Oven Buying Guide

If you’re in the market for a new oven you’re probably looking for some advice.  For starters, you need to think of your oven as more than a simple appliance.  It is actually a decorating component which allows you to achieve the functional requirements of your kitchen.

On the surface, this might appear ludicrous.  Ovens are used for cooking, what else can there be?  Well, if you are an amateur gourmet cook who entertains large numbers of guests frequently you are going to be looking for a different kind of oven than is the casual cook.

For starters there is the most basic decision to be made:  do you want a gas oven or an electric oven?  For the gourmet, an electric cook top oven combination is an insult.  How many great chefs cook with electricity?  None!  When we speak of ovens here we are assuming self contained units including surface burners.

Electric ovens and burners take some time to achieve the desired heat, and more importantly, when you shut them off, the heat remains in the cooking element for a time as it cools off.  Some homeowners feel cursed when cooking with electricity as they know their food will keep cooking even after they shut down the power.  Gas cooking is instant on and off.   This disadvantage holds for stove top cooking elements but less so with ovens.

Some people actually prefer electric ovens to gas and feel the ideal combination is a dedicated gas cook top with separate electric wall ovens.  However, gas stoves and ovens have another advantage:  you can still cook during a power outage!  As a general rule, electric ovens will be cheaper to buy, especially at the high end.

Many buyers prefer to shop brand first, and features second, especially for higher end gourmet style kitchens.  Some brands are actually status symbols as well as cooking appliances.  If you’re comfortable with a specific brand the next step is to find an oven with the best combination of price and features you need.  Self-cleaning, placement of controls, and storage drawers are all features across which you can compare models.

Not all self cleaning features are created equal so make sure the model you are considering has a self cleaning feature that is easy to operate, with easily accessible controls.  The cooking surface should be easy to clean as well.  Watch out for models with decorative stainless molding where food particles can become trapped and hard to remove.

The central control panel should also be easy to clean.  Pay special attention to timer and alarm settings, as some models can be confusing to set the controls.  Make sure the interior of the oven is adequately lit.

One final feature worthy of checking is the adjustability of the oven racks.  Ideally you should be able to remove and replace the racks with one hand.

If you’re not sure about brand reliability, you can check the Internet for consumer reviews.  Another option is to start calling appliance repair services in your area and ask them what brands they are most frequently called to repair.  This is not a perfect method as more popular brands may have more service calls simply because there are more of them out there.  But if you’re lucky, you might uncover an appliance repair person who’ll flat out tell you which brands to stay away from.