An oven is a must-have appliance in any kitchen today. Over time, modern kitchens and cooking methods have evolved to where ovens are a key item when preparing any full-course dish for a family. How often do you use yours?
If you are looking to acquire a new oven for home use, you are in the right place. We are going to talk about the many different types of ovens available today. If you last shopped for an oven a decade ago, you have quite a bit of catching up to do.
Whether you are looking to replace your old and battered oven, want a secondary oven, or need to install a new oven as you remodel or build your dream home, we have got you covered.
Let’s get to it!
Top Features to Look for If You are Buying an Oven
Modern ovens today have interesting features that make cooking impressive dishes easy. Some of the key features you should definitely keep an eye out for include:
Self-Cleaning
Ovens with a self-cleaning feature make cleaning up in the kitchen easy after a round of cooking. The oven applies an automatic heat setting that dries up any caked dirt such that it’s easy to wipe off to clean.
Steam Cook
Ovens with a steam-cook feature are great for cooking meals that need to retain some moisture. For example, cooking vegetables, lasagna, pizza, or broiling meat. This feature is common with gas ovens and it’s a great plus if you intend to cook lots of meals with your unit.
Convection Cooking
Conventional cooking has revolutionized oven use since it gained traction. Convection ovens have a fan that circulates heat throughout the oven chamber so that your food can get cooked evenly. Some modern convection ovens with ‘True Convection’ boast a third heating element that further improves this feature.
Single, Double, & Combination Ovens Type
How much cooking do you intend to do in your oven? Watch out for the terms double oven, single oven, and combination oven. Double ovens have two separate ovens that enable you to prepare two distinct dishes simultaneously. Combination ovens (usually found in wall ovens) feature a top microwave unit and a bottom oven unit.
What to consider when choosing between different oven types?
So let’s say you’re looking around and checking out all these different types of ovens. How do you narrow down which ones are ideal for your personal use? We know. Consider the following:
Space/ Installation Site
Where you’re going to install your new kitchen oven determines which type you should buy. Wall ovens go onto the wall. Freestanding ovens can be placed anywhere on the wall, either alone, on one end, or between cabinets. Slide-in ovens go in between cabinets or under an island.
Power Source/Connections
What power options do you have in your kitchen? If you only have electricity, then you may have to stick with either electric wall ovens or electric range ovens. If you have a gas connection then you can go for a gas range or a duel-fuel range that takes both connections.
Your Budget
How much do you want to spend on your oven? A good modern kitchen oven will set you back a few thousand dollars. A slide-in oven will typically cost more than a freestanding oven. And wall ovens are typically the most expensive of them all.
What type of cooking do you normally do?
It’s wise to buy an oven best suited for the types of foods you normally prepare. If it’s foods that need moisture, say steaming vegetables and rice, then gas ovens work best. For drier foods such as baking bread and roasting meat then electric wall ovens perform slightly better.
Oven Sizes
Ovens differ in size which is often measured in inches. You also have double ovens that feature two ovens instead of one. How big of an oven do you need? If you normally host guests or have a large family then a big oven, or a double oven, might be better for you.
Frequency of Use
How often will you use the oven? If you’ll use the oven daily then an oven with a self-cleaning feature could be a game-changer for you. If you don’t plan on using it often then you may want to look into a toaster oven or a microwave oven.
Different Types of Ovens:
Now let’s look at the different types of ovens you should be aware of. Here they are:
#1 Gas and Electric Ovens
The largest categorization of ovens is either gas ovens or electric ovens. This, of course, refers to the power source fueling your oven. An oven can either be gas-powered, electric-powered, or both gas and electric-powered.
Gas Ovens
Gas ovens are often freestanding units or slide-in units. You won’t find a gas-wall oven. The gas ranges can be single ovens or double ovens. You can use the cooktop burners and the ovens at the same time.
Gas oven cooktops have the unique advantage that you can see the heat coming off the stove and adjust it to your preference. You can also use different types of cooking pots on gas burners. Gas cooktops also favor longer cooking hours compared to electric tops.
Gas ovens are fair well too. They preserve moisture within the food much better compared to electric ovens. They are therefore preferred for cooking foods that need to remain moist. This makes them better for steaming, cooking stews, broiling, etc.
Electric Ovens
Electric ovens are increasingly dominating the market. They eliminate the need to have a gas line. All homes have an electric power connection so connectivity for these units is assured. They are sold as wall ovens, freestanding units, and slide-in units. But mostly it’s the former.
With wall ovens, the models can be designed as a single oven, a double oven, or a combination oven. A combination oven features a smaller oven at the top and a larger one at the bottom. With electric combination ovens, you get a microwave on the top unit and an oven on the bottom unit.
Electric wall ovens deliver a sophisticated look and save floor space. If you choose a combination oven you get to do away with a traditional microwave as well. When it comes to cooking, electric ovens are preferred for drier foods. So if your forte’ is to bake bread, roast meats, or bake pizza, then this type of oven would work quite well for you.
Buying Advice: Gas or Electric Oven?
When choosing between gas ovens or electric ovens, consider the types of foods you intend to be cooking in them, where you want to place the ovens, and your budget.
Because electric wall ovens are installed inside overhead cabinets, they need more work to put in. They also cost more to purchase. Freestanding units, which are mostly gas-powered, need little installation and are the cheapest to buy. However, gas ovens need a gas line to be put in unless there’s one already. Beyond these factors, your preference as the user should carry the day.
#2 Freestanding Ovens, Slide-in Ovens, and Wall Ovens
Freestanding Ovens
Free-standing ovens do not need to be installed on the wall or inside a countertop unit. They can stand and function by themselves at any location in the house. Hence their name.
Free-standing ovens feature cooktop burners and a digital backsplash with dials and cook/oven settings. They can be installed inside an allocated space within the countertop, at the end of a countertop section, or they can be positioned by themselves.
Most freestanding ovens are gas-powered. A few have electric cooktops and some others feature both. Freestanding ovens can have a single oven or a double oven.
Slide-in Ovens
Slide-in ovens are designed to be installed by sliding them into a dedicated slot within the countertop build. That is where they get their name from. As a result, they do not have finished sides because those won’t be seen anyway. Their outer covers have trims along the edges to cover any gaps within the installation nook.
Slide-in ovens do not have a backsplash, so one needs to be built just for them. They are mostly gas-powered, too, but some feature electric cooktops. The dials and controls for the cooktops and ovens are located at the front. They can have a single or a double oven.
Wall Ovens
Wall ovens, as the name suggests, are installed onto the walls. They are the modern version of the freestanding and slide-in versions. And they are electric – never gas. They add a very contemporary look to a kitchen and save you valuable ground real estate within your kitchen floor.
A typical wall oven will feature digital dials with different settings. Some wall ovens have a single oven unit and others have a double unit. With double units, the smaller unit is usually smaller but they both can do the same things and function at the same time.
Electric wall ovens also boast having combination ovens – something the other oven types do not have. A combination oven has a top microwave unit and a bottom standard oven unit.
Buying Advice: Freestanding Ovens, Slide-in Ovens, and Wall Ovens
Cost is a big factor when choosing any one type of oven between these three options. High-end kitchens often go for wall ovens or slide-in ovens. But these models cost more. Standard modern kitchens go for freestanding ovens or slide-in models. Also, if you desire a gas range then you can’t go with wall ovens. That’s because, as we explained earlier, wall ovens are ever electric.
#3 Countertop Ovens
Wall ovens, aside, freestanding ovens aside, and slide-in ovens aside, there is another type of oven that just may be what you’re looking for. And that is a countertop oven. Countertop ovens get their name from the fact that – you guessed it – they go on top of the countertop!
As a result, countertop ovens are smaller, compact, more portable, and definitely cheaper compared to the other models we have talked about before.
There are four common types of countertop ovens:
Standard Countertop Ovens
This type of oven works and even looks just like any other oven. The difference is that it has a compact design that takes up a tiny footprint on your kitchen worktop.
These ovens can bake, broil, and roast. Modern models also feature an air fryer. Despite their small size, they do get the job done. They use convection heating and some feature True Convection technology.
The small size limits the size of food you can prepare but they do use less energy and require zero installation.
Microwave Ovens
Microwave ovens have become quite the common appliance in many kitchens today. And we’re not talking about the traditional microwave that could only reheat food and popcorn. No, here we’re talking about modern microwave ovens that can cook meals, grill, and bake bread and cakes, as well as roast and broil meats.
A modern microwave uses a convection oven to evenly cook and bake different foods. This type of oven has various presets that allow you to quickly punch an automated setting and auto-cook common foods such as vegetables, rice, potatoes, pizza, and more.
This type of oven costs much less compared to freestanding and wall ovens. It takes up little space on your countertop, it’s portable, and it works well if you’re not planning to use it to prepare large meals regularly.
Toaster Ovens
Toaster ovens are not fully-fledged ovens per se. And that’s because they are not very versatile. They are not designed to cook meals. In fact, as the name suggests, their primary function is to toast bread. You can use them to crisp up your sandwich bread or slices of cake. You can also use it to cook small pizzas and tortillas too.
But that is about all this electric oven can do. They do not cost a lot and they mostly work as conventional ovens. That is, they have heating coils that focus heat towards the center of the oven.
Roast Ovens
Have you heard of roast ovens before?
This is a type of countertop electric oven. Unlike conventional ovens that use a direct heating element, these use indirect heating. They use hot air and work like a steam oven. They are mostly used to bake and roast meats. Because of their indirect heating method, they preserve all the moisture inside thereby giving you juicy, well-cooked meats. They can also cook other meals such as stews and soups.
Roast ovens are quite affordable and take up very little space on your countertop.
Buying Advice: Countertop Ovens
A standard countertop oven is a good pick if you only want something that will bake and roast. A modern microwave oven is more versatile because it can bake and also reheat foods, beverages, and soups. Toaster ovens are very specialized in their operation and so those are best purchased simply for making crispy bread and bread snacks. Roast ovens have broad functions when it comes to cooking family dishes. But they are not ideal for cooking pastries or broiling.
#4 Single and Double Ovens
We have mentioned single ovens and double ovens before because it is impossible to talk about oven units without mentioning them. But let’s take a closer look at what they are.
Single Ovens
A single oven is the most common type of oven you’ll find around. They are to be found in freestanding ranges, slide-in ranges, and electric wall ovens. This type of oven has a single cavity cooking chamber. It is what you find in countertop ovens as well.
By default, single ovens have the advantage of being big. You can cook big portions of food in them at a go. For example, you can bake a Thanksgiving turkey in one of these pretty easily. And if you don’t normally bake multiple dishes at once, this one conventional oven will cover all your needs just fine.
Double Ovens
Double ovens can be found in freestanding oven units, slide-in ovens, and electric ovens. You cannot, however, find them in a countertop oven.
These ovens feature two cooking chambers. The top of the oven is usually smaller than the bottom one. You can use the top one to cook a pizza or lasagna as you roast a chicken or make a stew in the bottom unit.
Ranges with double ovens cost more than ranges with just one oven for obvious reasons. The same applies to wall oven units.
Buying Advice: Single and Double Ovens
Are you torn between a single oven and a double oven?
Go for a single oven if you feel that it will be enough for your needs. That is, if you only need the oven a few times a week/month and will only be making one thing at a time. Alternatively, buy a double oven unit if you feel that you need to use it a lot and will want to cook multiple dishes simultaneously. A double oven is perfect for cooking pastries in the top section and roasting in the bottom oven.
#5 Combination Ovens
These can be found in attractive stainless steel electric wall ovens. And it is important to note that you cannot find a combination gas oven. All of them are electric.
A combination oven features two cooking units just like with the double oven we have discussed above. The bottom unit is usually a large standard convection oven, the same as what you’d find in a gas oven. This bottom oven can be used to bake, roast, and cook meals.
The top unit is what sets this type of oven apart from the rest. Instead of being a smaller oven, as is the case with a double oven, it’s a microwave instead. It can perform all the functions of a microwave such as to reheat food and beverages, cook quick snacks, grill, and bake. Unlike traditional countertop microwaves, this top microwave unit in a combination convection oven is usually larger and more powerful.
Both the top and bottom units in this setup are often in shiny stainless steel. And in some cases, you get a self-cleaning oven feature.
Buying Advice: Combination Ovens
Are you thinking about going for a combination wall oven?
This type of oven fits and works well in any modern kitchen. As an electric unit, users love that they do not need to lay a gas line for it. And because the oven does not sit on the floor, it saves users valuable floor space in the kitchen. The convection oven in these types of units also works quite well for drier forms of baking such as preparing bread, pizza, or roasting meat. Another amazing reason to go for this type of oven is the fact that you do not need to have a typical microwave on your countertop.
Also Read: How to Defrost Chicken in the Microwave
FAQs for Quick Solution
What are the 5 types of ovens?
Ovens can be classified in many different ways. The 5 main types include gas ovens, electric ovens, free-standing ovens, slide-in ovens, and wall ovens. From here, the combinations can be endless once you factor in single ovens, double ovens, combination ovens, convection ovens, etc.
Which type of oven is best for home use?
All the above types of ovens we have discussed above work very well for home kitchens. All you have to do is carefully evaluate what your needs are and then match that with the oven that will meet those needs the best. For example, if you bake and cook using the oven a lot then a double oven might be a great appliance for you.
Which type of oven is best for baking?
All types of ovens are loved for baking purposes by home chefs all across the board. However, it is generally agreed that electric ovens work better for drier cooking while gas units work better with moisture retention. And, convection ovens provide better heat distribution such that your food cooks evenly.
What is the cheapest type of oven out there?
Countertop ovens cost way less compared to other larger domestic ovens. Of the different countertop ovens in the market, a microwave oven is the best pick because it can heat food, cook fast meals, and bake and roast.
Where can I find the best kitchen oven?
There are many shopping outlets out there. You can visit large retail stores or walk into kitchen appliance outlets. Online you can find the websites of leading kitchen oven brands, browse their catalogs, and order right from your home. And of course, you can order from Amazon too!
Final Thoughts:
And now you know the different types of kitchen ovens available on the market.
Hopefully, you now won’t be confused when you come across different terms such as combination ovens or conventional cooking. And on that same line, hopefully, our guide has helped you better understand what type of oven you need in your kitchen, and why. Do you?
Thank you for reading through to the end. Enjoy shopping for your new home oven!
