How to Chose the Best Oven
Control panels – In the age of computers, more and more oven companies are going towards digital controls and yes they are safe. This enables a much closer control when cooking or baking. With knob controls, you may think you are at 350 degrees when the oven could actually be at 400. A 50 degree temperature differential is a large one and with time, the knob will give even more and soon your oven could be off by 100+ degrees.
Oven Elements – Most ovens will have three elements; one on top for broiling, one on bottom for baking and a third in the rear of the oven for convection. When you oven the oven, can you see the elements? If so, these are called exposed (for obvious reasons) elements. These will be the easiest to replace but the most difficult to clean. Next, there will be elements under a sheet of glass, called recessed elements. These elements are a compromise between exposed elements’ ability to be replaced and the hidden elements to be discussed in a second. These are relatively new on the market but are being well received. Lastly, we have the hidden elements, in which the elements are underneath the sheet metal or bottom of the oven. The main disadvantage with the hidden elements is ability to be repaired. When repairing the element, the entire oven must be removed from the wall and the elements accessed from the rear of the oven (in most cases). Why three elements? We all know standard baking is the heat being pushed up from the bottom of the oven. Standard broiling is the heat being forced down from the top of the oven on to the food. The third element offers an advance cooking technique called convection, evening out the oven cell and making sure that there are no hot spots.
Size – Fifteen to twenty years ago ovens came in a 24-inch width. Currently, very few brands offer any thing smaller than a 27-inch oven. One company, Dacor, offers a 36-inch wall oven. There are single or double ovens and most come in the option of 27- or 30-inch widths. The difference between the 27 and the 30 is minimal, but it definitely depends on the size you have in your kitchen and the size of the interior size of the oven. Some offer a very deep and wide oven cell, while some have a large fan extending into the depth of the oven. However, bigger is not always better in terms of convection. With a standard oven, you have to worry about getting the most of a standard cell and maximizing the heat that radiates from the bottom of the oven up. In some cases, you will also flip the food around mid way through the cooking time. With convection, you are having an entire oven cell that is one temperature so you can use the entire cell without flipping the food or even worrying that the oven will have a hot spot. Focus on the oven that you like best and not the width of the oven.
Color – Stainless is big right now, and has been for quite a while, in fact it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Fingerprints are the main concern with stainless and there is NO true stainless that will not show fingerprints. There are ways to avoid fingerprints, but there is no way to avoid them. Using a polish once a week will help to build up a layer of protection against fingerprints. The other predominate colors are black and white. Some brands offer almond or bisque, but you will run into trouble matching all the other appliances in your kitchen if you elect almond or bisque.
Brand – Many people get caught up in having one brand throughout their entire kitchen. This is not necessarily the best way to go. Some brands have been making refrigerators for many years and only started making ovens. Additionally, the top dishwasher may not make the best oven for your home. Choose the product you like and ignore the brand name. No one will walk into your kitchen and notice. Plus, you’ll have the benefit of knowing that each product was the best for you.
Ventilation – Electric wall ovens do not require ventilation. However, there ovens will exude some heat. Look at the front of the ovens and see if you can tell where the heat is vented. Some brands offer a vent in the front of the oven right at eye level. Others vent out the bottom. Be sure to ask your salesperson where the oven vents the heat and how hot the air will be when it is coming out. Certain brands limit the air coming out to a certain degree above ambient. Additionally, ask if the door will get hot. Silly as it may seem, some ovens get so hot, it is impossible to be near them without feeling the heat. Others offer such insulation that you will never feel the heat and the door will remain cool to the touch.
One last warning, and this is completely personal bias. Consumer Reports do not accurately report what the best and worst ovens are. At times, they rate a microwave by X Company as number one but the same exact microwave made by Y Company will be given a low rating. A commonly known practice in the field is that all microwaves are made by Sharp and Panasonic. Regardless of what the microwave says on the outside, it is made by those two companies. Knowing that fact, how can one be rated higher than the other? The same is true with ovens. What may be best suited for your house may not be rated highly on the consumer reports.
Find a good sales person and one you feel you can trust and ask what they have in their home and what they recommend for their family. They get a discount on all major brands and can get them all for the same price, so what did hey choose? Good Luck and remember , it is just cooking!
