You prepare family meals
You cook several portions at once. The amount you can make in the bowl or cooking pot, along with the accessories suited to your recipes, matters more to you than the number of programmes alone.
Who are these appliances for?
You want cooking that needs little supervision
You want to get a weeknight meal started, then get on with something else while it cooks. The available cooking modes matter to you, but so does the work involved in preparing the ingredients.
You already have cooking appliances
Your pans, oven or pressure cooker meet your needs. You’re mainly looking to cut down on chopping, grating, mincing or blending, without adding functions you already have.
What matters for your meals?
Cooking food processor
Worth considering if: you want to chop or mix ingredients and cook some recipes in the same appliance.
Bear in mind: the amount you can make depends on the permitted fill level, and any accessories you use will need cleaning.
Multicooker
Worth considering if: you mainly make dishes where you’d like to automate some of the cooking.
Bear in mind: chopping and blending remain separate from the cooking process.
Food processor
Worth considering if: you’re happy with your cooking appliances, but repetitive ingredient preparation is slowing you down.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to transfer ingredients to your cooking appliances and keep an eye on them separately.
If you’re preparing several meals in advance, start with the task that takes you the longest. Then compare the advertised capacities and functions with the recipes you actually cook.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Amount per batch | Usable capacity and fill limits for your recipes, particularly for liquids. | If I’m cooking several portions of the same dish, I want to avoid making a second batch; around 36% of consumers would put this capacity at the top of their list. |
| Cooking with little supervision | Available cooking modes and the permitted quantity in the mode you’re interested in. | When I get a weeknight meal started, I want to be able to do something else while it cooks; this would be the priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Complementing your existing kit | The preparation tasks you still need to do and the accessories included with the model on sale. | My appliances already cook the meals I want, but preparing the ingredients takes time; around 21% of consumers would prioritise this kind of complementarity. |
| Recipe access | Any subscription terms, compatible versions and functions available offline. | When planning my meals, I want to know whether guided recipes will remain available on terms that suit me; around 14% of consumers would make this their main concern. |
What not to overlook
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Don’t mistake total capacity for usable capacity
The amount you can prepare may be less than the bowl’s total capacity. Lidl, for example, lists a 4.5 L bowl capacity and a 3 L fill limit for the Monsieur Cuisine Smart; Magimix distinguishes between a total capacity of 4.8 L and a usable capacity of 3.8 L for the Cook Expert XL Connect.
Check the limits for the specific model and recipe you have in mind, particularly for soups, doughs and steaming.
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Don’t assume every function comes with the necessary accessories
A cooking food processor can only replace your other appliances for tasks it can carry out with the parts supplied. A multicooker, on the other hand, is designed mainly for cooking.
Compare the tasks you do each week with exactly what’s included in the pack on sale, particularly if you plan to grate or slice ingredients.
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Don’t confuse a recipe trial with ongoing access
If planning and guided cooking become essential to your routine, access to the service matters just as much as the appliance’s cooking controls.
Check how long the included access lasts, the renewal terms, service compatibility and what you can do offline.
For the Thermomix TM7, Vorwerk states that it is compatible with Cookidoo 3.0, so ongoing use of guided recipes may depend on maintaining access.
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Don’t confuse a commercial warranty with your statutory rights
A manufacturer’s warranty and the legal guarantee of conformity are separate. The French Ministry of the Economy explains that the latter applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual.
Check the commercial warranty terms, the stated availability of spare parts and your rights with the seller separately.
Brands worth knowing when comparing models
Vorwerk
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation and cooking, with guided recipes through Cookidoo. Vorwerk lists a 2.2 L bowl and a 6.8 L Varoma for steaming.
- The manufacturer highlights several functions in one appliance, as well as a pre-clean mode.
- For some larger recipes, you may need to work in several batches because of the bowl capacity. Check the terms for Cookidoo 3.0 access too, before relying on guided recipes.
Moulinex
The range featured here offers two options: the Companion XL HF807E10 for food preparation and cooking, and the Cookeo+ CE851A10 for cooking in a pot with a stated capacity of 6 L.
- Moulinex lists a 4.5 L bowl and several accessories for the Companion XL; the Cookeo+ offers pressure cooking, among other functions.
- The Cookeo+ doesn’t replace the grating or slicing accessories of a food processor. Check what’s included and which services come with the model you choose.
Magimix
The Cook Expert XL Connect combines food preparation and cooking. Magimix lists a total bowl capacity of 4.8 L, with 3.8 L usable.
- The manufacturer describes functions including chopping, grating and cooking. For this model, it also states that spare parts will be available for 30 years.
- Consider how much space it takes up and check which accessories suit the dishes you usually make.
Silvercrest
The Monsieur Cuisine Smart, sold by Lidl, is a connected cooking food processor with a stated bowl capacity of 4.5 L and a 3 L fill limit.
- Lidl lists automatic programmes, multi-level cooking and a free recipe library for this model.
- Plan your recipes around the fill limit, and check the recipe access terms and the specifications of the model on offer.
Cooking food processors and multicookers on Joybuy
These models let you compare two options for preparing meals in advance: combine food preparation and cooking in a cooking food processor, or prioritise cooking with a multicooker. Compare each appliance with the quantities you make and the tasks in your routine.
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Robby Smart Multifunction Cooking Robot, XL bowl, scales and touchscreen
Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking tasks. Check that the permitted fill level and included accessories suit your recipes.
XL bowl, built-in scales and large touchscreen. Check the terms for recipe access and keep an eye on the appliance while it’s running.
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Robby Multifunction Cooking Robot, scales, touchscreen and 680 recipes
If you want to follow recipes while combining food preparation and cooking, first check the permitted quantity for the dishes you plan to make.
Built-in scales, touchscreen and 680 recipes listed. Check the terms for recipe access, updates and offline functions.
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Cecotec GM H Deluxe Fry, 6 L pressure cooker with air fryer lid
Worth considering if cooking larger quantities is your priority. Plan separately for any chopping or blending your recipes require.
Stated 6 L capacity, air fryer lid and built-in scales. Check the fill limits for each cooking mode.
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Instant Pot Rio XL, 7-in-1 7.1 L multicooker with stainless steel pot
If you want to cook dishes in a single pot, compare the stated capacity with the fill limit for each recipe. Preparing the ingredients remains a separate step.
Stated 7.1 L capacity, pressure cooking and stainless steel pot. Follow the model’s instructions on filling and releasing steam.
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Cecotec Model D, 6 L programmable pressure cooker with voice function
Worth considering if you want to programme meals cooked in larger quantities, without relying on the appliance to chop or grate ingredients.
Stated 6 L capacity, 24-hour programming, nine menus and two pressure settings. Check the language of the manual and voice functions on the version for sale, then follow its fill instructions.
Frequently asked questions
What capacity do I need for several weeknight meals?
Start with the quantity in your largest regular recipe and compare it with the usable capacity in the mode you want. As model-specific examples, Vorwerk lists a 2.2 L bowl for the Thermomix TM7, Magimix lists 3.8 L of usable capacity for the Cook Expert XL Connect, and Moulinex lists a 6 L pot for the Cookeo+. These figures don’t remove the need to check fill limits for different dishes.
Can a multicooker replace a cooking food processor?
A multicooker may suit you if cooking with little supervision matters more than preparing the ingredients. Moulinex’s Cookeo+, for example, combines several cooking modes with a pot listed at 6 L, but it doesn’t replace the food processor accessories used for chopping, grating or slicing.
Do product tests cover a complete meal-prep session?
The test methods published by UFC-Que Choisir assess preparations and functions that are useful when choosing a cooking food processor, but they don’t describe the complete process of making several dishes, cooling and storing them, and doing all the associated cleaning. To assess your own routine, add the number of batches and accessory changes your menus would require to the test results.
Do guided recipes require a subscription?
It depends on the model and service. Vorwerk states that the Thermomix TM7 is compatible with Cookidoo 3.0. Before choosing an appliance for its recipes, check how long included access lasts, the renewal terms and which functions are available offline.
Does a commercial warranty replace the statutory guarantee in France?
No. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity applies, among other things, to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to an individual; a commercial warranty from the manufacturer or seller is separate. Keep your proof of purchase and check the terms of each guarantee separately.