Buying guide for best wall ovens
Is your kitchen getting a little crowded? If so, you may wish to consider replacing your traditional range with a wall oven. By separating oven from cooktop, you can free up considerable space around each appliance.
Choosing the right wall oven is key. Which size is right for your kitchen? Which type of wall oven would suit you best? And which features would make the appliance most useful for you?
If you want to buy a wall oven now, please see the product list above for our top recommendations.
For general tips on choosing a wall oven, continue reading this shopping guide.
Benefits of a wall oven
Perhaps you’re toying with the idea of buying a wall oven but aren’t completely sure it’s right for you. Check out these benefits to see how owning a wall oven might impact your cooking experience.
Easy access
Are you tired of bending and kneeling to take items in and out of your range? If you choose, you can install your wall oven at a higher level than your range. Easy access makes a wall oven ideal for older people or anyone with joint or back issues.
Increased capacity
A single wall oven might hold slightly less food than a range, but a double wall oven can significantly increase your cooking space. With two full-sized wall ovens, you can cook nearly twice as much food.
Saved space
Because it’s built into the wall or a cabinet, a wall oven can save floor space in your kitchen.
Flexible layout
With a separate oven and cooktop, a wall oven affords you greater flexibility in how you configure your kitchen layout.
Expert Tip
If you want your food cooked evenly on all sides, choose a wall oven with a convection feature.
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Factors to consider when choosing a wall oven
Fuel type
Both electric and gas wall ovens are available, but you’ll find a lot more electric wall ovens on the market than gas wall ovens. If you’ve got your heart set on a gas wall oven, be advised that you may not have a very large selection to choose from.
Size and capacity
You’ll need to decide whether you want a 24-inch, 27-inch, or 30-inch wall oven. Measure your kitchen space to determine what you can accommodate; 30-inch wall ovens are most common.
In terms of interior capacity, wall ovens are slightly smaller than range ovens. A range typically offers about five cubic feet of interior space, whereas a wall oven offers roughly 3.5 cubic feet of space. If you’re concerned about capacity, look for a wall oven that provides maximum interior space.
Single or double
Wall ovens are available in both single and double varieties. A double wall oven features two ovens, one on top of the other. The second oven can make up for the limited capacity of a single model. However, double wall ovens cost considerably more than single wall ovens.
You can also find wall ovens that provide an oven and a half. The “half” oven isn’t a complete oven, but it provides a space for warming, reheating, and grilling food. This can help free up some space in the other oven.
Convection cooking
A convection oven has an internal fan that circulates hot air, allowing food to cook evenly. Some wall ovens are equipped with a convection cooking feature.
If you want a true convection oven, make sure the model you choose has an additional heating element surrounding the fan.
Self-cleaning
Many wall ovens include a self-cleaning feature. If your food bubbles over and burns onto the interior, this is an appreciated feature indeed.
For the most effective self-cleaning mode, look for a wall oven that offers steam cleaning. This method works fast and doesn’t produce the same toxic fumes as other cleaning cycles.
Extra features
In addition to the features mentioned above, there are some nice “extras” that you’ll find in some wall ovens. Here is a partial list.
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Built-in temperature probe: This feature allows you to easily check the internal temperature of the meat you’re cooking.
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Control lockout feature: If you have young children, you may prefer a wall oven with a control lockout feature. This allows you to disable the oven’s control panel so kids can’t turn the appliance on and burn themselves.
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Sabbath mode: For observant Jewish families, Sabbath mode can be an important feature. It allows you to preheat the oven so you can still warm foods during the Sabbath without worrying about the oven turning itself off.
- WiFi: Some wall ovens are equipped with WiFi, which allows you to control the oven via a smartphone app. You can use WiFi to preheat the oven or turn it off remotely.
Did you know?
Some people choose to purchase a wall oven/microwave oven combo instead of a double wall oven. Base your choice of oven on the kind of cooking you do mostly, and also the size of your family.
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Wall oven prices
Wall ovens vary in price based on size, type, number of ovens, and manufacturer. You could spend as little as $600 or as much as $5,500 on one.
Single wall ovens generally cost between $600 and $3,500.
Some single wall ovens come paired with a microwave. Prices for this combo range from $1,900 to $3,600.
Double wall ovens generally cost between $1,400 and $5,500.
"Bending to insert or remove food isn’t necessary if you install your wall oven high enough. Because of this, wall ovens are often ideal for people with back issues or joint pain."
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Tips
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Professional installation is probably the way to go. Installing a wall oven is fairly complicated. It’s best to have it done by a licensed electrician or other professional.
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Choose the location for your wall oven carefully. When you’re deciding where to place it, consider where your main work area is. For the best layout, choose a spot that won’t require you to repeatedly walk through your main work area to access the oven.
- Install the oven at a convenient level. Most people appreciate not having to bend down to put food in and take it out of their wall oven.
FAQ
Q. Would I appreciate having a wall oven?
A. A wall oven works well for individuals who entertain frequently and often have a crowded kitchen. If you host lots of gatherings that require multiple dishes, a wall oven definitely comes in handy.
A wall oven also works well for kitchens in which more than one person tends to cook at the same time. One person can handle the cooktop while the other works at the oven.
Q. What type of wall oven is best for bakers?
A. An electric wall oven typically works best for baking because it provides more accurate temperatures, which helps keep baked goods from burning.
Q. Is it necessary to have a wall oven and a cooktop from the same manufacturer?
A. Because they’re not connected, it is not necessary to choose a wall oven and a cooktop from the same manufacturer. In fact, a wall oven/cooktop setup allows for more versatility because you can choose the oven and cooktop models that best fit your particular cooking needs.
