How to choose an oven: overview of the main parameters

Most women love to delight their family with the preparation of something tasty. Fragrant crispy pastries will be highly appreciated by every member of the family. If the house smells of mom’s pies, cakes, baked meat, what better?

Today, in order to fulfill this desire, mother does not need to heat the oven, just visit the store with household appliances, because technological progress gives us a wide variety of modern ovens. Of course, in order to make a purchase, you first need to find out how to choose an assistant for yourself, who will be tasked with baking sweets, and thermally process various dishes to deliciously feed the family.

Electric or gas oven: pros and cons

It’s not easy to give advice on which energy source the oven should be in the kitchen, because we are all different people, and each has his own habits and preferences, so you just need to describe the strengths and weaknesses of each option.

A gas oven has its supporters because of its relative cheapness, and even its frequent work will not greatly affect the family budget. An indisputable advantage is that the furnace is able to function when connected to a gas cylinder. Thus, it can be operated in a country house. This is where the advantages of gas ovens ended.

Further, if we compare gas and electric appliances, the former will lose in everything else, since the electric oven has a noticeably larger set of functions. In a quality product, even if not the most expensive one, there are several heating programs, there is also a convection mode, but it’s true that the electricity meter will spin quickly, winding many kilowatt hours, because these models have a lot of power.

Today on sale there are models in which the electric oven is connected to a double boiler. In such instances, a steam generator is built in and a container for pouring water is provided. There are also ovens that have a common housing with a microwave. This combination of electrical household appliances implies many advantages.

When a small kitchen is equipped with household appliances, then its owners should choose the right tabletop oven. Miniature electrical products are characterized in the same way as their larger "relatives".

A wide selection of each category of oven models makes it possible to purchase the one that the owners will consider the best option. If people want to cook and save, then a gas oven is more suitable for them. And in the case when there is an emphasis on the quality of food, then choosing an electric product, you will be more satisfied with the result.

Gas Oven: selection options

Have you decided, and focused on the gas version? Not sure how to choose a gas oven? The question, of course, is not simple, because this household equipment costs a lot of money, and affects the quality of dishes prepared by the hostesses.However, today every household appliance store is ready to offer you a gas oven with excellent characteristics: ergonomic, with protection functions and an auxiliary complex.

To make the best choice, you need to follow these simple recommendations:

• First, pay attention to the width of the model. When the kitchen is large, then you can build in an oven of any size, and if not, then you should choose a mini oven.
• In the gas model, the type of control is an important factor. Almost all products have a mechanical control system, it consists of buttons and handles, but sometimes there are also touch settings.
• A gas oven is classic or has many functions. Modern products are necessarily equipped with additional features. This is an automatic ignition, convection airflow, various degrees of heating, grill and others. The presence of these functions really makes the work of the hostess more comfortable.
• Be sure to deal with the safe operation of your oven when dealing with gas. There is a function that shuts off the gas in the event of a fire extinguishing. It is called gas control. An additional useful device will be a cold door, which is designed to protect all family members from burns.
• Each family, when acquires a gas oven, must decide whether it will be independent or built-in. If you select an independent model, this will allow you to more efficiently distribute the space in the kitchen and have a product with a more attractive design. With built-in appliances, you need to think about how to choose the right gas stove. When buying everything together, in addition to the oven, it is worth paying attention to the quantity and quality of the burners.

We got acquainted with the most important parameters and capabilities of gas ovens. A sufficient set of functions in the mid-price segment allows you to cook a meal quickly and with pleasure in a selected oven.

Electric oven: what you need to know when choosing

Despite the good functionality of the gas oven, electric models are still more popular, but let's look at how to choose an electric oven to provide ourselves with a reliable assistant in the kitchen.

When buying an electric oven, you should decide which functions and features will be useful to a particular housewife, and for which it is better not to overpay:

• As with a gas oven, you need to know the exact width of the model. The most common option will be a width of 60 cm, but if necessary, you can choose both wider and narrower products. The heights and depths are the same for all instances.
• A mandatory set of programs includes a heating regulator and a timer - their presence is already sufficient for high-quality heat treatment of dishes, but additional features of the model accelerate this process and add variety.
• A very useful additional feature is the temperature probe. This is such a device that measures the temperature directly in the processed product.
• Electric ovens are most often equipped with electromechanical or electronic control. Each type of control has its own advantages: the first is reliable and easy to use, and the second - makes it possible to program the product for a specific job.
• On the display, regardless of the model, it is possible to monitor the process of its operation.
• Security in the oven, consists in blocking programs from accidental clicks, laminated glass, forced blowing function, automatic shutdown and others.
• In modern models, there are systems for removing contaminants on the technique. In such an oven, a pyrolytic or catalytic cleaning method will work.The first method burns pollution, and the second decomposes into two components: carbon and water. Next, the working surface of the product is wiped with a napkin.
• Sometimes manufacturers are pleased with a large number of additional features. This is a diagonal grill, molds and baking trays made of glass, telescopic guides, a warning system with the help of sound, and others.

We have familiarized ourselves with the possibilities of an oven of an electric type of food so that the product you choose allows you to indulge homemade gourmets with mouth-watering and healthy dishes.

What feature set will be needed?

Considering the possibilities of gas and electric ovens, we have already seen a list of functions that are embedded in modern models. Now it's time to get to know them in more detail.

Multifunctional ovens ... What is covered in this name?

Today, in addition to different temperature conditions, there are separate automatic programs for the thermal processing of dishes. They are also in electronically controlled ovens. In electromechanical models, the functions of technology are triggered by ordinary buttons or rotary knobs, but this control method also has many fans, especially older people.

As already noted, the oven can also be in the role of a microwave or a double boiler. In the case of connecting the oven with the microwave module, it becomes possible to reduce the time for cooking individual dishes, and if “two in one” is an oven with a double boiler, then the variety of prepared dishes expands.

Convection airflow is a very common addition in modern ovens. It makes it possible to distribute the temperature throughout the entire internal volume of the oven for more uniform heating of the prepared dish. Together with convection, grill, defrosting mode, intensive heating can also be used.

Present in modern products and such useful tools as a timer and probe (temperature sensor). The timer notifies the end of the cooking process for this dish with a sound signal, and the probe controls the temperature inside the product undergoing heat treatment. Data on changes in dish heating can be seen on the digital display.

Safety is achieved through thermal insulation. Doors in the oven are designed so that they hardly heat up outside. However, not all models have this feature. There is also a lock on the oven from children. Retractable baking sheet also helps to ensure safe operation of the device, because the guides allow you to remove the baking sheet without holding it.

Hydrolysis or pyrolysis surface cleaning is available only in electrical products. Hydrolytic contaminant removal works when water is poured into the sump. When the appliance is heated, the fat and steam are in the pan. Pyrolysis treatment involves the combustion of contaminants. As a result, the ash will need to be wiped with a napkin.

Built-in ovens: recommendations for choosing

Such a model can be both electric and gas. Built-in ovens can be either dependent or independent. This means that in the first version the control panel is one, and the control buttons for both the oven and hob are located on it. In the second case, there are two control panels: on the surface with its own hobs, and separate on the built-in oven. All other functions of the ovens are already described.

After you become familiar with the capabilities of modern ovens, you can safely go shopping. With a good choice, the housewives will have an assistant for many years. And let the aroma of baking and other different goodies be heard in your home.