Choosing the right oven for your kitchen can transform the way you cook. Whether you're preparing meals for the family or experimenting with gourmet recipes, finding the perfect appliance ensures your culinary creations are cooked to perfection. With so many ovens on the market, it's essential to select one that suits your cooking needs, from baking bread to grilling meats.
Whether you're an everyday or gourmet cook, 100% Home has ovens to suit every kitchen. Choose from a range of freestanding dual fuel cookers with gas ovens and induction hobs and electric ovens or purely electric ovensoffering the flexibility to bake or grill with ease. We also have built-in ovens - doubles, singles, and combi-steam plus many pyrolytic ovens (self-cleaning) options designed to make your life easier.
A freestanding oven is a more traditional kitchen design choice. Typically offering bigger ovens than built-in versions, freestanding ovens come complete with either gas cooktops, induction cooktops, ceramic cooktops or electric cooktops.
There’s the convenience of all the cooking being done in one area and it’s easier to repair, but food and spills can get trapped between the freestanding oven and benchtop and are hard to clean.
Any kitchen would benefit from freestanding ovens, which come in a variety of white, stainless steel, glass, and coloured finishes. They may also suit particular aesthetics like rustic, vintage, or industrial types.
A built-in oven is seen in a more minimal, sleek kitchen design. Many opt for double ovens to get more cooking capacity and built-in ovens typically offer more features and cooking functions than freestanding ovens. Built-in ovens are available in wall or under-counter kitchen setup options, but they are often more expensive to install and repair and a separate hob will need to be bought.
Steam ovens are considered by many to be a healthier way of cooking than regular ovens. Food is cooked about 20-30% faster and the steam helps to lock moisture into the food eliminating the need for extra fats and oils to keep the food from drying out.
To get food that’s brown and crispy as well, you would need a combination steam oven also known as a convection steam oven. These ovens cook with steam, but also have fans to circulate the steam around the oven. This way you can get brown and crispy roasts that are still moist on the inside. A convection oven can be used with steam, or as a standalone model to cook multiple dishes simultaneously.
Pyrolytic or self-cleaning is a feature included with many built-in and freestanding ovens and is a must-have for the modern cook. The process of pyrolysis cleans the oven by using very high heat to turn the grease build-up to ash.
Most pyrolytic ovens automatically lock the door during the cleaning cycle to prevent injury from the high temperatures and once cool, all that remains is to wipe away the ashes from inside the appliance. This makes light of one of the most hated cleaning chores with no need for toxic chemicals or heavy scrubbing. However some pre-cleaning will need to be done prior, ensuring the oven’s glass door is clean and large food particles are removed.
Once an expensive feature, pyrolytic ovens have become increasingly commonplace and are now more affordable.
Pyrolytic ovens are electric. Although more affordable, electric ovens tend to be more costly in the long run since they aren't as energy efficient as other oven types. An electric oven however is a great choice for breads or pizza since it produces a drier, more consistent heat than gas ovens.
Yes! Freestanding ovens are versatile and can fit into almost any kitchen layout. Unlike built-in ovens, they don’t require specialised cabinetry, which makes installation easier. Just make sure you have enough space to accommodate the oven and that your gas or electrical connections are compatible with the model you choose. It's advisable to get a professional installer/electrician to ensure everything is set up correctly and safely.
Modern freestanding ovens don't only have a sleek design, they are also designed with energy efficiency in mind. Many come with features like improved insulation, faster preheating, and precise temperature control, all of which help reduce energy consumption. Additionally, induction cooktops (available on some models) are known for their efficiency as they directly heat the cookware, rather than the surrounding air, saving both time and energy.
Keeping your freestanding cooker clean and well-maintained is key to its longevity. Regularly wipe down the surfaces after use to avoid grease buildup. Many models offer self-cleaning functions, like pyrolytic cleaning, which burns off food residue and makes it easier to clean the oven interior. For the cooktop, use appropriate cleaners for your gas, induction, or ceramic cooktops. Remember to also check and clean any filters if your oven includes a fan.
Definitely! Freestanding ovens are designed to be multifunctional, so you can bake, roast, grill, and cook a wide variety of meals. Many models feature different cooking modes such as convection, fan-assisted, or grill settings, giving you more control over your cooking. Whether you're baking a cake or roasting a Sunday roast, a freestanding oven has you covered.
When choosing the right size, consider both your kitchen space and cooking needs. Freestanding ovens typically range from 60 cm to 90 cm in width. If you’re cooking for a larger family or often entertain, you might want a wider model for more cooking space. For smaller kitchens, a more compact oven may be the better fit. You should also consider if you need four cooking zones or more, if there is a choice offered with the cooktop. When doing your research, be sure to measure the available space in your kitchen, ensure there’s adequate ventilation around the oven for safety, and lastly, establish what you will need from an installation perspective.