Choose a multicooker if your ingredients are already prepared and you mainly want to spend less time monitoring the cooking. If chopping, mixing or weighing also takes up time, consider a cooking food processor instead. Its accessories, cleaning requirements and the space it takes up matter just as much as its programmes. Either way, compare the usable capacity with your usual recipes rather than relying on the advertised number of portions alone.
The main difference is the work you want the appliance to take off your hands: cooking alone, or some preparation too.
If you’re happy to chop and combine the ingredients yourself, a multicooker can handle some of the cooking while you get on with other things. Check that its programmes suit the dishes you make regularly; it won’t chop or knead ingredients for you.
If weighing, mixing or preparing ingredients slows down your weeknight meals, the functions of a cooking food processor are worth considering. Check which tasks the specific model can actually handle: not all food processors come with the same tools or programmes.
For family meals or batch cooking, compare the usable capacity and the space needed with the bowls and accessories fitted. For example, Magimix lists a usable capacity of 3.8 L for the Cook Expert XL, compared with a total capacity of 4.8 L. These figures don’t represent the same usable volume.
Start with the three weeknight meals you make most often. Their preparation steps, quantities and washing-up will help you compare appliances for the way you actually cook.
Worth considering if: you prepare the ingredients yourself and mainly want to manage the cooking without staying by the appliance throughout.
The trade-off: chopping, blending and kneading still need to be done separately.
Worth considering if: your recipes also involve preparation tasks that the model’s functions can handle.
Bear in mind: the bowl and accessories take up space, and each part needs to be cleaned according to its own care instructions.
| Consideration | What to check | For my needs |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks handled | Look for the cooking modes your recipes require. If preparation slows you down, check separately which chopping, mixing, kneading or weighing functions and accessories the model includes. | My ingredients are already prepared, so I mainly want to spend less time monitoring the cooking. If I also spend time preparing them, a cooking food processor’s functions become key. |
| Quantities | Distinguish between total and usable capacity where both figures are given. Compare the volume with your recipes and any accessories fitted in the bowl; the advertised number of portions depends on the dish. | When cooking several meals or feeding everyone at home, I want to know whether my recipe will fit in one batch, rather than assume that the stated capacity will suit every dish. |
| Cleaning | Check the instruction manual for each removable part and the electrical base. Also find out how to clean the accessories you’ll use most often. | An appliance I use during the week needs to be easy to clean after my usual recipes, even if some parts have to be washed by hand. |
| Available space | Measure the width, depth and height with the bowl in place. Allow space to store any additional bowls and accessories, not just the base. | I need to be able to set up and store the appliance where I cook, without having to move other things every time I make a meal. |
A multicooker can reduce the need to check on the cooking without taking chopping, blending or kneading off your hands. If those tasks take up most of your time, switching appliances may leave your main frustration unchanged.
Make a note of the tasks you need to do before cooking for three meals you make regularly, then check which of them the model you’re considering can actually handle.
A container’s total capacity may differ from its usable capacity. The amount you can prepare also depends on the ingredients and the recipe.
Compare the published capacities of each model with the soups or one-pot dishes you usually make, and work out whether you’d need to cook a second batch.
Care instructions vary from one part to another. For the Thermomix TM7, Vorwerk distinguishes between the removable parts and the base, which needs to be cleaned by hand.
Read the manual for the model you’re considering, including the instructions for the bowl, lid, blades and any accessories you plan to use every day.
An appliance may need more room once its bowl is fitted, and separate accessories also need somewhere to be stored.
Compare the space you have with the dimensions of the set-up you’ll use, taking the clearance beneath cupboards into account.
These examples highlight features to compare on specific models. A feature offered in one range won’t necessarily be available across every appliance from the same brand.
The brand offers Cookeo multicookers designed for assisted cooking, as well as Companion food processors that combine preparation and cooking.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation and cooking modes with guided recipes displayed on screen.
The Cook Expert XL is a food preparation and cooking processor worth considering, particularly if batch size is an important factor in your choice.
This selection focuses mainly on multicookers that handle the cooking once your ingredients are prepared, alongside a cooking food processor for anyone who also wants to do some preparation in the appliance. Compare each model’s individual functions with your recipes and the instructions for use.
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Worth considering if you prepare your ingredients before setting a meal to cook. The product details list an 8 L capacity, 1200 W of power and 12 pre-set programmes, including rice, steam and slow-cook settings. Check the usable capacity for your usual portions, and consult the care instructions and electrical specifications before installation in France.
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Designed for ingredients that are already prepared, this model has a 24-hour timer, nine cooking menus and two pressure settings. Its stated capacity is 6 L. Compare this with the volume of your recipes, and check the manual for care instructions and electrical specifications to suit your installation.
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Worth considering if you also want to weigh and prepare ingredients in a cooking food processor. The product details mention built-in scales, a large touchscreen and an XL bowl. The instructions for this model say it needs to be monitored while in use, so it’s not suitable for a meal you plan to leave cooking unattended. Check which recipes are available for this version and how to clean each part.
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This 5.7 L multicooker is worth considering if you want an appliance for cooking ingredients you’ve already prepared. If your routine calls for the appliance to start at a set time, check whether this version has a delayed start and what the conditions of use are before you decide.
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The stated capacity of 7.1 L may appeal if you cook several portions at once. Check the usable capacity for your recipes, and whether it has a delayed start or keep-warm function if you need these for your routine. Also check the electrical specifications before installation in France.
Yes, if you already prepare the ingredients and mainly want to hand over some of the cooking. If you also want to weigh, chop, mix or knead in the same appliance, look at the functions of a specific cooking food processor instead. A multicooker designed for cooking won’t replace those preparation steps.
First compare the usable capacity, if it’s listed, then relate it to the volume of your usual recipes. For the Cook Expert XL, Magimix France gives a total capacity of 4.8 L and a usable capacity of 3.8 L. An advertised number of people doesn’t guarantee the same portion size for every dish.
No. Check the instructions for the specific model and each individual part. For the Thermomix TM7, Vorwerk France says the removable parts can go in the dishwasher, while the base needs to be cleaned by hand.
Measure the space with the bowl fitted, then allow room to store any other parts you’ll use. With an appliance such as the Cook Expert XL, the bowl configuration affects how much space it takes up, so measuring the base alone won’t tell you whether you have enough room.