Steam/ combination oven

Hello, hope this is ok as a tools post?

I live in the UK and am just about to install a new kitchen from scratch at home.

I will be reusing an existing gas range housing 1 large electric fan oven and one small conventional oven as well as 6 gas burners.

Its being recommended (by someone trying to sell me an oven of course!) that I add a third, eye level steam/ combination oven.

Has anyone had experience with home steam/combination ovens? I can see the advantages but not sure its worth the investment.

Does anyone love/ hate them and are there key features I need to get?

For that matter is there anything that is in your kitchen that you couldn't live without infrastructure wise? I can keep adding gadgets and small tools throughout the life of the kitchen but forgetting to add the right power points is a different matter! I want to do it right!

Thanks all.

Tom

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Comments

whenric

Dave Arnold's podcast (cooking issues) has lots of thoughts on them, and also recently had recommendations to a neurosurgeon who was about to build a kitchen from scratch too.

But I think the summation thoughts on them are:

1) they're awesome, but you need to learn how to use them

2) they cost a lot

3) they use up BOATLOADS of energy to maintain constant heat

In some perfect world I might have one (although the energy waste would bother me quite a bit), but there are other things that I'd buy first.

1) really awesome ventilation

2) an indoor deep fryer

3) Lots of easily-accessible storage space

4) an induction range

5) lots of outlets on SEPARATE CIRCUITS

6) water plumbed in right over the stove

7) plenty of thoughts on gadgets, but as you said, you can get those later. (but get a vitaprep!)

tshewman

To be clear a gas range (with burners) and additional 6 gas burners? or the gas range has 6 gas burners? I'm not familiar with any "home" combi ovens, but would have a combi oven in my home if I could. :-). If you don't have an induction hob, I would consider at least one, or an induction cooktop. It may sound silly, but after I got 2, I rarely used my gas stove top (and now I have an induction range-GE). They are that much more efficient. That and the island and rack are the only things I wouldn't want to be without now that I have them.

tom_rodgers_326064

Thanks Todd, the gas range has 6 burners. No additional.

I think I've only ever had all 6 running at the same time on a couple of occasions.

Maybe my terminology is wrong on the oven. I'm being pointed in the direction of something like this

https://www.johnlewis.com/aeg-bps552020m-single-pyrolytic-multifunction-oven-stainless-steel/p3254331

no idea if this is at all useful in a home kitchen. We don't need the extra oven space that often so it would only be if it added a different of better way of cooking.

tom_rodgers_326064

Thanks, again, really helpful.

So an induction range seems to be a recurring one... What makes them so indispensible? Ive always had gas?

whenric

both gas and induction are great. If you have gas and like it, keep it. Induction is more 'efficient' in terms of energy getting to where you want it (heating things faster), and doesn't heat up your house as much. Plus, in Europe, I understand your gas prices are more $$ than in the US. Our family had a choice between gas and induction, and went for gas because my wife prefers it, and didn't want to buy new pans. But if it were just my decision, I would have gone induction.

tshewman

I would respectfully submit consider adding an induction hob (or cooktop if you have the space) As for the oven, this makes more sense now, a combi oven is a little different. https://www.webstaurantstore.com/rational-b608106-12-selfcookingcenter-xs-6-2-3-e-single-half-size-electric-combi-oven-208-240v-3-phase-5-7-kw/645B608106I.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1PXK5Lea5wIVzZyzCh3VCQ4iEAQYASABEgL79_D_BwE

That said, if you have a gas oven currently, I would submit the one you provided the link to will be much nicer and the fluctuations in temperature will less than gas (much less). If using an oven is important to you, this would be big consideration (Speaking as I formerly had gas oven as well).

tshewman

indispensible? well, you CAN live without it, but it's much nicer with. ;-) As @wes_henricksen_250624 mentioned more efficient in energy use as well as response time, time to heat (esp if you need to boil things for pasta and such or deep fry). I love gas don't get me wrong, but induction is a game changer. Just food for thought.

montebello1964

Home combi ovens are very expensive. I might wait for the Anova Steam Oven (a combi oven), that was just presented at CES. Rumor has it that it will be <$1000 and released this summer. It looks pretty cool. Wish ChefSteps/Breville would come out with one!

There are some videos about it on the reddit combi group:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombiSteamOvenCooking/

tshewman

Thanks! This looks promising!

dancurren

I put in a Wood&Gas burning pizza oven and a Panasonic Steam Microwave as a compromise on a combi oven. It doesn't so everything a combi oven does put things like steam reheating food is amazing. Also, the pizza oven was still quite a bit less expensive then a combi oven and nothing says badass like a wood burning pizza oven in your kitchen.

losho_sho_1176418

This is great. Can you guide me about I love gasoline don't get me wrong, here guide but induction is a sport changer. Just food for thought.

brian_martin2001

@Lorraine_Esterling_1040639 @Nell_Welch_345007 #SPAM