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The kitchen is the heart of the home and the centrepiece is the oven. It's an appliance you rely on and turn to every day, so it's important to get it right. It can be overwhelming thinking about the style, size and functions you may need. We've put together a guide to help you define exactly what you need to look out for, so you can pick an oven that will suit your cooking needs and lifestyle.
The kitchen is the heart of the home and the centrepiece is the oven. It's an appliance you rely on and turn to every day, so it's important to get it right. It can be overwhelming thinking about the style, size and functions you may need. We've put together a guide to help you define exactly what you need to look out for, so you can pick an oven that will suit your cooking needs and lifestyle.
Electric ovens tend to be the most popular choice. They deliver great results when it comes to even heat distribution and achieve much more accurate temperatures, ensuring reliable cooking.
Gas ovens tend to be cheaper to run due to energy prices. The top of the oven will always be the hottest, so they're great for traditional style cooking. Gas also gives off moisture that can sometimes aid your cooking.
The oven is placed within a column cabinet at eye-level. This makes lifting dishes in and out of the oven much easier as there's no bending required, great for hefty cookware.
The oven is fitted underneath a worktop, fitting alongside kitchen cabinets for a seamless look. Not all ovens can be built-under; they must be under 70cm tall to be built-under.
With a single oven you get the one cavity to bake, roast and grill in. At around 60cm tall they can be built-in or built-under. The average single oven has a 64L capacity. They're very popular, so you'll have plenty of choice.
Double ovens give you two cavities to cook in, there's always a grill in the smaller top oven. Built-under double ovens are around 70cm tall, whilst built-in double ovens can be up to 90cm tall. The average main cavity is 62L whilst the top cavity is 35L.
Oven capacity is measured in litres. The larger the capacity the more cooking space you'll have. Large capacity ovens are ideal for large families, keen chefs and organised batch bakers. Whilst smaller capacity ovens come in great for smaller homes. We have plenty to choose from, with ovens starting from 35 litres up to a whopping 82 litres.
Ovens can come with lots of different functions to choose from. If you tend to stick with classic cooking methods then there's no need to splash out on an oven with lots of functions, but for those who like to experiment, there's plenty to choose from.
Using a fan function will distribute heat beautifully, whilst top and bottom functions specify where the heat radiates from. A defrost function comes in great for meat or delicate food like a gateau. With a pizza function you'll get an authentic taste and crisp base and a rotisserie function is just what you need for joints of meat.
The three most popular options are:
Pyrolytic – The programme heats the oven to around 500°C which burns off grease, letting you simply wipe away the ash.
Catalytic – The special lined surfaces absorb grease, which then breaks down when you cook above 200°C.
Easy-clean enamel – Simply easy to wipe-clean surfaces.
Basic models may not have a timer, some have a simple minute minder, which alerts you when the time is up. Ovens with a fully programmable timer, allow you to set the oven to cook for a specific time and also set when the oven turns on and off.
There are a few grill options to choose from, more than you'd think. With a simple grill you place your dish inside, the closer to the grill the more intense the heat. A double grill covers more space and is ideal for larger dishes. A variable grill allows you to set the temperature.
These are the ovens we see them using on the Great British Bake off. The oven door opens and slide underneath out of the way, making it much easier to access your dishes, they're a great safety feature.
Cooking with steam retains moisture which makes it especially good for vegetables, fish, chicken, bread and cakes. Steam cooking also tends to retain more vitamins and minerals.
If you're super tight on kitchen space, a compact oven is the way forward. They measure just 46cm and can come with both oven and grill functions. They're also good for individuals and couples.
With oven and hobs both being independent appliances you can create any combination you like, as long as you have the fuel supply available in your home. To make shopping easier we’ve created a range of oven and hob packs, take a look here. »
The price of installing a gas oven and an electric oven vary. For more detailed information you can take a look at our installation service or give us a call on 0871 984 4416.
The standard oven width is 60cm, heights can vary depending on the amount of cavities. It’s always best to check the dimensions on the product page before ordering and if you’re replacing an existing appliance, make sure to measure up your space carefully.
Your oven will always need to be positioned near the fuel supply. If you go for a single oven you can choose to build it in or under. Whereas with a double oven, you need to decide whether you want it built in or under first, as there are two different sizes to suit each fit.
There are some ovens which require hardwiring and some ovens that can be simply plugged in, there are also a few which can be converted to be plugged in. You’ll be able to clearly see which of our ovens can be plugged in.
Shop plug in ovens. »
When an induction hob is installed within a countertop it will require more space below for efficient ventilation. So you’ll need to ensure when fitting the oven there’s enough space between them, be very careful if you’re going for a double oven as they are taller.
We do indeed! You can see all of our appliances with the Sabbath mode feature here. »
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