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Built In Oven: Buying Guide
Built in ovens are a popular choice all over the country. The design, minimalist aesthetic, and practical features of a built in oven create a winning formula for powerful, simple and functional cooking in your kitchen.
Here at Appliance City, we’ve used our years of experience to help many customers find the right oven for their needs. We’re always happy to answer your questions and have compiled many common ones to create this helpful buying guide. Read on to learn what you should look out for when buying a built in oven!
If you have a question that hasn’t been answered here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for no-obligation help and advice.
What is a built in oven?
A built in oven is an oven that is installed within your kitchen cabinets. These are also often referred to as a ‘wall oven’. Many built in ovens are positioned at eye level, which makes it easier to keep an eye on your cooking dishes. Many also find it easier and safer to place things in or take things out without the need to bend down. Built-in ovens can come in a variety of sizes and styles to match your needs and kitchen style.
What is the difference between built in and built under ovens?
Unlike a built in oven that is installed at eye level, a built under oven is installed under your kitchen counter. They also tend to be shorter to fit in the desired space. Many people may opt for a built under oven to save on space, or to create a custom ‘cooker’ by pairing it with a hob of their choice.
Can you put a built under oven at eye level?
No, by definition you cannot install a built under oven at eye level. These ovens are specifically built to fit under your counter. If you do want an oven at eye level we would recommend looking at built in oven models.
How to choose a built in oven?
Decided you’d like a built in oven to feature in your kitchen? How do you decide on which one to get? Built in ovens come in many different sizes and styles, with many functionality options. The best model for you will depend on your cooking preferences, available space, and oven capacity requirements.
Below we go through everything you need to know about built in ovens, so you can make an informed decision.
Would you prefer to talk to an appliance expert? Give us a call on 0115 965 1937.
Fuel Type
The first thing to consider when buying a built in oven is whether you’d like gas or electric. If you’re replacing an oven, it may be easier to stay with the same fuel type as you’ll have the necessary connections ready. Otherwise, you’ll need to ensure you have the right hookups before purchasing.
Below are some quick pros and cons for each fuel type to help you decide.
Built In Gas Ovens
Pros
- Tend to be cheaper to run than electric ovens.
- Great for baking bread and pies due to a more humid cooking environment.
- Some say gas ovens cook more flavoursome food, such as pizzas and baked goods.
- Modern gas ovens are fitted with convection fans that help to circulate the heat more evenly, so you don’t need to keep turning the dish as it cooks.
- Modern gas ovens have a range of safety features including safety valves and electric ignitions which reduce the risk of an accident.
Cons
- There is a slightly higher fire risk due to requiring a spark. A build-up of grease and fats from food can catch alight, so regular cleaning is highly recommended.
- A gas oven must be installed by a Gas Safe Engineer. The UK gas safety regulation also states that activities such as servicing, adjusting, disconnecting, repairing, or changing gas fittings in any way, shape, or form must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Some gas ovens use an electric glow bar ignition that can’t be used during a power cut, due to the gas valve being electrically connected to the igniter.
Built In Electric Ovens
Pros
- Heats food faster than gas ovens.
- Some have indicators which will notify you when the internal temperature of the oven has reached the desired heat.
- Electronic displays can assist throughout the cooking process.
- There are usually more features and functions in electrical models, including programmable timers
- Some argue that meats and potatoes taste better when cooked in an electric oven.
- Uses less energy (kWh) than a gas oven.
- Modern electric cookers are fitted with many safety features to help protect you and your home.
Cons
- Take longer to cool down, so you need to be extra vigilant not to accidentally burn yourself, particularly when cleaning up after cooking.
- Although an electric oven uses less energy, the cost of electricity is higher than gas.
- Similar to installing gas models, a professional should install your electric oven. Installing an electric oven requires specific amps, wires, and double pole isolating switches – not to mention the strength to lift and shift your new (and very heavy) oven into place.
- Most modern electric ovens will have a slightly shorter lifespan than gas counterparts.
- Can have longer preheating times than gas.
Oven Style
There are many different styles of built in ovens to choose from. The best one for you will depend on your preferences and requirements. For example, a double oven may work better for you if you cook a lot of meals that require different temperatures for separate dishes. These also work great for those who like to cook roast dinners. On the other hand, if you have a smaller household you may only require a single oven. Below are different styles of built in ovens you can choose from.
Single Oven
An oven with one oven cavity, built into a housing unit or existing cabinet space. A freestanding oven would generally be referred to as a ‘cooker’.
Double Oven
Double ovens have two compartments rather than one, so you can cook multiple things at once. These are ideal for medium to large households.
Built Under Double Oven
Similar to a built in double oven, but designed to fit under a worktop. You can get both single and double ovens built under.
Compact Oven
This style of oven is smaller than a standard single oven and is often used as either a secondary oven for those needing a bit more cooking space, or as the primary oven in small kitchens.
Compact ovens often come with various other functions, such as microwave or steam. This makes them perfect for adding additional cooking functions to your kitchen.
Steam Oven
Steam ovens feature a reservoir (which will either need to be plumbed in, or filled manually) which turns into steam when heated, cooking your food. Some steam ovens are multifunctional and can also operate as standard electric ovens.
Most foods can be cooked in a steam oven. However, while steam ovens are better at retaining flavour and moisture than other types of ovens, they cannot “brown” foods.
Size
Built in ovens are built to standardised measurements so that they will fit within standard housing units.
Check out our Built In Oven Measurement Guide to learn more about oven dimensions, capacity, and ventilation requirements.
Capacity
The average capacity of an oven is 60 litres. This is ideal for a household with 3 – 4 people. For smaller households, you may only require an oven capacity of 35-50 litres. If you’re an avid cook, or have a larger household, we would recommend a capacity upwards of 70 litres.
How much space do you need around an oven?
Your oven will require ventilation space around it to allow heat to escape. However, in most instances, this won’t be something you need to think about as standard oven housings already account for ventilation. These will usually allow for a 5mm gap on either side and 35mm at the back.
Self Cleaning Models
One of the most luxurious features you can enjoy with certain built in oven models is self-cleaning functionality, saving you a tedious task.
Here are the different self-cleaning functions to look out for:
Catalytic Oven
Some built-in ovens will come with inbuilt catalytic liners. Their material and chemical treatment make them a champion at combating grease. Models with this feature will have a self-cleaning programme. Every month or so, turn this on and the oven will heat itself up and deposit excess grease and grime for you to wipe away.
Pyrolytic Oven
Arguably the most effective form of self-cleaning oven is a pyrolytic one. These work in much the same way as a catalytic oven, but with a more powerful difference. This self-cleaning programme heats the oven to temperatures of over 400°C, turning any food, grease and grime into ash for you to simply sweep away.
Steam Clean Oven
An oven with steam cleaning functions will produce steam to help moisten and release residues that build up in the oven over time. This is a great function for regular cleaning, and doesn’t heat your oven up nearly as much. Simply wait for the steam clean programme to end, and then wipe away the softened grease and grime.
Slide & Hide Doors
Just like in The Great British Bake Off, you can enjoy the luxurious feeling of opening your oven door and sliding it underneath. Not only is this extremely cool, but it increases accessibility and lowers the risk of scalding yourself.
Our Neff range combines self-cleaning and Slide and Hide for the best of both worlds.
Energy Rating
How energy efficient your kitchen appliances are is measured with an alphabetical rating. A+++ is the highest rating you can get. The further along the alphabet you get, the less energy efficient it is.
At Appliance City we don’t stock any built-in ovens with an energy rating lower than B, doing our bit to ensure your purchase is as good for the environment as it is at keeping your energy bills low.
Warranty
It’s always a good idea to check how much warranty you’ll receive when buying an oven. Even the best quality cooking appliance can develop problems, so it’s good to have protection just in case. Standard warranties for built-in ovens are 1-2 years, however some come standard with longer warranties. You may also have the option to extend your warranty for a fee.
Features
There are many features available on quality built in ovens. These include self-cleaning functions and Slide and Hide doors, as mentioned above, plus a lot more.
If you’re looking for an oven with all the bells and whistles included, be sure to look out for:
Self Cleaning Functions
Slide and Hide Doors
Smart Features
Display Control
FAQs
This is one of the most frequently asked questions we get about built-in ovens. If you’ve invested in a gas oven, it’s a legal requirement to have it fitted by a Gas Safe Engineer. Although it’s not a legal requirement to have a professional install an electric oven, we would still highly recommend this. Installing it yourself could cause injury, and will void your warranty if something goes wrong.
The best place to put your new oven from a safety standpoint is somewhere where it will fit well, but still has space for ventilation. Any cabinets or cupboards surrounding your oven need to be able to withstand high temperatures of up to 90°C.
We’d also recommend installing it in a place you can easily open and close the oven door. For built-under ovens, you may want to consider positioning it near the cooktop to make things as simple as possible.
A good quality oven should last between 10-15 years with regular cleaning and maintenance.
To learn more about how long your appliances should last, check out our How Long Should It Last? Appliances Overview.
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