Whether you’re a home style cook or an up-and-coming chef, choosing the right oven for your kitchen can make a huge difference when preparing nutritious meals for your family.
Here we explain the types of ovens available to make the selections process easier than ever.
Gas vs electric ovens and cooktops
This is generally the first decision to make before looking at specific oven types.
Installation
Electric is generally easier to install as the oven is either plugged directly into a power socket or wired into your home’s electricity circuit, the latter of which you’ll need a licensed electrician for wired install.
On the other hand, gas requires a licensed gas-fitting plumber and the installation process may be more complex depending on whether you have an existing gas supply or moving the location of your oven.
Cost and efficiency
With recent gas and electricity prices increasing globally it’s difficult to pin-point which option is cheaper, but if you have rooftop solar and able to access one of the growing number of government rebates for ditching gas, then electric ovens will be your friend.
Oven manufacturers invest heavily in research and development, continuing to improve the energy efficiency of muilti-function ovens that heat quickly, consistently and cook evenly.
Gas ovens are known for using small amounts of fuel to operate and have fewer parts, making maintenance easier, but with the rising cost of gas and pressure on holdholds to buy appliances run by renewal energy, there are a few more reasons to move from gas.
Cooking quality
Deciding on whether electric or gas cooking is the better option for the quality and consistency of your cooking depends on what type of cooking you like to do, and who you talk to!
Gas stovetops remain the preferred cooktops for commercial kitchens due to their long reputation of reaching maximum heat quickly, but electric induction cooktops give gas a serious run for it’s money.
Induction is an increasingly popular choice for home cooks and professional chefs who have discovered some of the many benefits of electric cooking. Induction cooktops heat as fast—if not faster—than gas. Induction is easy to wipe clean without the hassle of removing the gas hobs and plates, they are much safer as most induction surfaces are cool when touched by hand, and they are better for the environment, too.
If you’re undecided, you could opt for a dual fuel stovetop, combining induction with one or two gas hobs. Keep in mind this will likely increase your installation costs and if you’re moving your other household appliances it may not be worth paying the gas connection fee to power just one gas hob.
Steam ovens
As the name suggests, steam ovens circulate steam during the baking process, adding moisture to your food and locking in more nutrients than traditional, convection ovens which circulates dry hot air.
Most steam ovens are fitted with a water canister which injects water through a pump, which turns to steam as it’s heated by the oven.
In the cooking community there’s a lot of hype and a growing demand for steam ovens. Many people say that whatever you can cook in a traditional oven will taste better when cooked in a steam oven.
Combi microwave ovens
Combi microwave ovens have seen a boost in popularity over the past few years, offering the speed and convenience if microwaves combined with the circulating hot air of traditional convention ovens.
An excellent option if you’re in the market for a simple solution that bakes, combi microwaves roast, brown and crisp food as traditional ovens do, but far more quickly.
Combi microwaves are a great replacement for a regular microwave. You can use its convection functions when you need to cook a meal in a hurry or additional oven space, or it can simply heat food too.
Freestanding or built in ovens
If you’re designing a new kitchen you have the perfect canvas to incorporate either a freestanding cooker or built in oven and stovetop.
Built ins work best in kitchens where space is at a premium or if you’re looking to maximise storage space. They allow for additional kitchen drawers and cupboards to be built underneath and overhead, plus you’ll have greater scope to incorporate side-by-side dual ovens such as a steam oven paired with a convection oven or combi microwave.
On the otherhand, freestanding cookers look amazing as a show-stopping feature in both contempry and classic kitchens. This style of combined oven and cooktop has been loved by Australians for decades. They can be easier to maintain as a single unit, are packed with features and look great.
Smeg cookers are so packed with features your hardest decision will be what to cook first. The Smeg CPF120IGMPXA Portofino Cooker incorporates double oven cavities—one convection and one steam oven—as well as a combinationi induction and gas hob that features the addition of a tepinyaki plate.
Smeg CPF120IGMPXA Portofino Double Cavity Cooker
Smeg TRA90P9 Victoria Cooker in Cream
Smeg and Dolce&Gabbana TRA90DGC9 Divina Cucina Cooker
Pryrolitic or self-cleaning ovens
Save hours or cleaning time over the course of a year when you invest in a pryrolitic or self-cleaning oven.
These popular kitchen appliances work by carbonising grime into ash by reaching extreme temperatures during the cleaning cycle. The process takes around two hours, and when complete, you simply need to wipe away the ash, doing away with the harsh cleaning chemicals and hours of soaking and scrubbing from traditional oven cleaning.
Popular pyrolytic ovens
Our wrap up
With so many impressive options available, we understand it that choosing a an ovens, cooktops or freestanding cooker can feel a little overwhelming.
We recommend that you:
First decide on whether you want or need electric or gas cooking.
Consider the space available in your kitchen and the overall look you’re trying to achieve.
Decide what features will be best for your cooking style, for example, steaming or fast cooking.
Consider your budget and preferred appliance brands. We only sell appliance brand that have the best reputation for technology and performance.
Contact our talented team for more information about ovens and cooktops.