2.5 L; Lidl gives the 4.5 L Monsieur Cuisine Smart a filling limit of 3 L.
Read the instructions for the exact model before using it for the first time, particularly those covering the lid, steam, filling limits and cleaning. Vorwerk advises reading the Thermomix TM7 manual in full; instructions may differ for other models.
No. In France, when you buy from a professional seller, the Ministry of the Economy says the statutory guarantee of conformity applies for two years to new and second-hand goods. Any commercial warranty is separate: check its terms and don’t confuse it with your statutory rights.