New oven. Go big or go home ?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › New oven. Go big or go home ?

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Tinkerisk

4224 posts

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#3363797 13-Apr-2025 19:56

I left a new built-in induction hob (4.6kW peak) on the ancient, single-circuit 230V/20A connection (for a historic complete cooker) and connected the new built-in oven (2.9kW peak) to a simple, separate 230V/16A standard connection and the problem was solved. Just in case, good induction hobs can be fitted with a power limiter via programming (e.g. all the plates are certainly not needed with Power Boost at the same time) so that the fuse does not blow.

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timmmay

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#3363800 13-Apr-2025 20:26

Quality of finish, quality shelving inside that slides in and out well, not being too loud, being durable, having parts available, lots of reasons to get a decent brand. Bosch is probably pretty good. Our Beko has been pretty good, it's 10 ish years old we've replaced lights, replaced an element, and had a serviceman fix a noisy fan. Seems though that to get really good stuff these days you need built in, separate oven and hob, especially if you want a larger hob.

CokemonZ

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#3363840 14-Apr-2025 08:33

SomeoneSomewhere:

The usual things that make an actual 'better' oven are fast heating, better temperature regulation especially after opening doors (PID vs bang-bang, better sensors), more even cooking (less top shelf/bottom shelf or front-back effect), and good operation at lower temperatures.

Can make a decent difference when doing stuff like no-water-bath cheesecake or pavlovas.

100% agree with this.

The amount you spend on the oven seems to have no correlation to how good it is.

I have a cheap vogue from trade depot (had our oven die unexpectedly and wasnt in a position to spend a lot) and its great! Fast to heat up, pretty even and maintains a fairly constant temperature.

My parents old place had a huge beautiful smeg (2010 sort of era) that took 20 minutes to come to temperature, and was incredibly uneven - a chicken on the left would take an extra 10 minutes compared to one on the right.

So yeah - it's like a toaster. until you've tried it you have no idea.

mattwnz

20141 posts

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#3363948 14-Apr-2025 14:16

Pretty sure you can just get a new element for a ceramic cooktop. If getting a new oven I would suggest something that preheats fast, so me are very slow. Cheap ones will likely be pretty average in terms of performance and may not last as long or be as durable longer term. If paying 5k then you would expect it to last a long time. Induction cook tops are also the way to go, although some people actually prefer ceramic because you can see the heat. I still like gas and find it best cooking over induction. But the gas freestanding one I have (F&P) the controls suck, and you can't easily regulate the gas to a low temperature.

Kickinbac

427 posts

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#3364390 15-Apr-2025 20:28

Theres not a lot of options for freestanding ovens with induction, particularly 60cm wide. We are looking at a Beko BFC60IPAN at Smiths City that looks reasonable with a 5 year warranty. I don’t think I could go the trade depot options.

MadEngineer

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#3364454 15-Apr-2025 21:24

Tinkerisk:

{Snips}

No pyrolysis (only works properly in premium models and the oven gets crazy hot)

No smart home and stupid cooking/baking programmes, 5 programmes is plenty enough,

I love the pyrolytic clean on ours. Push a button and a few hours later wipe out some dust and it’s clean.

Another feature of our AEG I love is the plug in thermostat - set the internal meat temperature, set the oven temperature then after a while it will tell you how long is left before it’s done, then turn off once the desire internal temp is reached.

It has a bunch of functions that make trying stuff you’d not otherwise much more fun. Bread raising, dehumidifier….

It heats up so quickly the instructions actually say not to bother preheating.

Definitely go big. Ours isn’t freestanding but I love the features.

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Handle9

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#3364455 15-Apr-2025 21:33

martyyn:

We're in a kitchen place now.

Something we hadn't considered is they all have the buttons and controls on the front.

I'm 198cm. Do you know how far back I have to stand to read the display, let alone bend down to reach the buttons !

Aren't most of them knobs with markings on the circumference? On our Bosch hob you can see the markings from above.

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Tinkerisk

4224 posts

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#3364512 15-Apr-2025 22:03

MadEngineer:

Tinkerisk:

{Snips}

No pyrolysis (only works properly in premium models and the oven gets crazy hot)

No smart home and stupid cooking/baking programmes, 5 programmes is plenty enough,
I love the pyrolytic clean on ours. Push a button and a few hours later wipe out some dust and it’s clean.

Another feature of our AEG I love is the plug in thermostat - set the internal meat temperature, set the oven temperature then after a while it will tell you how long is left before it’s done, then turn off once the desire internal temp is reached.

It has a bunch of functions that make trying stuff you’d not otherwise much more fun. Bread raising, dehumidifier….

It heats up so quickly the instructions actually say not to bother preheating.

Definitely go big. Ours isn’t freestanding but I love the features.

Bread is baked with high, stored heat that has already been switched off, so the sensor would be superfluous anyway, as it no longer has to switch anything on or off. Just as superfluous if my game roast is in a closed cast-iron or clay casserole in the oven.

I agree with you that people who have little or no cooking experience may try out one or two things, but for people who know how to cook, these gimmicks are more of a nuisance. Renowned, independent German consumer tests have shown that pyrolysis does not work well with all manufacturers and Bosch, Siemens, Constructa, Beko, Bauknecht and AEG are predominantly German manufacturers. The problem is that the pyrolysis process in built-in ovens generates an alarmingly high level of heat on the outside.

Freestanding cookers are only a niche product for us, as they are generally only bought as replacement appliances with the same dimensions and electrical values as their predecessors (usually without induction).

martyyn

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#3364569 16-Apr-2025 11:02

It's looking like the Bosch for us. I couldn't really care less with the features but my wife is smitten with the pyro cleaning option. Is it worth $2k more ? She did insist on us buying a 65 LG G4 last year when I was happy with a 55 C3, so pay back time.

Unfortunately it's brought back into play us having a new kitchen, which we put off two years ago wanting to travel instead. Lifting the benches by 90mm would make a massive difference to our experiences in the kitchen. So maybe money spent here rather than in Europe !

martyyn

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#3364570 16-Apr-2025 11:04

Handle9:

Aren't most of them knobs with markings on the circumference? On our Bosch hob you can see the markings from above.

It was genuinely a real struggle to interpret the icons on the left knob from my height, I wasn't really paying attention to the values on the right one.

I think I'll end up added a spot of colour to the ones we use.

Tinkerisk

4224 posts

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#3364615 16-Apr-2025 12:22

martyyn:

It's looking like the Bosch for us. I couldn't really care less with the features but my wife is smitten with the pyro cleaning option. Is it worth $2k more ? She did insist on us buying a 65 LG G4 last year when I was happy with a 55 C3, so pay back time.

That's why the first question a kitchen fitter always asks is:

‘Do you cook yourself, do you have someone cook for you or do you want a design kitchen to show off?’ Otherwise, even the latest most expensive oven is useless in a culinary way if you can't or don't want to cook. 😁

sxz

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#3364636 16-Apr-2025 13:14

We went upper/middle Fisher & Paykel and haven't regretted it. Our criteria:

no touch screens, ever. Buttons or dials only (dials preferred),
No need for multiple weird functions. Do the basics well, with maybe a few extras as a bonus.
It heated up VERY quickly, so much so that I never pre-heat any more. Love it. I've seen new cheaper ovens miss this feature and it sucks.
Tripple glazed glass door. Not sure if it's standard, but good for when kids are around.

1 & 3 were most important and valued for me.

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