No mistakes when choosing an electric oven

Have you ever considered how important a good electric oven is in your kitchen?

It's one of those appliances that must always be present in a kitchen, along with the refrigerator and freezer.

Why? Simple, the oven is a useful and versatile tool, especially in Italian cuisine, where it plays a key role in many traditional and innovative culinary preparations.

Unfortunately, not all ovens on the market are of good quality. Today, there are certainly no shortage of options available, and it can seem a bit complicated to find the right one. This is where the concept of a good oven comes into play.

A quality oven is not just a tool for cooking food; it is a reliable ally in your kitchen. It must be durable over time and meet your culinary and aesthetic needs.

The cooking power, capacity, additional functions like the grill or fan-assisted mode are just some of the things to consider. Not to mention ease of cleaning, as no one likes cleaning the oven after every use. For example, a self-cleaning system might be an essential feature for you.

In short, the oven is one of the most important investments you can make for your kitchen.

So, take all the time you need to evaluate the available options and make sure you make a choice that fully satisfies you.

When it comes to buying a good electric oven, it's easy to feel a bit lost in front of the various options available, each with different features and functionalities. A good tip is to understand your needs and carefully evaluate which cooking modes best suit your kitchen.

One of the first distinctions to make when talking about electric ovens is between a static oven and a fan-assisted oven. The static oven uses two heating elements, one at the bottom and one at the top of the cooking chamber, to distribute heat evenly. This makes it ideal for cooking roasts, bread, and pizza, offering traditional and authentic cooking results. Fan-assisted ovens, on the other hand, have a fan that allows for heat distribution. This ensures faster and more even cooking, providing crispiness on the outside and softness on the inside. This mode is particularly suitable for baking cakes, fish, lasagna, and vegetables.

In recent years, the evolution of technology has brought innovative options to electric ovens, going beyond traditional fan-assisted or static models.

Among the latest innovations in quality electric ovens, we find those that offer steam cooking mode, a feature that is gaining increasing popularity in Italian kitchens. This option adds moisture during cooking to prevent food from drying out too much, making it ideal for those who love to prepare light and healthy dishes without sacrificing taste.

Another function that modern ovens offer is the grill. It helps you achieve perfect browning of foods thanks to a heating element located at the top of the oven. It is particularly useful if you want to add extra crispiness to dishes like gratins, bruschetta, or simple toast.

Before diving into the selection of your next quality electric oven, it’s essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental features. It’s the details that make a difference in a good oven.

Why? Simple: a good oven stands out in terms of functionality and its ability to adapt to your culinary needs and kitchen environment.

But what exactly are these features? How can they influence your purchasing decisions?

Here are seven features you need to keep in mind when choosing a good electric oven:

1. Size and Space

One of the first considerations is the space available in your kitchen. Electric ovens can vary significantly in size, from standard models to more compact or spacious ones. It’s important not only to ensure the oven fits your kitchen space but also to leave enough space around the oven for proper air circulation and to avoid overheating. For example, built-in models require more precise installation compared to standalone models. Therefore, carefully assess the space before making your choice.

2. Type of Opening

The type of oven door opening can influence accessibility and usability when deciding which oven you want.

Ovens can have vertical openings, that is, top to bottom, or side openings, from right to left or vice versa. Some ovens have a doorless design where the oven bottom lowers to open and raises to close using an electric mechanism.

Consider which type of opening best fits your kitchen layout and what is most convenient for you while cooking.

3. Control Modes

Oven controls can be traditional, with knobs to adjust cooking functions, temperature, and timer, or touch-based, with controls activated simply by touching the panel at the symbols of the various functions.

Evaluate which type of control you prefer based on your familiarity with technology and your usage preferences.

4. Safety

Safety is a primary aspect to consider in any appliance, especially in a kitchen environment. Safety is also one of the characteristics that define a good electric oven.

Ensure the oven has adequate insulation devices to prevent overheating and damage to surrounding furniture. The presence of an automatic shutdown device in case of malfunction guarantees operational safety.

Additionally, a cooling system helps keep the oven and its handle at a safe temperature during operation. This will prevent kitchen accidents or unpleasant burns when using it.

5. Temperature Range

If you use the oven, it’s primarily because you need to cook at high temperatures.

To ensure a satisfying choice, check that the electric oven you are considering has a sufficiently wide temperature range to meet your needs. The ability to set precise and uniform temperatures will allow you to achieve optimal cooking results. Make sure your oven can reach the temperatures needed for cooking and maintain the set temperature throughout the cooking cycle.

6. Accessories

Almost all electric ovens available on the market now include a range of standard accessories designed to optimize the oven’s various functions. Among the standard accessories, you’ll find at least one baking tray and one rack, both sized to fit the oven’s cooking chamber.

However, if you are considering more advanced models with features like a grill or steam cooking, you might find additional accessories. These could include spits for grilling or drip trays for steam cooking.

Some more sophisticated models might even offer drying racks or other specific accessories to fully exploit the oven’s capabilities.

It is crucial to ensure that the oven you are considering includes a comprehensive set of standard accessories that meet your culinary needs. Buying them separately might pose compatibility issues with your specific model, not to mention the additional cost.

7. Self-Cleaning System

When considering the purchase of a good electric oven, it’s important to consider the available self-cleaning system. The main options include catalytic and pyrolytic cleaning, found, for example, in electric ovens from KitchenAid.

Catalytic ovens have side and rear walls coated with special materials that burn off residues during normal use. However, they require replacement of the catalytic panels every 2-3 years, increasing maintenance costs over time.

In contrast, pyrolytic ovens offer a more effective cleaning process, with high temperatures that incinerate dirt without leaving residues. Although more expensive, they do not require periodic replacements and ensure complete cleaning.

Be cautious, though; before purchasing, ensure your home’s electrical panel can handle the oven’s power consumption to avoid overload issues.

By carefully considering these seven fundamental aspects, you will be able to select the quality electric oven that best suits your culinary needs and preferences. Besides the price, remember to consider all the small details that can enhance your daily use of the appliance when choosing a good electric oven.

In your search for the best electric oven, power is an aspect to consider, as it affects not only performance but also energy consumption.

Evaluating the energy class and consumption of the oven allows you to understand the long-term usage costs. The key is understanding the relationship between the instantaneous power absorbed and the usage time of the appliance. Some models may have high electrical power consumption, but if they are only used for short periods, the impact on your energy bill will be minimal.

The average power of an electric oven is around 2 kW, but it is important to note that this power can vary during different cooking phases. During startup, energy consumption is higher, while once the desired temperature is reached, it decreases as the oven only needs to maintain the heat.

The energy costs of the oven depend on various factors, including the energy class and the duration of cooking. An energy class A oven can consume about 1 kWh per hour, while less efficient models can reach over 2 kWh.

If you want to reduce the energy consumption of your oven, you can follow some tips.

For example, cooking multiple dishes at the same time and keeping the oven door closed to avoid heat loss are excellent methods. Looking through the oven door's glass rather than opening it every time allows you to check the cooking status without losing heat. Additionally, keeping the oven clean and using glass or ceramic cookware can contribute to more efficient energy use.

When choosing your electric oven, also consider the type of model that consumes less energy. Fan-assisted ovens, for example, offer excellent cooking performance and consume less compared to static models. However, the choice also depends on your kitchen habits and needs.

When choosing a good electric oven for yourself, the price is certainly a factor that can make a difference. From more affordable options, starting at less than 50 euros, to more sophisticated ones exceeding 4,000 euros, there is a wide range of choices on the market.

The variation in costs depends on several factors, such as capacity, integrated technologies, and oven design. The more affordable models usually offer compact sizes and a limited number of cooking programs, while the more expensive ones boast larger dimensions and advanced technologies like Wi-Fi connectivity and pyrolytic cleaning. When considering a good electric oven, the price is also influenced by energy class, capacity, and power.

In the lower price range, between 100 and 500 euros, you will find options with smaller sizes and basic functions. Moving up in price, in the mid-range (between 500 and 1,000 euros), you will have access to larger ovens with advanced technologies and more cooking options.

Remember that your choice should reflect your needs and budget. Take the time to evaluate the available options and ensure you select a good electric oven that best fits your lifestyle and requirements.

And if you are looking for a reliable brand, consider KitchenAid. They offer a wide range of models with various options, adaptable to what you are looking for in your kitchen.