If you regularly cook several dishes at once, first measure the housing unit and check the installation instructions for the model you’re considering. Then compare fan-assisted multifunction ovens designed for cooking on several shelves. If you mainly cook on one shelf, conventional cooking may suit your needs. Choose steam functions and the cleaning system to match your recipes and how often you want to clean the oven, but don’t let them take the place of checking cooking performance.
If you often prepare several dishes at once, look at how many shelves you can use and how evenly the oven cooks, rather than focusing only on the number of programmes. UFC-Que Choisir assesses conventional and fan-assisted cooking separately.
In a fitted kitchen, installation is the first thing to consider: the dimensions of the housing unit, its depth, ventilation, connection and the space needed to open the door.
If cooking often leaves the oven cavity dirty, compare pyrolytic and catalytic cleaning with other cleaning aids. Keep the cooking modes you need among your selection criteria, too.
First rule out models that won’t fit your kitchen unit. Then compare their cooking modes, capacity and cleaning options based on the dishes you usually make.
| Criteria | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Measure the housing unit’s height, width and depth. Compare these measurements with the model’s installation diagram, and check the ventilation clearances, connection and door-opening space. | I’m replacing an oven in an existing kitchen unit: the advertised size alone isn’t enough to confirm that it will fit. |
| Cooking modes | Check whether the oven offers conventional or fan-assisted cooking. If you want to cook on several shelves, look for available tests on evenness and temperature accuracy. UFC-Que Choisir tests conventional and fan-assisted modes separately. | I need to cook several dishes at the same time, or my recipes mainly call for cooking on one shelf. |
| Capacity | Compare the oven cavity’s volume with the size of your dishes. Check how many shelves you can use and which accessories are included. Don’t assume the interior space from the external dimensions alone. | My dishes need to fit in the oven, with enough room to arrange the food I regularly cook. |
| Cleaning and steam | Distinguish between pyrolytic cleaning, catalytic cleaning and other cleaning aids. If you’re interested in steam, check whether it adds moisture, uses a dedicated steam oven or is part of a combination model. | I want a cleaning option to suit the way I cook, without mistaking a moisture-adding function for the programmes of a steam oven. |
| Energy | Check the energy rating and energy consumption per cycle for comparable cooking modes. Also consider the cavity volume in relation to the quantities you cook. | I want to compare energy use for a mode I’ll actually use, rather than choosing a model just because it has a particular function. |
External dimensions alone don’t confirm that an oven can be installed. Bosch advises following the installation instructions for the specific appliance, while Whirlpool highlights the need to allow heat to escape.
Measure the inside of the kitchen unit and check the installation diagram for the exact model, including ventilation, connection and door clearance.
If the kitchen unit needs adapting, installation may require extra work.
The term “fan-assisted” alone doesn’t tell you how evenly the oven cooks. Similarly, adding moisture to the cavity isn’t necessarily the same as having the functions of a dedicated steam oven.
Start with the recipes you usually make, then check the specific modes, capacity and any available cooking tests for the model you’re considering.
Cleaning matters, but it doesn’t tell you whether the oven can cook several dishes at once or fit your kitchen unit.
Compare the cooking modes and installation requirements first, then look at the cleaning system, door and energy consumption per cycle.
Bosch offers a range of multifunction built-in ovens, including models in the 60 × 60 cm size. The HBG578ES7 is one example of a pyrolytic model.
The range includes multifunction fan-assisted ovens, such as the WBI4IS8PM1BAF.
Miele separates its range into multifunction ovens, steam ovens and combination steam ovens.
These built-in models offer different capacities and cleaning options for everyday cooking. Compare their features with the dishes you prepare, and confirm the installation requirements for each one.
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For regular cooking, check that the 72 L capacity suits your dishes. The model name also lists a food probe and pyrolytic cleaning. Before replacing an oven, check the housing unit dimensions and clearances in the instructions.
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If you cook on several shelves, check how they’re intended to be used and look for available results on cooking evenness: the term “3D hot air” alone isn’t enough to confirm this. Measure the housing unit, too, before choosing this 71 L oven.
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Pyrolytic cleaning is useful if easy maintenance is a priority. For cooking several dishes, check the modes and usable shelves separately. The model name lists an A+ energy rating; compare its energy consumption per cycle, too. Check the built-in dimensions in the instructions.
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If you use large dishes, compare their dimensions with this 76 L cavity, then check that the oven has the shelves and cooking modes you need. The model name lists an A+ energy rating. Check the built-in dimensions in the instructions before replacing an appliance.
Not necessarily. For example, Bosch lists the HBG578ES7 as measuring 595 × 594 × 548 mm, but you’ll also need to compare the kitchen unit’s internal dimensions, depth and clearances with the installation diagram for the exact model.
Whirlpool recommends leaving space behind the appliance to allow heat to escape. Check the installation instructions for your chosen oven to find out which clearances to allow, rather than relying on measurements for a different model.
Compare the energy rating, cavity volume and energy consumption per cycle for equivalent cooking modes. To understand what these figures mean for your kitchen, consider which mode you use most often and the size of your dishes.
Not necessarily. Whirlpool describes Steam+ on the WBI4IS8PM1BAF as a function that uses added water in the cavity, while Miele distinguishes between steam ovens and combination steam ovens. Check the technology and programmes that suit your recipes.