How to Choose Your Next or First Kitchen Oven

The kitchen is a room in its own right, equipped with various appliances such as the refrigerator, sink, dishwasher, utensils, multifunction robots, waffle makers, raclette machines, saucepans, and crepe makers.

Among these essentials, the oven stands out. This cooking appliance allows you to prepare a variety of dishes, including meats, vegetables, and baked goods. To fully benefit from its advantages, careful selection is crucial. Discover our advice for choosing the right oven!

Size and bulk

Ovens are available in various formats today, ranging from the standard 60cm to the larger 90cm and compact 40cm options. It’s crucial to carefully assess the available space in your kitchen before making a decision. The chosen oven’s size should seamlessly integrate with the configuration of your kitchen, ensuring a hassle-free installation process. Take the time to measure and consider these factors to optimize both functionality and aesthetics in your culinary space.

For additional insights and comprehensive information on oven installation costs, you may find guides and directories on the Localsearch website to make informed decisions tailored to your specific needs and budget.

The volume of the cavity

When evaluating oven options, it’s also essential to consider the volume of the cavity. Oven capacity is generally expressed in liters. For smaller models, such as mini-ovens, the cavity volume is less than 45 liters—ideal for students, individuals, or couples. Standard volumes typically range between 60 and 70 liters, while larger volumes exceed 70 liters. If you often cook for several people, opting for an oven with a larger volume is advisable.

The opening

In the quest for the perfect oven, consider the type of opening that suits your needs. You can choose from various options, including the traditional hinged door, retractable door, side door, and drawer opening. Each opening type comes with its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages.

Soft closing mechanisms are increasingly popular, requiring only a gentle push to close the door automatically. Opting for an oven with this feature ensures convenience, making it easy to open and practical for accessing dishes or cleaning.

As you explore oven options, factor in these considerations to enhance your overall cooking experience and find an oven that seamlessly integrates into your kitchen routine.

Telescopic rails

Have you heard of telescopic rails? It is an innovation that offers very good stability. It is particularly useful for basting dishes while they are cooking. With this device, you will be able to take your dish out gently without risk of tipping. Check if the oven you are interested in offers this option.

Electronic programming

Electronic programming of the oven offers you many advantages. Check that the oven has this option, as it will definitely make your life easier. You will no longer have to worry about cooking settings. You can manually select the cooking time and mode, and the oven will let you know when the correct temperature is reached.

You can also choose a recipe from the oven menu and indicate the number of portions. The cooking mode, temperature, and cooking time will be automatically set. Afterwards, there is the “automatic recipes” option, which adjusts the cooking parameters autonomously.

Types of cooking

Also, check the types of cooking offered. With the low temperature program, you can easily prepare stewed dishes. With the pizza mode, you can cook the dough very easily in a short time with a golden exterior and a soft interior. Finally, with the bread function, you can awaken the baker in you.

The double cavity

Another option to check before choosing an oven is the double cavity. With this, you can prepare two dishes at the same time, with specific settings for each dish. You can program both cavities (cooking type, temperature, and duration) and choose to use the upper or lower cavities individually. This helps reduce the power consumption of the device.

Cleaning methods

To clean older oven models, you had to do it manually. Now, manufacturers are integrating self-cleaning mode into devices. Among the different cleaning modes, there are:

Catalysis

This is a self-cleaning function that degreases the oven during cooking when the temperature exceeds 200°C. Please note that catalysis does not destroy sugar projections.

Pyrolysis

This self-cleaning function is more complete than the previous one. It allows you to clean fats and sugars from the walls of the oven and the door. You can activate it via a dedicated program that reaches 500°C to carbonize dirt. Then you just need to wipe it with a sponge. Depending on the model, there may also be a self-cleaning steam mode at 100°C.

The price of the oven

Finally, the last criterion, but not least:, is price. It is quite difficult to estimate the price of an oven because everything will depend on the model (if it is electric or gas), energy consumption, type of cleaning, cavity volume, brand, and proposed options. Count between 250 and 800 euros for an oven.

What elements and accessories are needed for the oven?

Beyond the integrated accessories such as the oven bulb, the oven thermostat, and the oven door, there are certain accessories and elements to purchase as options, particularly if these are not systematically offered.

In conclusion

The model you choose must correspond to your needs, the size of your household, the dish you plan to prepare, and the budget you have. The trick is to choose an oven with a large window that is well lit from the inside.

This will allow you to monitor your cooking without having to open the oven door and lose heat. If you can, choose a model with a cold door system. This is quadruple glazing, which prevents the heat from the oven door from exceeding 60°C.

Finally, do not hesitate to compare the different models directly online. You will save time in store because you will have already eliminated certain models. Also, remember to consult user reviews on sales sites to find out the strong and weak points of each type of oven.