We’oven burritos with ground beef picked products we think you’ll love and may earn commission from links on this page. Read about why you can trust BBC Good Food reviews. What is a kitchen without an oven?
We’ve found the best models for a range of price points, from basic but efficient budget models, to blow-out, high-tech ones. It can be hard to know where to start when you’re looking for a new oven. We’ve spoken to domestic white goods experts from AO. Head over to our reviews section and find out how we test products.
Before you even begin to think about nifty features and aesthetics, you need to consider what size oven is right for you and your family. In-built ovens are available in two sizes: single and double. Always check the dimensions before buying. Single ovens are around 60cm tall. They can go anywhere in the kitchen, but most people choose to place them under the counter, beneath a built-in hob or at eye-level in a cabinet. Pros: single ovens have a larger single compartment compared to double ovens, making them ideal for big roasts and for fitting large casserole dishes. Cons: you can only use one function at a time and only set the oven to a single temperature.
Double ovens are around 90cm tall and they only fit into a cabinet at eye-level. Pros: ideal if you’re looking to cook lots of different dishes at different temperatures or looking to use two different functions, e. We’ve laid them out below to help you make the right choice. We’ve detailed the features we think are worth looking out for and asked white goods experts about which features are nice to have but not essential.
Digital controls: these are ideal for when you need an exact cooking temperature, i. Controls that sit flush: this is a real benefit of touchscreen digital controls as it makes the fascia easy to clean. Steam cooking: if you love baking bread, this is the function for you. Automatic cooking settings: these allow you to choose the setting for exactly the food you’re cooking, e. Additional features: are they worth it?
If you’re happy to spend a decent amount of money on a new oven, it’s easy to be seduced by the wealth of additional features on offer. We spoke to buying experts from AO. Split ovens: these ovens can be split in two, allowing you to cook at two different temperatures at the same time. A central panel splits the oven into two separate compartments, so you could cook sweet and savoury dishes without the flavours melding. AO’s expert, Claire Bowler, says split ovens are ideal for busy households and make a fantastic addition ‘if you’re short on space, or for those who want the choice of more cooking options’. Slide-away doors: If you’re a fan of The Great British Bake Off, you’ll have spied these ovens in the tent. The slide-away door does exactly that: when the oven is opened, the door slides underneath, allowing you to get closer to the oven cavity.
All of the experts we asked agreed that these ovens make getting close to the oven safer, allowing you to remove heavy things with ease while also avoiding spills. But, this is where self-cleaning ovens come in. Catalytic liner: these liners absorb fat and anything else that drips down to the base of the oven. Easy clean enamel: As the name suggests, the enamel lining of the oven doesn’t absorb fat and dirt, making the surface wipe clean. Steam cleaning: this natural cleaning method uses steam to loosen dirt and grime from the oven cavity. Simply pour water into the indent in the base of the oven, select the steam clean function and let the oven do its thing. If you’re a ‘pop it on 180C and let it do its thing’ type of person, you may not be making the most of your oven.