Best Ovens Guide 2023: How to Choose an Oven | HKELE

Posted System 18/06/2023 2 Comment(s) How to choose appliances,

Which Oven Is Best? A Guide on How to Choose an Oven with Recommendations for 2023 Built-in and Small Ovens

When selecting the right oven, various factors need to be considered, such as the oven brand (popular brands like German Pool, Bosch, Panasonic, Electrolux, etc.), the oven's features and characteristics, as well as the price, among others. The following ultimate oven shopping guide summarizes our 20 years of professional oven sales experience, combines user feedback, and provides a detailed comparison of different types of ovens, steam ovens, and air fryer ovens. We also offer budget-specific recommendations for discounted and high-quality oven brands and models, ranging from HKD1,000 to over HKD10,000. Each recommended oven is safe and easy to use, in compliance with the Consumer Council's safety guidelines.

Different types of ovens have unique features, suitable for various household cooking needs. Below, we compare the characteristics of different ovens to help you choose the oven that best suits your needs:

Table of Content

1. The Differences Between Air Fryers, Steam Ovens, and Conventional Ovens

Air fryers, steam ovens, and conventional ovens have become popular appliances in recent years. The following summarizes the characteristics of air fryers, steam ovens, and conventional ovens:

Air Fryer

● Pros: Affordable, available at a few hundred Hong Kong dollars at the lowest, compact-sized

● Cons: Limited capacity, commonly ranging from 1L to 6L

Steam Oven

An oven with added steam cooking functionality, capable of the following cooking functions:

● Baking bread

● Steaming fish

● Making soups

Conventional Ovens

Offers more versatility compared to air fryers, with a wider temperature range and precise temperature control, but lacks the steam cooking function of steam ovens.

2. Countertop Ovens vs. Built-in Ovens

Before purchasing an oven, you need to decide whether to buy a countertop oven or a built-in oven. This choice largely depends on the layout and size of your kitchen, but you should also consider the characteristics of both:

Countertop Oven

Built-in Oven

Installation

● Place it directly on a table or in a cabinet, then connect it to a power outlet for use. Easy to install in existing kitchens.

● No need for custom-made cabinets; it can be installed in most kitchens.

● Wall-mounted installation: Mounted on a wall or inside a wall cabinet.

● Bench-mounted installation: Mounted on the kitchen counter.

Capacity

The capacity of a countertop oven tends to be relatively small, typically 30L or less.

Larger capacity ovens (50-60L and above) are generally designed for built-in installation.

3. How to Choose the Size of an Oven

When choosing an oven, you need to consider the width, interior dimensions, and the number of oven racks. Here are the key points to consider when selecting the size of an oven:

Oven Width

● Standard oven: 60-90 cm wide

● Freestanding oven: 70-150 cm wide

● Benchtop oven: As narrow as 30 cm

Oven Interior Dimensions

● Small ovens: Ensuring sufficient cooking capacity.

● Large-capacity ovens: Useful for cooking larger quantities of food, especially for parties.

Number of Oven Racks

Choose enough racks based on your cooking habits to ensure even heating for each food item.

4. Electric Ovens vs. Gas Ovens vs. Steam Ovens

Before deciding to purchase an oven, you should also consider whether to buy an electric oven, a gas oven, or a steam oven. The table below provides a concise overview of the differences between these types of ovens:

Electric Oven

● "Conventional" electric oven: Heat comes from both the bottom and top, with the center as the focus. Conventional electric ovens can handle most cooking needs.

● "Convection" electric oven: Includes a fan that continuously circulates hot air inside the oven, resulting in faster and more even heating.

Gas Oven

● Requires connection to a gas pipeline, outdoor propane, or natural gas tank.

● The advantage of using a gas oven is that the heat generated during cooking is moist, reducing the risk of food drying out.

● Gas ovens heat up faster than electric ovens and are easier to control the temperature.

● Gas ovens can adopt a convection design with an internal fan for even heating.

Steam Oven

● Using steam as the primary heating method.

● Cooking with a steam oven preserves the natural nutritional content of food, making it a good choice for health-conscious individuals.

5. Oven Prices and Top 5 Professional Built-in Ovens (Latest in 2023)

Oven prices range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand Hong Kong dollars. So, which one is good? Of course, the price often depends on the size, features, and safety. Different oven brands also have their own characteristics and features. The following are the seven excellent built-in and small ovens we recommend based on different price ranges with professional analysis:

Recommendation for Ovens Priced Around HKD10,000: Electrolux KODEC75X 71L SteamBake Built-in Oven

This oven from Electrolux is manufactured in Germany, with a maximum power of 3,500W and a capacity of 71 liters. It features eight cooking modes and a PlusSteam (SteamBake) baking function. The SteamBake mode allows for easy bread-making, as the oven emits steam to fully ferment the dough, resulting in a fluffy and soft interior with a perfectly smooth outer crust. Additionally, it comes with a food probe for precise monitoring of core food temperature, making it easy to cook delicious dishes. The SoftClosing feature ensures quiet and smooth door closing. Cleaning is a breeze with the Catalytic cleaning technology.

Recommendation for Ovens Priced Around HKD8,500: BRANDT Built-In Pyrolytic Oven (All-Black Glass Edition)

This BRANDT oven is manufactured in France, with a maximum power of 3,385W and a capacity of 73 liters. It offers various cooking functions, including conventional baking, hot air baking, grilling, grilling with a fan, bottom heating with a fan, and ECO baking, suitable for handling most dishes. The steam-assisted humidification function is handy for cooking fish, meat, and poultry. The self-cleaning mode saves you time on oven cleaning.

Recommendation for Ovens Priced Around HKD8,000: Electrolux UltimateTaste™ 500 Built-In Electric Oven with SteamBake

This Electrolux oven is made in Italy, with a maximum power of 2,980W and a capacity of 72 liters. It offers various cooking modes, including upper heating, upper heating with grill, dual upper heating with grill, upper and lower heating, fan + lower heating, fan heating, defrosting, and Pizza mode. The PlusSteam (SteamBake) function allows you to make delicious bread at home, with the oven emitting steam to fully ferment the dough for a soft interior and perfect crust. The UltraFanPlus with a large fan and airflow design ensures even heating for perfect cooking results. The Aqua cleaning function makes oven cleaning easy, and the SoftClosing feature ensures quiet door closing.

Recommendation for Ovens Priced Around HKD5,000: Whirlpool OASKN8V1IX 71L Built-In Oven

This oven from the top global brand Whirlpool is made in Poland, with a maximum total power of 2,900W and a capacity of 71 liters. It features three layers, allowing you to cook three dishes simultaneously without mixing odors or flavors. It offers eight cooking modes, including upper and lower heating, hot air baking, big batch baking, pizza, grilling, strong grilling, defrosting, and eco-hot air baking, providing flexible cooking options. The steam-assisted cooking mode enhances the texture of food. The oven's automatic preheating function ensures precise temperature control, and the delayed start function makes cooking more convenient.

Recommendation for Ovens Priced Around HKD4,000: CANDY FSCTX615WIFI 70L Built-in Oven

This oven from the Italian brand CANDY is produced in Turkey, with a maximum power of 2,800W and a large capacity of 70 liters. It offers eight cooking modes: lighting, defrosting, upper and lower heating, hot air + upper/lower heating, hot air + lower heating, circulation hot air, upper heating + steam, and pizza. The oven has a screen with an LED display for clear and simple operation. It features a Smart Fi intelligent remote and Wi-Fi control, allowing you to operate the oven's functions easily through a mobile app, suitable for any busy individual. The steam cleaning function makes oven cleaning a breeze.

Which Mini Oven Is the Best?

Recommendation for Ovens Priced under HKD1,000: PANASONIC NB-H3203 32L Electric Oven

This PANASONIC oven is priced at around HKD1,000, with a maximum power of 1,500W and a capacity of 32 liters. The oven has independent temperature control for upper and lower heating elements, with temperatures ranging from 70°C to 230°C. It offers convection, dough fermentation, and rotisserie functions, making it suitable for defrosting, daily cooking, and baking. The compact size of the oven makes it suitable for smaller households.

Recommendation for Ovens Priced under HKD4,000: GERMAN POOL SGO-2140M 40L Tabletop Steam Oven

This GERMAN POOL oven is priced at around HKD4,000, with a maximum power of 2,400W and a capacity of 40 liters. It has eight cooking functions: steaming, baking, steam baking, air frying, preheating, dough fermentation, defrosting, and descaling. It offers 31 built-in recipes for various dishes, making it easy to prepare different meals. The oven's high-temperature baking function is complemented by a 110°C high-temperature steam cooking mode that locks in nutrients, prevents food from losing moisture, and helps break down excess oil. The oven also features an automatic preheating function and a delay start function for added convenience.

This concludes our recommendations for seven oven models based on different features and budgets. BBE offers over a hundred other brands and models of ovens, steam ovens, and air fryers. Please visit our website to choose the oven that suits your kitchen best.