An oven is an appliance that uses electric heat, with several heat levels to choose from. It can handle a huge range of dishes, from braising, grilling and toasting to bread, pizza, pies and much more. It suits people who love to cook as well as restaurants and cafes.
Types of Oven
1. Electric Oven
Electric ovens are widely used both at home and in businesses such as restaurants, bakeries and cafes. They come in two forms: countertop and built-in.
Countertop oven: A small oven that sits on a table or kitchen counter. It looks similar to a microwave but has one rack in the middle. It is easy to use, needs no complicated installation and is inexpensive. Sizes range from a small 9 litres up to 45 litres and above.
Built-in oven: Suited to houses, condos and restaurants. Built-in ovens are large, must be installed by a specialist and cannot be moved. They reach higher temperatures than countertop ovens, can cook a wide variety of dishes, are designed to retain heat better and do not take up counter space, but they can be expensive.
2. Convection Oven
A convection oven has a fan that circulates the heat, so it heats more evenly than a standard electric oven, cooking food and bakes faster and more evenly with an attractive, consistent colour. It is fairly expensive and is best suited to bakery businesses making items such as macarons, choux cream puffs, croissants or puff pastry.
3. Deck Oven
Used specifically in bakery businesses, a deck oven heats from the oven floor, much like a traditional pizza oven. It is ideal for bakes that need heat from below, such as European-style breads like baguettes, as well as pizza and cookies.
4. Combi Oven
A combi oven combines an oven and a steamer in one appliance. It is ideal for savoury dishes and is better suited to restaurants and hotels, as it is large and expensive.
How to Choose the Right Oven for Your Kitchen
1) Choose the Right Size
Match the oven to the available space, how often you cook and the kinds of dishes you make. The bigger the oven and its capacity, the higher the price and the more space it takes up.
2) Installation Space
A countertop electric oven should be close to a power socket, a reasonable distance from other electrical appliances and not pushed against a wall, so heat can vent easily. For a built-in oven, decide which model to buy before the kitchen counters are made, so the installer can measure and design the counters to fit the space.
3) Oven Functions
Choose an oven with a wide temperature range and both top and bottom heating elements, so it can warm food, toast bread and bake a few treats.
Take your time when choosing an oven, and make sure it suits the space in your restaurant or home kitchen.
