Choose a multicooker if you’re happy to prepare the ingredients and mainly want to start cooking without having to stay by the appliance. A cooking food processor is a better fit if you want to combine preparation and cooking, provided its accessories, usable capacity and cleaning requirements suit your recipes. If your current equipment already takes care of cooking, a food processor or your existing utensils may be all you need.
If you don’t mind chopping and measuring the ingredients, a programmable multicooker can take care of cooking dishes suited to its programmes. As Que Choisir points out, this doesn’t usually mean it will prepare or stir the ingredients for you.
If chopping, mixing, blending or kneading takes as much time as keeping an eye on the cooking, consider a cooking food processor. Check that it includes the tools your recipes need, and that you have room to store and wash them.
If your pans, oven or another appliance meet your cooking needs, you can focus on preparing the ingredients. Que Choisir suggests a food processor as an option if you don’t need cooking functions built in.
For everyday meals, start by deciding which steps you’d like to hand over to an appliance. Then check the usable capacity, the space it needs and what comes with your chosen model.
Consider this if: you prepare the ingredients and want the appliance to cook rice, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food, depending on its programmes.
Bear in mind: chopping and, usually, stirring are still done by hand. Delayed start and keep-warm functions depend on the model.
Consider this if: you want one appliance to handle preparation tasks such as chopping or mixing, as well as cooking.
Bear in mind: the tools you’ll need to store and clean vary depending on your recipes. Some guided cooking services require a separate subscription.
Consider this if: your main priority is preparing ingredients and you already have a way to cook them.
Bear in mind: this option won’t delegate the cooking to the food processor.
| Criterion | What to check | What matters to consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping an eye on the cooking | Check that the programmes suit your dishes, and see what you need to do before or during each programme. | When I start cooking an everyday meal and want to get on with something else, I mainly need the appliance to manage the cooking once it’s started. Around 31% of consumers would put this level of cooking autonomy first. |
| Built-in preparation functions | Look for the preparation functions your recipes need and check which accessories are actually included. | When chopping, kneading or mixing involves too much hands-on work, I also want to make these steps easier. Around 31% of consumers would prioritise built-in preparation functions. |
| Portions and size | Compare the usable capacity or fill limit, the number of portions stated for a recipe and the dimensions with the bowl fitted. | I want to prepare the usual portions for my household without struggling to find space to set up and store the appliance. Around 19% of consumers would put this balance first. |
| Recipes and accessories | Separate the recipes included from subscription services, and check that the appliance has the tools your dishes need. | If I don’t use guided cooking or certain accessories, I’d rather not rely on these services for my usual recipes. This would be the top criterion for around 19% of consumers. |
A multicooker mainly takes care of the cooking once you’ve started the programme; preparing the ingredients and, usually, stirring them are still up to you. According to Que Choisir, this is an important difference compared with the preparation functions of a cooking food processor.
Think through the steps involved in a recipe you make often, from chopping to washing up, and choose an appliance based on the tasks you really want to delegate.
The total volume doesn’t always match the amount of food you can cook. Que Choisir, for example, cites a 6 l Cookeo bowl with a cooking limit of 4 l.
For every model you’re considering, compare its usable capacity or fill limit with the stated portions and the instructions for liquid or pressure-cooked recipes.
Available functions depend on the model and the accessories supplied. Some guided recipes may also require a separate service. Vorwerk, for example, says that Cookidoo becomes an automatically renewing subscription after the trial period.
Check separately which recipes are available without a subscription, the terms of the guided cooking service and the accessories needed for the dishes you usually make.
A cooking food processor can combine several steps, but you’ll need to be able to set up, store and clean its bowl and accessories easily. Que Choisir recommends checking how much space it takes up before you choose.
Measure the space available with the bowl fitted, and check the cleaning instructions for every part you plan to use.
The Cookeo and Companion ranges cater to two different needs: mainly automating the cooking, or combining more preparation and cooking steps.
The Thermomix range combines preparation, cooking and guided recipes for anyone who wants to follow each step within the same ecosystem.
The Cook Expert XL Connect may appeal to households looking at the usable capacity of a cooking food processor for preparing larger quantities.
The Monsieur Cuisine Smart is a cooking food processor worth considering if its programmes and guided recipes suit the way you cook.
These appliances cover food preparation with built-in cooking, programmable cooking and a more specialised approach to rice. To choose between them, start with the steps you want to delegate, then check the specifications of the version on offer.
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Worth considering if you want one cooking food processor to handle both preparation and cooking. Before choosing this version, confirm the bowl material and the number of pre-loaded recipes listed for the appliance being sold.
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Worth considering if you mainly want to delegate cooking in a Mini size. The title lists a 3,8 l capacity and pressure cooking. Check the fill limit for your recipes, as well as the voltage and frequency required for your setup.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a multicooker for larger meals. The title mentions a 5,7 l capacity, slow cooking and steaming. When pressure cooking, follow the fill limits and minimum liquid quantity given in the instructions. Also check its dimensions before deciding where to put it.
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Worth considering if you want to programme the cooking of everyday dishes. The title lists a 24-hour timer, nine menus and two pressure settings. Check the dimensions, cleaning instructions and whether instructions in French are available for this version.
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Worth considering if you mainly need to cook rice or porridge, rather than prepare and cook a range of different dishes. The title mentions a timer, keep-warm function, steaming basket and ceramic-coated bowl. Check the list of seven advertised functions and the fill limits before planning to cook other recipes.
Not usually: it mainly automates the cooking once you’ve prepared the ingredients and started the programme. Que Choisir points out that multicookers generally don’t stir food. If chopping, blending or kneading is your main challenge, compare the functions and accessories of cooking food processors instead.
Check the model’s usable capacity or fill limit, then look at the portions listed for the recipe you have in mind. Que Choisir cites a 6 l Cookeo with a 4 l cooking limit; Lidl lists a 4,5 l bowl for the Monsieur Cuisine Smart, with a fill capacity of 3 l. You can’t work out these limits from the total volume of another appliance alone.
It depends on the model and recipe service you choose. Vorwerk describes Cookidoo as a separate subscription that renews automatically after a trial period, while Moulinex advertises a free app for the Cookeo+ and Companion XL models mentioned. Check which recipes remain available with the model you’re considering.
You can look for a collection point or recycling centre that accepts electrical equipment. These are options recommended by the Ministry for Ecological Transition. If you’re replacing the appliance, also ask the retailer about the terms for taking back your old one.