Your guide to choosing an oven
Don’t miss our essential buyer’s checklist
Before you go back to the recipe books wondering why your favourite dishes aren’t coming out right, it might be time to consider the age of your oven, as one of the tell-tale signs of an oven past its best is fluctuations in temperature that can affect your tried-andtested bakes. The life of an oven is usually around 10 to 15 years, so if yours is over 15 years old, now could be the time to consider replacing it.
While electric ovens might be a more modern way of cooking, older electric ovens can still have their share of issues. If yours sometimes fails to heat up or doesn’t heat up sufficiently, it could be that the heating element has broken, or worn out over time. If the oven door or knobs start overheating, the cooling fan may not be working properly. Greasy marks on your cupboards may be a sign that the seals on the oven have worn out and heat is escaping. A simple way to test the seals is to take an A5 piece of paper and place it in the edges of the door, if it’s not gripped then the seal is probably worn.
If any of these issues sound familiar, it’s always worth getting your oven looked at by a professional before spending on a new one. Many problems can be fixed and not only can this save you money, it’s better for the environment too.
YOUR BUYER’S CHECKLIST
If you’re ready to replace your oven, we asked NEFF for their checklist of the key factors to consider before you make your choice…
FUNCTIONALITY
How much cooking do you do? Do you whip up family dinners during the week and like to get creative in the kitchen at the weekends? Or maybe you’re looking for something simple and functional because cooking anything fancy just doesn’t fit with your busy lifestyle. Thinking about the kind of cooking you do, as well as your budget and the size of your kitchen, can help you to decide whether you want to invest in a
single or double oven or a premium, midrange or basic model.
You’ll also want to decide between electric or gas*. Electric ovens are the most popular kind and offer a much wider range of functions (and evenness of cooking), such as convection or steam cooking, special cleaning functions and even wi-fi connectivity on some premium models.
LOCATION
Are you replacing an old oven or is your new oven part of a changed kitchen layout? You’ll want to consider accessibility and, depending on your space, whether you’d like your oven to sit under the counter or at eye level – a must if you opt for a double oven.
Built-in or integrated ovens offer versatility as they are independent from the hob and can be designed to fit into your kitchen layout. Positioning your oven at a height that suits you is particularly important if the main cook is small or if you’re planning to stack appliances. You should never reach above shoulder height to remove food. A separate oven will give you the flexibility to combine an electric oven with an induction or gas hob.
NEFF Slide&Hide ovens are ideal for larger and smaller kitchens as they are compact and space-saving with a clever disappearing door that slides and hides under the oven cavity, giving you more space in the kitchen.
VENTILATION
All modern kitchens need ventilation to remove odours, steam and grease. Plan a suitable extractor into your kitchen and it will help with all of these issues. Always run the extractor when cooking and especially when using steam to avoid condensation in the kitchen.
CLEANING
If cleaning the oven is a task you dread, you might want to invest in a model that comes with a pyrolytic cleaning function. When you activate the pyrolytic self-cleaning cycle, high temperatures of up to 485°C turn baking, roasting and grilling spatter and residue into dust. Once the oven has cooled, you can simply wipe the residue away with a cloth with no odours and no sprays or cleaning products required. The whole process only takes 1-2 hours, depending on the build-up in your oven.
NEFF’s non-pyrolytic models have an alternative cleaning system, EcoClean, which may be a partially (roof only) or fully lined (roof, back and sides ) depending on the model. This microfine ceramic bead coating is extremely absorbent and, depending on how often you use your oven, you’ll only need to use the special EcoClean procedure 2-3 times a year. This function uses a temperature of 275°C to automatically remove burnt-on food without chemical cleaners. You simply need to clean the door and base and remove the shelves before starting the process.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
It’s probably no surprise that older ovens aren’t as energy efficient as newer models, meaning that a modern, energy-efficient oven can save you pennies on your energy bills. Convection or fan ovens are more energy efficient than conventional ovens because the heated air is continuously circulated, so you can reduce cooking temperatures and times.
Ovens are cheap to run, so while an electric oven costs slightly more than a gas oven – in 2020 Which? estimated the cost at around £40 a year versus £20 for a gas oven – electric ovens are considered a greener choice because gas is a fossil fuel.
SAFETY FEATURES
Some ovens are fitted with a childproof lock that needs to be pressed for around four seconds to turn it on. Look for the key symbol to see if your oven has this setting. It is usually possible to set this as a permanent lock for a house with toddlers or temporary lock for grandparents with visitors.
Modern electric ovens also have residual heat indicators, showing a red line or glow in the thermometer symbol if the oven is still hot. If you’re buying an oven with a pyrolytic self-cleaning function, it should have a door lock during cleaning so no one can open the hot oven.
INSTALLATION
All installation should be carried out by a qualified installer. Most ovens require hard wiring to a fused spur of 16 amp, a few models may only require a 13 amp supply but should still be hard wired and on a separate spur for safety.
For more information about NEFF’s range of ovens, visit neff-home.com
* NEFF do not sell gas models.
† All prices correct as of March 2021. Please check the NEFF website for the latest product prices and offers.
FOR SMALLER KITCHENS NEFF SLIDE&HIDE OVENS ARE COMPACT AND SPACE-SAVING, WITH A CLEVER DISAPPEARING DOOR GIVING YOU MORE SPACE IN THE KITCHEN.