The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

New 30' home oven

WPhil's picture
WPhil

New 30' home oven

I am going to replace my oven at home and am looking for recommendations. I love to bake bread and my current oven is not up to the task.  I’ve read so many things online and various reviews that my mind is spinning and I’m hoping someone with more experience can help me narrow this down. 

For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume the following restriction, I need a 30' home range/oven, freestanding. Changing to something other than that would require a kitchen remodel and I don’t thing my marriage can handle that!  I am a big believer in buying high quality rather than shopping on price.  I’m looking for value and am willing to pay for it. I have a propane line and an oven sized electric line available, so can go either or duel fuel with a new stove.  

I bake for family and friends typically twice per week and almost exclusively sourdough breads. This is also the main cooking device for our family. 

Thanks in advance for any input!

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

Not sure where you are; I'm in Western Canada and have a Whirlpool wall oven that I like a lot. I think it might be a bit bigger than a free-standing range oven. Not sure about that. Anyway, I've fitted it out with two slabs of counter granite on two racks, and two foil pans full of lava rocks on the bottom of the oven for steam. Works a treat! I can do six good-sized longish loaves on the stones, or ten regular sized bread pans, or eight small round cast iron pots (I bake for sale). One thing I really like is being able to set it up in the evening with the stones, then set it to come on at 6:15 AM so when I get up at 7:00 AM I can just pop bread right in the oven (cold proofed in the fridge overnight).

It has a convection setting but I've never had to use it, and the steam arrangement seems to work just fine (steam doesn't vent out too early).

jimbtv's picture
jimbtv

Kitchenaid used to make a dedicated oven that could take a full sheet pan and had built-in steam. Just when I was ready to plunk down the money, about $4,000 I think, they unceremoniously discontinued the oven. I have not been able to find an oven tailored for the residential market with built-in steam that can handle a full sheet pan.

Blue Star makes some impressive ovens and I might go that route. I'd still have to figure a way to get steam into the oven. The have models with standard and French doors, and they drop into a standard 30" hole.

 

Jim

AlanG's picture
AlanG

It's electric and has convection if you want to use it.  You always need to calibrate an oven to make sure the thermostat is accurate.  I bake sourdough using a combination of regular bake with steam (towels in a baking pan) followed by convection for the second half of the bake.  This works well in terms of giving a nice oven rise and a good firm crust.  I bake on a steel. It's safe to say that almost any oven will work for you provided you figure the right temperature and time for the bake.