Built In Ovens Buying Guide

BUILT IN OVENS & HOBS (PART 1 : FOCUS ON BUILT IN OVENS)

This is the ultimate in kitchen stove luxury! We sell more built in ovens and built in hobs at The Daily Sale Shop than almost any other kitchen appliance. You have heard it said that the way Zimbabwean’s save money is by investing in property. This is definitely true! People want to ensure their homes maintain value and they take immense pride in ensuring they have the best appliances at all times. The Built in Oven and Hob certainly fit this criteria.

 

BUT not all built in ovens and hobs are made the same. There are some things you need to be keenly aware of before you invest in one of these stoves. It’s always recommended to buy them as a complete set that comprises of

1. The built in oven
2. The built in hob
3. Overhead extractor OR cooker hood

 Most people make the mistake of not purchasing the extractor or cooker hood which has the effect of not completing the aesthetic finish. It’s like buying a bed without a headboard. It can be rarely justified.

Still, when purchasing your built in range, you need to know that they come in 3 standard sizes

1. 60cm ( this is commonly referred to as a standard oven)
2. 75cm
3. 90cm (this size is where you can also expect to find what are known as double ovens)

Designed with state-of-the-art technologies and packed with useful features like pyrolytic cleaning, automatic programs, and controlled cooking environments, built-in ovens allow you to cook with more precision and confidence.

There is one last clarification that needs to be mentioned and understood. All built in ovens and hobs can be split further into two types.

1. Undercounter: this means that the built in hob and oven have to bought together as the control knobs of the hob will be found on the oven. In other words, never but an under counter hob without its accompanying oven as it will not work on its own.
2. Counter top: This means that the oven and hob do not need to paired. You can use the hob independently of an oven. This also means the hob can be placed on an island on its own with a built in oven placed somewhere else, perhaps along your kitchen walls in a built in cupboard

Hint: If your hob does not have a control panel on it, it means that its in an undercounter hob

This is an example of an undercounter oven and hob. Notice how the hob does not have any controls on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Single Wall Oven

 

By far the most popular type of built-in oven, a single wall oven can be installed into a cabinet cavity or underneath your benchtop. Installing the unit at eye-level means you can keep track of how your dish is coming along. There are single wall ovens that meet the needs of solo dwellers, as well as 90cm units that will feed an entire family. Packed with functions, and with the choice of dial or touch operation, there’s a single wall oven to suit all cooking preferences. 

 

 

Double Oven

First of all, purchasing a double oven does not mean you’ll get a unit that’s twice the capacity of your main compartment. Usually, a double oven will consist of one primary compartment and one secondary compartment. Some double ovens feature universal programs across both compartments, while others have separate programs for each cooking space. These units must be installed into existing cabinet slots. They are great for households that share plenty of meals across different courses, or for people who love to entertain. If you’re cooking something small, you can save energy by only utilising the lesser compartment. 

 

Pyrolytic Oven

Cleaning the inside of your oven gives the act of cooking an unpleasant aftertaste. With a pyrolytic oven, you can enjoy your meal and leave the cleaning to the oven itself. When the pyrolytic cleaning mode is selected, the oven heats up to around 500°C to reduce grease and food remnants to ash. This ash can then be discarded with a few wipes. Often, these ovens will feature a low, medium, and high cleaning setting, so no grime build-up is too severe. Apart from being highly convenient, this also mean you won’t have to use harsh chemicals on your oven’s interior. 

 

Ovens with separate grill

If you have the space for a double oven but you don’t require a whole heap of cooking functions, an oven with separate grill is worth considering. Bake a cake in the top oven compartment while grilling fish down below, without the worry of mingling odours. Prepare cheese on toast for the kids after school while you work on perfecting your roast up above. The door of the grill compartment will need to left open while operating due to the extreme heat generated. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compact oven

 

Having a small kitchen should not interfere with your ability to cook delicious meals. Thankfully, there is an extensive range of compact ovens for the spatially challenged.  Many ovens of this size combine the versatility of a multifunction oven with the speedy convenience of microwave cooking.  These ovens can do a lot for their diminutive size, with models available for combi-steam cooking and pyrolytic cleaning. The majority of compact ovens are 45cm high, giving you flexibility around installation. Install below your benchtop, on top of a single or double wall oven, or next to a built-in coffee machine.  They provide a seamless, flush look and, in some cases, can help you save counter space by performing the duties of your traditional benchtop microwave. And don’t worry, The Daily Sale Shop sells these too!

 

GAS OR ELECTRIC?

Now that we have talked about the different types of ovens, lets talk about how to fuel them. Zimbabwean households are making increasing use of gas and so lets compare the pros and cons between gas and electric ovens.

Electric ovens

• Outnumber gas models across the market
• Generally, provide more even heat distribution, especially when equipped with a fan
• Will require pre-heating, but this process is becoming faster due to technological advances
• Generate drier air which can assist with crisping and browning
• Most units need to be hardwired by a certified electrician; however, some ovens will come with a plug and lead suited to a particular amp rating. 

Gas ovens

• Tend to be more expensive than electric models upfront, but cost less to run over a longer period of time
• Cook with greater moisture, making them ideal for cakes and roasts
• Provide instant heat and temperature control
• Generally, contain fewer parts, so they are easier to maintain
• Can run off natural gas or an LPG cylinder (to be exchanged or refilled once it runs out) 

Kitchen Layout

The right oven can help you spend less time in the kitchen by helping you cook more efficiently, but true efficiency begins at installing your oven in a streamlined manner that suits your cooking habits.  Here are a few things to think about before installing a built-in oven. 

• Cabinetry considerations:Installing your oven flush within cabinetry is a great way to give your kitchen a contemporary look.  You can create a centralised cooking hub by going for a “tower effect”, whereby you install a microwave oven above a single or double wall oven, adjacent to your cooktop.

The towering effect

 

 

 

• Installing below cooktop:A classic kitchen setup, installing an electric oven below your cooktop is a clean aesthetic touch.  Some brands offer an electric cooktop and oven combination, whereby two separate appliances are powered by the same controls and run off the same power source ( this is the undercounter oven and hob we spoke about earlier). These packages can help you save a bit of money.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Kitchen island installation:Islands are built in the centre of a kitchen, and food is often at the centre of warm gatherings. Installing an oven within a kitchen island means you can utilise the surrounding storage space for your trays, racks, and other accessories.  With a big enough island, you can install two ovens to prepare multiple courses simultaneously. 

 

 

Common oven programs

You’ll find a multitude of cooking programs across the ovens of different brands. It’s an exhaustive list, so here a few that are widespread and particularly handy.  

 

• Fan-forced:Great for when you have dishes cooking on multiple shelves, the oven’s fan will pick up hot air from a nearby element and distribute it evenly throughout the oven cavity.
• Conventional: Your food is cooked with heat from the top and bottom elements, without any fan assistance. The oven produces a gentler heat, making this mode ideal for foods that require a longer cooking time. When using this mode, the positioning of your dishes is crucial.
• Fan grill:Heat from the oven’s top element combines with the fan for a more complete grill. Ideal for roasts, fish, and vegetable bakes, you can confidently use this program with the door closed. If you’re looking to achieve the effect of grill lines, this is the program to use.
• Grill only: Also known as flash grilling, this mode will grill your food using the top element and nothing more. It’s suitable for small cuts of meat, cheese on toast, or browning the top of a lasagna. Multifunction ovens generally allow for closed-door grilling, whereas ovens with a separate grill require the door to be open while grilling.
• Defrost: Air is circulated around the frozen food without any heat for slow and gentle defrosting. As a guide, a 500g portion would generally take about 30 minutes to defrost. Using your oven to defrost is best suited for cakes and bread. Meat, fish, and poultry would benefit more from fridge defrosting. Defrosting in a microwave can sometimes result in your food slowly cooking from the outside. 
• Bottom element:The oven uses heat from the bottom element only.  This is the mode to use for homemade pizza, as well as for any pastries that require a crispy underside. 

 

Conclusion

The concludes Part 1 of our Buying Guide which focused  on Built In Ovens. Part 2 showcases the Built in Hobs or Cook Tops and will be equally as informative and detailed. We hope you continue to consider The Daily Sale Shop when making your purchasing decisions.