When redesigning your kitchen, first choose an oven whose instructions confirm that it’s compatible with the housing, cabinet, door opening and electrical supply. If you regularly cook on several levels, consider fan-assisted models. For cooking mainly on one level, conventional heat may be enough. Steam functions and cleaning modes are only worth prioritising if they suit your habits and you’re happy with the maintenance they involve.
If you’re replacing your oven without replacing the cabinet, measure the housing and check the depth, ventilation and door clearance before comparing features. Que Choisir points out that a built-in oven must be installed in a suitable cabinet.
If you regularly prepare several dishes or batches at once, look at fan-assisted settings and the results for the specific model. Que Choisir assesses preheating and temperature accuracy in its built-in oven tests.
If you expect to use steam often, check how it works and what maintenance the model requires. Bosch and Electrolux product information shows that steam set-ups vary by model.
Start with the installation requirements, then choose the cooking and cleaning features you’ll genuinely use. A multifunction oven can combine several settings, but the presence of a particular feature doesn’t guarantee how well that model will perform.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Installation and power supply | Measure the housing and check the clearances, door opening and connection requirements in the instructions. Have your existing electrical installation checked. | If I’m keeping my cabinet, I want to avoid choosing an oven that won’t fit; around 36% of consumers put compatibility first. |
| Cooking on several levels | Check the fan-assisted settings and test results for preheating, temperature and cooking several dishes at once. | If I often cook several dishes at once, being able to cook them simultaneously matters more than the list of programmes. This is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Everyday use and cleaning | Compare the capacity, access to dishes, controls and cleaning mode in light of how often you’ll use the oven. | To cook regularly without paying for features I won’t use, I look for an oven that’s easy to use and clean. Around 21% of consumers prioritise everyday convenience. |
| Built-in steam | Find out what type of steam it uses, whether it has a reservoir, and what the model’s instructions say about use and maintenance. | If I regularly use steam in my recipes, I’m happy to factor in the filling and maintenance involved. Steam is the main priority for around 14% of consumers. |
This measurement doesn’t tell you all the required housing dimensions or how much room the door needs to open. Que Choisir recommends checking the available space and the cabinet intended for the oven.
Measure and photograph the housing, then compare its dimensions and the clearance in front of the cabinet with the installation diagram for the exact model.
An unsuitable housing may mean you need to modify the cabinet before installation.
This setting is useful when cooking on several levels, but each oven’s temperature accuracy and preheating performance need to be assessed individually. Que Choisir measures these characteristics in its tests.
If you often cook several dishes at once, look for test results covering this use rather than relying on the name of the setting alone.
Steam features and how they work vary between models. Bosch, for example, specifies that the HRG572ES3 has a built-in water reservoir.
Check the instructions to find out how to use the steam function, how to add water and what maintenance is required.
A commercial warranty doesn’t replace your legal guarantee of conformity. If an oven is installed incorrectly, whether it’s covered depends, among other things, on the arrangements for the installation and how it was carried out, as explained by the French Ministry of the Economy.
Keep your purchase and installation documents, and distinguish the seller’s commercial commitments from your rights under the law.
Bosch offers multifunction built-in ovens, as well as models with added steam.
Depending on the model, the range includes built-in ovens with fan-assisted cooking and steam functions.
Siemens offers several ranges of built-in ovens, including models with different cleaning modes.
The range includes multifunction built-in ovens, with capacities and cleaning modes that vary by model.
This multifunction built-in oven could be an option if you’re replacing an appliance in a fitted kitchen. Its capacity and hot air setting don’t remove the need to check that it can be installed in your cabinet.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a 71 L built-in oven with 3D hot air for a fitted kitchen. Before buying, compare the housing dimensions, ventilation and door clearance with the instructions, and have the electrical supply checked for compatibility. Also confirm the number of compartments: the original title says “Double oven”, while the product information lists a single compartment.
No. Check the housing dimensions for the model, as well as the cabinet, ventilation and door clearance. For example, Electrolux specifies a housing size of 590 × 560 × 550 mm for the EOC8P29X; this doesn’t apply to every oven.
Before installation, check your existing electrical set-up and the connection requirements in the oven instructions. Promotelec lists an oven among the appliances supplied by a dedicated circuit with a 16 A socket. Ask a qualified professional to confirm that your installation is suitable for the model you’ve chosen.
Not by itself: results need to be assessed for the specific model. To compare ovens for this use, look at tests covering cooking on several levels, as well as preheating and temperature stability—criteria assessed by Que Choisir.
Yes, in certain circumstances set out by the French Ministry of the Economy. This may apply, for example, if installation specified in the contract was carried out under the seller’s responsibility, or if incomplete or incorrect instructions led the consumer to install the oven improperly. Keep your contract, the instructions and any correspondence about the installation.