How to choose an electric oven: tips + review of the best models of 2021


Electric oven for the kitchen - what it looks like

An electric kitchen stove is a separate type of equipment for autonomous use. Operates from a network with a voltage of 220-240 V. The classic shape is rectangular.

The opening part of the door is made of tinted heat-resistant glass. An electric furnace may have one or more heating elements. The control panel is located on the front part. The material used is strong, reliable and durable metal.

In order not to be disappointed in the technology, before purchasing, decide on the size, power characteristics, and design. Consultation and advice from specialists will help speed up the selection process.

Criterias of choice

Modern technology can be small and capacious in volume, powerful, and vice versa, have standard and innovative control functions.

Advice from professionals specializing in the sale of household appliances will help you quickly buy an electric oven and not be disappointed in it. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the main selection criteria.

How to choose an electric oven for the kitchen: basic parameters

We have already figured out what electric furnaces are , and also that they are quite reliable, convenient and mobile equipment. Now let’s look in more detail at the question of how to choose an electric furnace and what points you need to pay attention to.

Characteristics of electric furnaces that you need to pay attention to when purchasing:

  1. The volume of the inner chamber and its material.
  2. Stove power and number of heating elements.
  3. Number of programs and control method.

These are three main indicators, understanding which you can easily choose the best tabletop electric oven for yourself . These parameters can be supplemented with a list of features and additional functions that are individual for each client.

Dimensions

The size of the electric oven depends on the number of burners on the work surface.

  • Standard options have 4 heaters with depth and width parameters of 55-60 cm.
  • Narrow – 50-55 cm. Electric ovens with 2 burners – 40 cm.
  • The height of the equipment can be adjusted with twist-out legs. Typically 85 cm.

The standard oven volume is 40-50 l (for two-burner models) and 50-60 l (for four-burner models).

Before purchasing an electric stove, take measurements of the free space. Equipment that does not stand out from the general series will look beautiful.

Connection

After purchasing an electric oven, its connection becomes an important issue. All relevant work must be done competently and correctly, as this will affect the electrical safety, fire safety of the device, as well as the impeccability of its service.

If you do not have the skills to work with electrical wiring, then it is better to call a specialist to your home. Before you connect the electric furnace yourself, you need to draw a separate line from the distribution board with the mandatory installation of protection.

When calculating the rating of the switch, the cross-section of the wire and choosing a socket, it is necessary to focus on a current value of 30-35 A. The parameters of the heating elements of the furnace and the connection diagram are presented by the manufacturer or supplier and are written down in the technical data sheet.

When purchasing, make sure that the device can be connected to a 220V network, since some industrial furnaces are connected to a three-phase 380V network, or make sure that it can be reconnected. In place of the voltage value should be written 380/220 V.

Any heating stove is a fairly powerful device. It cannot be connected to a household network along with all appliances using a standard plug and socket. When connecting contacts, there is always an effect - commutation, which is accompanied by sparking and heat generation. The supply wire must be fixed with screws, and a special power socket must be used at the connection point.


Appearance of the power outlet

When connecting to a single-phase circuit, only three contacts need to be used: “zero”, “phase” and “ground”. Contacts should be selected randomly. If the device is designed to be reconnectable, then the phase terminals should be connected to each other according to the circuit diagram.

Good to know: What is an electric mini oven, how does it work

Don't be surprised that stationary ovens do not come with a power cord. Since the manufacturer obviously cannot know at what distance from the outlet the device will be installed, and the wire must be solid and extension cords cannot be used, he places the responsibility of ensuring the connection entirely on the buyer.

Type of burners

The speed of cooking depends on the type of heating element. Modern electric ovens have 5 types of burners:

  • Cast iron - pancakes long forgotten by everyone, dangerous when tipped over, difficult to maintain, budget-friendly in cost;
  • Spiral - burners are installed on glass-ceramic versions of the equipment, quickly heat up to operating temperature (in 10-12 seconds);
  • Tape - the heating element is represented by a corrugated tape made of a high-resistivity alloy, the heating rate of the working surface is maximum (5-6 seconds);
  • Halogen - when the working surface is heated, they emit a bright red glow, heat up instantly, require timely maintenance, and are expensive in terms of cost;
  • Induction is an economical heating element; its special heating technology does not heat every pan.

When choosing an electric oven, calculate the total power of the burners. Powerful equipment can knock out plugs, burn machines, sockets and wires, and provoke a fire hazard.

Surface material

Modern models have 3 types of coating:

  • Enameled - can be of different color shades, easy to clean and maintain, the original characteristics may deteriorate due to the use of abrasives for cleaning or mechanical damage;
  • Stainless steel is a neat metal coating that is resistant to mechanical shocks, but with a long service life it becomes dull and a network of scratches appears;
  • Glass-ceramic - looks aesthetically attractive, comes in different colors, may have decor (a small disadvantage is fragility and high cost).

Control method

Electric ovens with touch controls have become popular and in demand on the domestic market. A small touch with your finger can activate the desired mode. Light indication simplifies the process of use and eliminates control errors.

The mechanical panel has standard rotary switches. Turning the knob controls the degree of heating. The model is simple and easy to use, but breaks down quickly. Over time, the mechanical control option requires replacing the handles.

Interesting! Some sensor units have a control lock function. It ensures safety of use, which is important if there are small children in the house.

Functional

Classic versions of electric furnaces have standard functionality - adjusting the heating intensity.

Modern models are equipped with innovative functionality:

  • Timer - ensures that equipment is turned off after a period specified by the user;
  • Residual heat indicator – the gradually cooling burner glows, warning users against burns and other troubles (the function is useful for heating dishes);
  • Automatic reduction of the boiling process - controls the boiling process of the liquid, reduces the heat transfer of the heating element;
  • Utensil recognition – prevents heating of an empty pan or another container.

The following additional functions are possible in the electric oven oven:

  • Convection - circular distribution of air inside the oven promotes uniform baking of pies and allows for cooking on several baking sheets at once;
  • Grill – a special spit for cooking grilled poultry; it can rotate in one or both directions at once, depending on the brand of the electric oven;
  • Oven lighting allows you to monitor the baking process without opening the door.

Modern electric ovens with electronic control inform users about baking time, heating temperature and thermostat. The models are also equipped with countdown timers, which can be set from 15 minutes to 3 hours.

When choosing an electric oven, be interested in the equipment. Typically, models are equipped with trays, grates and baking sheets. Some options have molds for baking pizza and making lasagne.

Classification according to the method of obtaining thermal energy

The principle diagram of the operation of any furnace is based on physical phenomena that occur with the release of energy. The technological features of the design are aimed at collecting this released energy and presenting it in the proper form for further use. In terms of energy production, devices are divided into two groups. The first consists of resistance stoves, and the second includes induction stoves for the home.


An integral part of the kitchen

  1. The first type of furnace operates on the basis of the well-known Joule-Lenz law, which quantitatively displays the dependence of the amount of heat released on a resistive element on the current strength in the circuit. In simple words, any conductor can heat up. But in everyday tasks in which this phenomenon must be used, the conductor material is selected that has a high resistivity, usually nickel, nichrome, tungsten. A wire made of such material is laid in the form of a spiral in an insulated capsule, forming heating elements. The heating element is a thermoelectric heater, built into the oven body or used in an electric stove as a burner.
  2. An induction furnace works by inducing an electric current in the element under the influence of a vortex electromagnetic field. At its core, everything again comes down to the energy of electric current, only in induction furnaces the initial source of energy is somewhat different. This allowed this type of furnace to become the most productive. Induction ovens heat up faster and reach higher temperatures.

Good to know: Stove-fireplace for a summer house, choose between brick and cast iron options

Which electric furnace option is better?

The parameters of an electric furnace depend on the user’s requirements and the purpose of the equipment:

  1. If the main use of the stove is seasonal, you should pay attention to compact mini-equipment with low energy consumption. The best option would be to buy a two-burner stove.
  2. When choosing an electric oven for everyday cooking (first and second courses, desserts, baked goods) and having enough money, you should pay attention to expensive brands. In such situations, it is better to pay attention to an electric oven with 4 burners and an oven volume of 40-50 liters.
  3. Baking lovers should focus on electric ovens with additional grill and convection functions with an oven volume of at least 30 liters.

A properly chosen electric oven will allow you to cook delicious, fantastic dishes and turn working in the kitchen into pleasure.

Classification by oven type

Oven and oven have the same purpose. In addition, they are built on the same principle. Several heating elements are built into the walls of the chamber. Their number determines the capabilities of the oven. The upper and lower arrangement of the elements contributes to uniform heating of the product and is used for baking flour products. Lower heating elements limit functionality only to roasting meat, vegetables or fish. The heaters at the top will allow you to cook in the “Grill” mode.

Good to know: A small rating of high-quality electric mini ovens

The listed functions are available to both mini ovens and stationary ovens. From the above, we conclude that these two concepts differ only in the scale of their dimensions. But according to the principle of installing the oven, all devices are divided into free-standing, which are separate and do not have additional functions, and built-in.

Moreover, a built-in oven is not necessarily mounted in the oven body. It crashes into the kitchen unit, and the hob is installed separately on top. A built-in hob can have a mechanical or touch control method, and there is also a certain classification based on this feature.


Built-in oven option

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