To combine preparation and cooking for weeknight meals, choose a multi-function cooking food processor with functions, usable capacity and accessories suited to the dishes you usually make. If you mainly knead and whisk, consider a cooking stand mixer instead. If pressure cooking, steaming or slow cooking is your priority, a multi-cooker may suit you, provided you’re happy to prepare the ingredients separately. In every case, check how much space it needs, how easy it is to clean and what access you’ll have to recipes.
You want to work through the steps of a savoury dish on a weeknight using programmes or guided recipes. Check which tasks the model actually handles: having several functions in one bowl doesn’t mean you can make every dish from start to finish in it.
You cook in larger quantities or prepare meals in advance. Usable capacity matters more than the bowl’s stated volume alone; it’s also worth measuring how much space the appliance and its accessories take up.
Kneading and whisking come first, but you’d also find it useful to heat certain mixtures. A cooking stand mixer suits this priority; check separately which accessories you’ll need for savoury dishes.
Worth considering: if you want to prepare ingredients and then cook in the same appliance, using programmes or guided recipes.
Bear in mind: usable capacity, included accessories and cleaning requirements vary by model.
Worth considering: if kneading and whisking are your main uses, but you’d also like to heat mixtures in the bowl.
Bear in mind: accessories for preparing ingredients may be optional.
Worth considering: if pressure cooking, steaming or slow cooking is your priority.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to check which tools to use for chopping, grating or blending before cooking.
Worth considering: if chopping, grating, slicing or kneading matters more to you than automatic cooking.
Bear in mind: you’ll need another pan or dish for cooking, and the accessories need somewhere to be stored.
| Consideration | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and cooking | For the dishes you usually make, check the preparation functions, cooking modes and any transfers needed between containers. | When I cook after a busy day, I want to avoid switching appliances between preparation and cooking. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Capacity and space | Compare usable capacity where it’s stated, then measure the space available and work out where you’ll store the accessories. | When I’m preparing several portions, I need enough capacity without giving up all my worktop space. For around 27% of consumers, this is the main concern. |
| Cleaning and lifespan | Check the manual to see which parts are dishwasher-safe, then look at the model’s specific terms for spare parts and commercial warranties. | If I’m going to use the appliance often, I need to be able to clean its parts without too much effort. This is a priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Recipes and accessories | Check which accessories are included and the terms for accessing recipes, particularly once any included access period has ended. | If I plan to follow on-screen instructions, I want to know which recipes will remain available and which tools are included. Around 20% of consumers put this at the top of their list. |
These two measurements don’t necessarily refer to the same amount of food. Magimix lists a 4,8 L bowl and a usable capacity of 3,8 L for the Cook Expert XL; Vorwerk gives a maximum capacity of 2,2 L for the Thermomix TM7 bowl. These figures shouldn’t be compared as if they were measured in the same way.
Start with the quantities you usually make and look up the usable capacity for each model. If it isn’t stated, check the manual before estimating how many portions you can make.
Access linked to a service may change how you use your food processor once any included access period ends. Vorwerk links the Thermomix TM7’s guided recipes to Cookidoo 3.0, while Moulinex describes its Companion app as free.
Check the access terms for the model you’re considering, which recipes can be used without a service and whether you can cook in manual mode.
The cooking modes listed for the Instant Pot multi-cookers mentioned here don’t confirm that they can chop, grate or blend. You may still need other utensils to prepare a dish.
Break down the steps for a few meals you make often, then check which ones the appliance you’re considering can actually handle.
UFC-Que Choisir recommends considering an appliance’s footprint and how you’ll store its accessories. This is particularly important if you’ll need to take the appliance out and put it away for every meal.
Measure your worktop, the clearance needed to open or remove the lid, and the space you’ll set aside for essential accessories.
These ranges are designed for different uses. Compare the specifications of the exact model you’re considering rather than assuming they apply to every product from the same brand.
The Companion range is aimed at people who want to prepare and cook using programmes and a recipe app.
The Cook Expert XL is worth considering if you want to prepare and cook larger quantities.
The Thermomix TM7 focuses on its screen and Cookidoo guided recipes.
The Cooking Chef Experience is designed first and foremost for baking, with the added option of heating ingredients in the bowl.
The brand’s multi-cookers are worth considering when cooking modes matter more to you than built-in food preparation.
These two Robby models are options if you’re choosing a multi-function cooking food processor to prepare and cook weeknight meals. Compare their features and recipe access terms against the dishes you make.
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Worth considering if you want to combine preparation and cooking in one appliance with an XL bowl. The model name indicates that it has built-in scales and a large touchscreen.
Before choosing, check which recipes are available for this model and which parts the manual says are dishwasher-safe.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a multi-function cooking food processor with built-in scales and instructions on a touchscreen.
Check the bowl’s usable capacity against the portions you usually make. Also check the recipe access terms and cleaning instructions for this model.
Not always: a cooking food processor can combine preparation and cooking, but the tasks it can handle depend on the model and its accessories. A food processor without a cooking function needs another pan or dish for cooking; with a multi-cooker, check separately how you’ll chop, grate or blend the ingredients.
It depends on the appliance and the service it uses. Vorwerk says the Thermomix TM7 uses Cookidoo 3.0, while Moulinex describes the Companion app as free. Before choosing, check which recipes are available without a service and how manual mode works.
Check the manual for the exact model to see which parts can be removed and which are dishwasher-safe. Also consider how to clean the lid, blades, seals and accessories you plan to use often; a dishwasher-safe label for some parts doesn’t necessarily apply to the whole appliance.
No. For a purchase from a professional seller in France, the statutory conformity guarantee covers faults that fall within its protection and is claimed from the seller, as explained by the French Ministry of the Economy. The DGCCRF distinguishes this protection from an optional commercial warranty, which has its own terms and is provided in addition.