Built-in ovens: Features explained
Size
Width
Most built-in ovens are 60cm wide so they fit in a standard kitchen cupboard unit, but their height varies.
A built-in single oven is usually about 60cm high, enabling it to fit either under a worktop or within a tall eye-level unit. Built-in double ovens are taller: those to go under a worktop are about 72cm high, while eye-level models are about 90cm high.
Volume
Single ovens have an internal capacity of between about 50 and 65 litres.
Double ovens tend to have a large main oven of about 45 to 70 litres and a smaller oven of 30 to 35 litres. The smaller oven will usually double as a grill, but on top-end models there can also be a fan.
Basic features
Double ovens
These offer you more cooking options and the ability to cook dishes at different temperatures simultaneously. Some have grills in both ovens for extra flexibility.
Grill
Whether they’re at eye-level or part of the oven itself, good grills spread heat widely and evenly across the grill pan.
Fan ovens
Most electric ovens come with a fan that helps to distribute the heat evenly.
Multi-function cooking
Many ovens are multi-function, which allows you to cook with a combination of heat from the top and the bottom of the oven, the grill and fan.
Many steam ovens rely on a removable refillable water container
Steam ovens
Some ovens also have a steam function with an integral water tank. The water is vaporised and provides a quick healthy cooking method.
Doors
All of the ovens we've tested have drop-down doors. It can be inconvenient if you have to lean across a large door to place dishes on the oven shelves, especially if you have a bad back. Some oven doors have glass panels that can be removed, which makes them much easier to clean.
Advanced features
Recipe function
This function automatically programmes the optimum time, duration and settings for various foods. We cooked chicken using this function, and found that it worked well in most cases.
Turnspit
A few ovens have this function, which cooks food on a spit, like a rotisserie. When we tested it, we found the results were no better than by roasting a chicken in the conventional way.
Meat probe
Plunge this probe into a joint and it tells you when its tip (and thus the centre of the meat) is at optimum temperature and the joint is cooked. Make sure the whole probe is buried or it will conduct heat from the oven, giving a falsely high temperature reading, and you’ll end up with undercooked meat.
Pizza mode
A pizza mode is designed to ensure a perfectly cooked pizza with a crispy base. When we tested it, we found in most ovens this gave slightly better results than just using the fan mode. It’s worth considering if you eat a lot of pizza.
Timer functions
A minute-minder function turns the oven off after a set amount of time, so is helpful when trying avoid over-cooked food. Advanced timers let you pre-programme start and end times, so you can return home and dinner will be ready to serve.
Non-tip shelves
Non-tip shelves offer you some extra protection when dealing with hot and heavy dishes. Instead of reaching into the oven, you can pull out the shelf itself.
Telescopic shelf supports let you slide heavy trays out without tipping
Telescopic shelves
Telescopic shelf runners are a superior feature to non-tip shelves, as they enable the trays or shelves to be fully pulled out of the oven cavity without the risk of a heavy roast chicken falling on to the floor. Only high-end models tend to have them as standard, but some manufacturers offer them as an accessory for upwards of £50.
Child lock
A child lock lets you lock the control panel, although not the door, so that the oven can’t be accidentally turned on.
Cleaning functions
Catalytic liners
Rough surfaces inside the oven catch, absorb and break down food spills, which are burned away during normal cooking, making your oven walls easier to keep clean.
Pyrolytic programs
Pyrolytic oven programs burn off dirt and grease at up to about 500°C. All you do is sweep out the ash afterwards. They can take 2 hours, and for safety the oven door will lock during this time.
Oven cleaners
Specialist oven cleaners are made of strong stuff and can be corrosive, so be careful how you handle them, always read the label and store out of reach of children.