For preparing and cooking in one appliance
If you often make soups, sauces, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food, explore the functions of a cooking food processor. Also measure how much space it will need with the bowl, lid and accessories in place.
Which option is right for you?
For regular kneading and whisking
If dough-making and baking are a big part of your cooking, a heated stand mixer is worth considering. Check which ingredients and recipes it can heat using the accessories supplied.
For a kitchen that already has cooking appliances
If you already use a hob or oven and mainly want to bring your food preparation tasks together, a compact food processor could be a good fit. It won’t cook in place of those appliances.
What should you check before choosing?
Cooking food processor
Worth considering: if you want to prepare and cook food in the same bowl and use its cooking programmes.
Bear in mind: the appliance and its accessories need a home, even when several functions are combined.
Heated stand mixer
Worth considering: if kneading, whisking and mixing are your priorities, but you’d also like to heat some preparations.
Bear in mind: depending on the range, you may need optional accessories for additional uses, as Kenwood notes for the Cooking Chef.
Food processor without cooking functions
Worth considering: if you’re looking for a food preparation appliance and already have the equipment you need for cooking.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to cook food on the hob or in the oven.
| What to consider | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Space and storage | Measure the available width, depth and height, then check the clearance needed to open the lid and use the accessories. Plan where to store any parts that aren’t fitted; UFC-Que Choisir recommends checking how much space an appliance takes up before buying. | I want to keep the appliance within easy reach without filling the worktop or cupboards with its accessories. |
| Cooking and preparation | List the tasks you need for your usual meals: blending or kneading, as well as heating, slow cooking or steaming in the appliance. Check which functions are built in and which require an accessory. | If I want to prepare and cook a dish in the same bowl, built-in cooking functions matter. If I already cook elsewhere, I can focus on preparation functions. |
| Capacity | Compare the usable capacity or stated maximum fill level for the preparation you have in mind, rather than looking at the bowl’s total volume alone. Also check any limits for liquids, dough and steaming. | The amounts I usually make need to fit within the usable capacity. I don’t want to choose a bulky appliance just for a large batch I make occasionally. |
| Cleaning | Check the washing instructions for each part, including the bowl, blades, lid and accessories you’ll use. A rinse programme won’t necessarily clean these parts for you. | After making an everyday meal, I want to know which parts need to be taken apart and washed, and whether they really are dishwasher-safe. |
| Guided recipes | Check which recipes are available on the model you’re considering, which functions you can use without a subscription, and the terms for accessing the app. UFC-Que Choisir recommends distinguishing between free recipes and those that require paid access. | If I plan to follow recipes on the screen, ongoing access matters just as much as what’s available when I first set it up. |
What mistakes should you avoid?
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Measuring only the appliance base
An open lid or fitted accessory can take up extra space. For example, Magimix publishes the dimensions of the Cook Expert Connect with the stainless-steel bowl fitted, showing why it’s important to compare the appliance in the configuration you’ll use with the space available.
Measure your worktop and the clearance beneath your wall cupboards, then check the appliance’s dimensions when in use and where you’ll store the bowl, basket and other parts.
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Assuming the bowl’s volume is the amount you can prepare
Figures don’t always refer to the same thing: Magimix states a usable capacity of 2.5 L for the Cook Expert Connect, while Lidl lists a 4.5 L bowl and a maximum fill level of 3 L for Monsieur Cuisine Smart.
Compare the capacity available for the soups, sauces or doughs you usually make, rather than estimating portions from the total bowl volume alone.
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Relying on guided recipes without checking access
Terms vary between models: Moulinex says the Companion XL comes with a free app, while Vorwerk states that new customers need a subscription to use Cookidoo 3.0 on the TM7.
Check which recipes are available without a subscription, the offer terms and how useful guided recipes will be for the way you cook.
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Expecting a food processor without cooking functions to make a complete meal in one bowl
A food processor designed for preparation won’t replace cooking on the hob or in the oven. UFC-Que Choisir specifically distinguishes a cooking food processor by its cooking function.
Think about a few meals you make often: if you want to slow-cook or steam food in the appliance, check that the model you’re considering includes those functions.
Which models can help you decide?
Vorwerk
The Thermomix TM7 is a cooking food processor with guided recipes via Cookidoo.
- Vorwerk lists 24 modes for the TM7.
- According to Vorwerk, new customers need a subscription to access Cookidoo 3.0. Compare the included functions with the meals you usually make, rather than relying on the promise that it can replace a range of appliances.
Moulinex
The Companion XL is a cooking food processor worth considering if you regularly prepare large quantities.
- Moulinex lists a 4.5 L bowl, 14 modes and five accessories for this model.
- Before choosing it for a small worktop, check its dimensions when in use and allow space to store the accessories.
Magimix
The Cook Expert Connect is an example of a model with cooking functions, while the Compact System 3200 XL is designed for preparation without built-in cooking.
- Magimix states that the Cook Expert Connect has a usable capacity of 2.5 L and measures 380 × 335 × 390 mm with the stainless-steel bowl fitted. The brand lists dimensions of 396 × 205 × 266 mm and a usable capacity of 1 L for the Compact System 3200 XL.
- Don’t compare these capacities as if they were for the same purpose. Check the functions and the space needed for each model’s accessories.
Silvercrest / Lidl
Monsieur Cuisine Smart is a cooking food processor with guided recipes.
- Lidl lists a 4.5 L bowl, a maximum fill level of 3 L and dishwasher-safe accessories.
- Check how much space it needs when in use and which recipes are available on the specific version you’re considering.
Kenwood
The Cooking Chef is a heated stand mixer for those whose cooking mainly involves dough and mixing.
- Kenwood describes it as a stand mixer with cooking functions.
- The brand offers additional accessories as optional extras. Check which are included and which you’ll need to buy separately, and allow space to store them.
Cooking food processors on Joybuy
These two Robby models are cooking food processors, combining food preparation and cooking functions. Before choosing, compare them with your available space and cleaning routine.
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Robby Smart, XL bowl, scales and touchscreen
This cooking food processor combines preparation and cooking for meals you want to make using a single appliance.
The model is presented with an XL bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Before buying, check how much space you’ll need to use the lid and accessories, as well as what’s included and the terms for accessing guided recipes.
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Robby, built-in scales and touchscreen
This model combines food preparation and cooking functions, helping you use fewer appliances to make a meal.
It comes with built-in scales, a touchscreen and recipes. Check the usable capacity for your usual quantities and allow space for the accessories. The product description mentions a rinse programme, but says the accessories need to be washed by hand.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cooking food processor replace all my other appliances?
Not necessarily. It can combine food preparation and cooking, but functions, capacities and accessories vary between models, as UFC-Que Choisir points out. Before getting rid of another kitchen appliance, compare the tasks involved in your usual meals with the accessories actually supplied.
How much space should I measure before buying?
Measure the available width, depth and height, then check how much room you need to open the lid, remove the bowl and fit the accessories you’ll use. Remember to allow space to store them too: the dimensions of the appliance on its own don’t answer either of these questions.
Do guided recipes require a subscription?
It depends on the model and service. Moulinex says the Companion XL comes with a free app, and Lidl lists free recipes for Monsieur Cuisine Smart. Vorwerk says new customers need a subscription to access Cookidoo 3.0 on the TM7. Check what remains available without a subscription on the model you choose.
How can I assess how much cleaning is involved?
Check the cleaning instructions for every part you’ll use, including the bowl, blades, lid and accessories. Lidl says the Monsieur Cuisine Smart has dishwasher-safe accessories, while Vorwerk lists a pre-cleaning mode and some dishwasher-safe parts for the TM7. Follow the instructions for the model you choose.