Which Double Oven? There are two types of double oven, built in and built under. The built under versions are approximately 720mm and build under the worktop, they are not suitable to be built in to a housing or column above the worktop. There are three ways that built under ovens can be fitted, some are freestanding with their own adjustable legs. The plinth below the unit would clip to the front of the legs. Some models can be slid in on rails (these are supplied with the oven) which are fitted on either side of the adjacent units, again the gap left underneath would be covered by the plinth. The final option is to fit in to a unit, although you may need to modify an existing unit if you are replacing a single oven (this is because a single oven has a small vanity panel beneath, this must be removed to allow room for a double oven).
Built in double ovens which fit up higher in to a housing or column are 90cm high, these cannot be fitted under a worktop. The measurements on both types of oven are approximate and in the vast majority of situations these ovens will fit, however it is vital prior to ordering that you check all of the dimensions.
Electric or Gas? It is strange considering how efficient gas ovens are that their popularity has dwindled so much over the years. They are quicker and cheaper to run than electric versions. They cook better as they produce 5% vapour which keeps the food moist, whereas electric ovens have a tendency to dry food out. However the vast majority of consumers prefer electric, usually because they say that they are easier to keep clean. Manufacturers also prefer electric, probably because they are easier and cheaper to build and do not have such stringent regulations compared to gas. Electric ovens can be fanned or conventional. Fanned ovens use a much smaller, usually circular element in the back of the oven and a fan unit combined blows the hot air forward. They use a lot less electricity and are much faster than the conventional type. Conventional ovens are less and less popular now as they are so slow and expensive to run. Some more advanced cooks do like to have the option of cooking with a conventional oven, this would normally only apply to multi function ovens. Multi function ovens are not as complicated as they sound. Some manufacturers offer a 'multifunction oven with 8 functions' , which can sound so complicated. The first function is usually fan only or defrost, this is a no heat function and the fan simply blows the cold away from the frozen item (approximately 20% quicker than defrosting at room temp). The next function might be fanned cooking only (as discussed above). Normal convection cooking using both main oven elements. Top heat only, useful perhaps for cooking pizzas' . Bottom heat only, you might use this if you were cooking a flan and wanted to make sure the base was cooked. Grill, most multifunction ovens also combine a grill in the main oven, they are usually dual element (half or full grill) so that equals two functions. Some makers have features like dough proving or hydro clean to assist with the cleaning of the oven. For the average consumer most of these functions are a waste of time, and its easy to spend far more than you need to.
As of 2003 cooking appliances have to be rated for energy efficiency, most good quality ovens are rated 'A' for energy which is the best. Having said this the difference in energy consumption between an a or b oven is very small, and we doubt that you could spot the difference in your electricity bills. Although with domestic appliances consuming 60% of the worlds energy its not a bad idea to improve efficiency. Discount Appliances 1997-2009 |
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