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When shopping for ovens for your kitchen, it can be tricky to know which oven is going to be best for you and your family. As it transpires, there are many, many different types of oven out there!
You could split oven types into how they are installed, so built in, or built under, for example – or how they are fuelled, so gas or electric. There are also specialised types of ovens which cook things a certain way, such as steam & convection ovens.
In this guide, we’re going to take a look at just a handful of the most popular oven types out there, what separates these different types of oven, and why you might consider them for your own home and family meals.
What is the Most Popular Type of Oven?
Oven styles and types tend to be variously popular, but most kitchens will make use of a wall oven.
That said, wall ovens can break down into gas or electric, as well as those ovens with self cleaning features.
If you take a look across our oven reviews, you’ll see clearly that there are plenty of different types of oven for different purposes.
Most commonly, you’ll find that a gas or electric oven, or wall, tends to do the trick. These tend to be the most accessible, even if an electric oven is seen as safer -if less precise – than a gas oven.
You could invest in toaster ovens, convection ovens and more. The sheer range of choice out there can get a bit boggling, which is why it really makes sense to think carefully about what main purpose you want to use your oven for.
So – don’t worry too much about which oven is likely to be the most commonly used, or the most common fit. Why not take a look at different types of oven – not just the same old wall ovens – and consider trying something new?
Samsung NV73J9770RS Convection Oven
The Five Main Oven Types
There are many, many different oven types lists out there, and while some experts might give you a different set of ‘five main oven types’, this list represents what we feel are the most useful and the most popular.
We’re not including anything to do with size, here – so you can quite easily get a gas or convection oven as a double oven standard if you really wanted to. Here’s our pick of the different oven types you can find available to buy online and on the high street right now
1. Gas Ovens
Gas ovens are well loved because they tend to be pretty energy efficient. Along with a gas hob top, you can start firing up your oven’s temperature within minutes. There’s very little waiting around.
A lot of people like gas ovens because they tend to also be cost-effective. However, what can put some people off this conventional oven pick is the safety issues that potentially come with them.
You must always make sure you have an oven installation expert ensure that your gas oven safely connects to your supply. Otherwise, you may be at risk of leaks or even damage to your home!
Gas Oven Benefits
- Less energy usage
- Lower energy bills
- Low maintenance
The Down Side of Gas Ovens
- Potential safety issues
- Temperature controls when compared to electric ovens
2. Electric Ovens
Electric ovens really have become a leading standard. In fact, many people might see a conventional oven as electric by default!
Electric ovens are very neat and very easy to handle. They are extremely simple to install and may even come with more than a few enhancements and extra standards your average gas oven might avoid.
However, electric ovens can take a little time to warm up, and if you’re using an electric cooktop alongside, you might find gas cooking to be more precise.
Electric oven choices tend to be very safe, and they are becoming more and more cost-effective. However, some people may prefer a gas oven to an electric oven purely for the fact you can still cook your dinner in the event of a power cut!
Electric Oven Benefits
- Maintains an even cooking temperatures
- Ovens tend to come with more functions
- Improved grilling functionality
The Down Side of Electric Ovens
- Higher running costs than gas
3. Steam Ovens
Convection ovens take traditional cooking and give them an extra boost – both in terms of efficiency as well as in terms of overall cooking standard.
What sets a convection oven apart from a traditional single oven or double oven is the fact that it uses a fan or hot air circulator to make sure that you get an even cook all around.
This means you’re not just heating up your food in one direction! This can provide better cooking results as well as quicker meal prep. That said, convection oven lines can be a little more expensive than the mainstream alternatives.
Steam Oven Benefits
- Quicker cooking times
- Less chance of burning due to moist heat
- Warms oven evenly without drying out
The Down Side of Steam Ovens
- More expensive than other ovens
- Requires frequent cleaning due to condensation.
4. Convection Ovens
Convection ovens take traditional cooking and give them an extra boost – both in terms of efficiency as well as in terms of overall cooking standard.
What sets a convection oven apart from a traditional single oven or double oven is the fact that it uses a fan or hot air circulator to make sure that you get an even cook all around.
This means you’re not just heating up your food in one direction! This can provide better cooking results as well as quicker meal prep. That said, convection oven lines can be a little more expensive than the mainstream alternatives.
Convection Oven Beneftits
- An even cooking experience
- Reduced cooking times – up to 25%
- Multi-cooking, yo u can cook more than one dish at a time and on any rack.
The Down Side of Convection Ovens
- You will need to think to work out how to adjust the cooking times of your recipes
- Can be expensive to maintain, as there is the potential for more parts to go wrong
5. Self Cleaning Ovens
Self cleaning ovens may seem too good to be true, but they’re real. These are single oven models and double ovens which heat up to a high temperature to effectively burn up anything ground on the inside.
You can then wipe these units clean without any nasty chemicals. It’s a massive plus for anyone who wants to really cut down on the nastiness, and who simply wants to be done with the nitty gritty of getting everything clean.
If self-cleaning ovens are new to you Whirlpool has produced a short and concise video to show how to use the self-clean feature on your oven.
Of course, self cleaning oven systems come in a variety of styles and fuels. Shop around!
Self Cleaning Oven Benefits
- Convenience – saves you time on doing a messy job!
- Cost – potential to save money on professional cleaning companies and cleaning products.
The Down Side of Convection Ovens
- Although these are self-cleaning, you will need to have a quick wipe down before using the self-cleaning function
- May not be as energy-efficient as other electric ovens
Which Type of Oven is Best?
That’s a question that really depends on your own cooking style and what your family likes to eat.
The best oven for you should be cost-effective, fit well in your kitchen suite, and should help to take plenty of hassle off your plate.
The types of ovens we’ve looked at here only offer a small cross-section of what’s out there. Take a look at our different oven reviews to learn more!