Buying an oven: what to look for | OCU

The oven is an appliance present in most kitchens: it is part of the basic equipment of our homes. Do you need a new oven? Do not choose blindly: we give you the keys to succeed.

Types of ovens

The first thing you should consider is what type of oven you are interested in, where you are going to install it and what is your budget.

The definition of oven includes traditional wood or coal ovens and also gas-fired ovens. Gas ovens are fast and efficient, but are unusual for home use. As for electric ovens, there are several categories:

Conventional ovens

They have a resistance in the upper part (or vault) and another in the lower part (or floor) with which they heat the air. They are cheap, but somewhat limited in terms of possibilities. They are only recommended if you do not use the oven much and you are not going to gratin.

Multifunction ovens

In addition to the upper and lower resistances, they have a grill and a fan that moves the air by convection. They have different programs that facilitate the preparation of more types of recipes and even two meals at the same time. They are especially recommended if you tend to bake large items such as whole chickens or legs of lamb. They can be purchased from 200 euros, but there is a wide range of prices. They are the ones you will find in our comparator.

Steam ovens

They have a water tank that is filled before starting them and allows them to produce steam during cooking. According to its manufacturers, this steam cooking better maintains the properties of the food and does not dry it out. Its drawback is that they are expensive devices, which can exceed 1,000 euros.

Ovens with microwave function

They are high-end multifunction ovens that also have the possibility of heating food using a microwave. These microwave ovens can be the solution for many users, who do not want to give up complete equipment, but do not have space to have separate appliances. The downside is that these are almost always high-end or very high-end products, with many functions and a price to match. Its average price exceeds 600 euros. The most expensive are over 1,500 euros and the cheapest cost about 400 euros. They should not be confused with combi microwaves, which are a microwave to which the heat convection function has been added. If what you are looking for is a microwave, you can find it in our microwave oven comparator.

Characteristics that you should take into account

When choosing a model it is important to take into account several factors:

Apart from all these characteristics, what matters most is that the oven is safe and has good features: precise, stable temperatures, easy cleaning... You can locate the best electric ovens by consulting our analysis:

Check the oven comparator

Frequently asked questions about ovens

How much does an electric oven cost?

There is a very wide range of prices. The simplest models, without a grill or convection function, can be found for just over 100 euros. The cheapest multifunction models are around 200 euros, but the most advanced, with programming and steam function, reach 1,500 euros.

How much does an oven consume?

The consumption will be related to its power. Electric ovens can exceed 3000 W of power. However, they do not use it constantly; when it reaches the programmed temperature, they turn off for a while, so the actual consumption is lower. To get an idea, cooking a chicken consumes 1.5 kWh, that is, about 30 cents, and preparing a cake requires half the energy.

What is pyrolysis in ovens?

Pyrolysis is a system to clean the oven effortlessly, but it consumes energy. The oven heats up to a temperature close to 500 ºC, which carbonizes the remains of fat and food found inside and reduces them to ashes that are easily removed with a cloth. There is no need to scratch or use chemical cleaners, but comfort is paid for: each pyrolysis cycle costs around 1 euro in electricity.

Which is the best brand of electric oven?

There are many models on the market with different features and prices. It depends on what you need and your budget. To locate the ovens with the best quality/price ratio, you can enter the OCU comparator:

The best ovens in the OCU comparator