The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Need a new oven

yeti10's picture
yeti10

Need a new oven

We have up to a thousand dollars bugeted for a new oven and I was wondering if anyone has a sugestion for a oven in this price range that does a good job for bread? We have to get a free standing one that is 24 inches interior deminsions(wide). Thanks for any help.

pmccool's picture
pmccool

electric will be a better choice than either natural gas or LP, assuming that you may wish to steam the oven for the bread.  If you do all of your baking in a cloche or a Dutch oven, then the heat source doesn't really matter.

Sorry that I can't suggest a specific brand or model.

Paul

yeti10's picture
yeti10

Natural gas is what we have. I have been using lava rock for steam and just ordered a Fibrament stone trying to get that crust from heat. I also stack a bunch of sheet pans, whatever I have over the top of the bread for some kind of thermal mass. Baguette's and a white bread pan loaf I steam but sourdough I will use a hat on it. Does electric recover the heat faster than gas and is that why its suggested as better for bread? I sure like gas on the stove-top though its easier to control the heat(and cheaper) as our electric prices are high in California.

suave's picture
suave

Electric ovens are preferred because gas ovens are vented and no matter how much you steam all the moisture gets blown out.  It is also my impression that electric ovens are capable of higher max temperatures.

barryvabeach's picture
barryvabeach

Yeti,  in general, most recommend an electric oven for baking because the cavity is more sealed than a gas oven.  A gas oven has to have vents in the cavity to allow escape of the byproducts of combustion, and also vents to allow oxygen to get to the burner to allow it to combust the fuel. Since electric ovens don't require either,  when you use lava rocks for steam, that steam is trapped, more or less, in an electric oven, but gets vented out pretty quickly in a gas oven.  You can address this for certain shapes by using a DO with a cover, or a cover over the bread to trap steam. Gas probably would recover heat faster than electric, but that is not the reason most bakers think electric is better.  Many will tell you that the differences in preheat time, recovery time, and how tightly the temperature is maintained ( when you set it to 350 - will it hold it at that temp plus or minus 10 degrees, or plus or minus 25 degrees),  will vary from manufacturer and even one model to the next, and that generalizations of gas to electric are not all that helpful on those factors. The venting, however, is a pretty standard, most gas ovens have more venting than most electric ovens.  

yeti10's picture
yeti10

Appreciate the help guys. Looks like I need a dual fuel oven so here is one I see at home depot. http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Profile-30-in-5-6-cu-ft-Dual-Fuel-Range-with-Self-Cleaning-Convection-Oven-in-Stainless-Steel-P2B940SEJSS/206214855.

Good thing the wife has been bugging me for a new stove so no justification needed. I need a new bread oven probably wouldn't work, but since we need a new one anyway I can get the one I want. I just have to be a little sneaky about it.

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

ss you have gotten some great replies already but let me suggest that you consider an induction range instead of the gas top. Induction is as fast if not faster than gas when it comes to heating. The surface stays cool for the most part and only gets hot because if the transfer of heat from the pan to the glass so you never have to worry about a spill cooking onto the glass or burning your hand on the surface. Clean up is a dream.  No scraping is ever needed. Heat control is also instant. You can go from a rolling boil to a simmer in seconds. From what I have read, induction is also very energy efficient. 

Okay, now the negatives for fairness. You need magnetic pots. I did have to buy new pots but managed to get them on sale for 60% off so it really wasn't too bad. If you are lucky, your present pots might already be induction compatible. Just use a magnet to check. The other negative are the electronic controls. My cooktop works by touch and sometimes it just doesn't seem to respond right away to my touch. At times, my fingers are wet or cold so it doesn't sense the touch. My daughter and husband have no such issues so it could be that it is just me. Even so, I really love induction and I am glad I chose it over gas when I was considering both. 

rgconner's picture
rgconner

I just purchased a Samsung range and I am very pleased. All gas, and it heats a gallon of water in about 8 min, can preheat the oven to 450 in about 11. 

So far, bakes like a dream. Need to be careful, the default is convection baking, which does not brown as well as regular baking. 

A 17000 BTU burner that will run a 14 inch wok at the kind of temps you need is amazing. Wok ring included with my unit.

That same burner will tune down to 1000 BTU min for very slow simmer. It actually has 2 burners, inner and outer, which spreads the heat evenly when full blast and lets you run the tiny inner one when simmering slow cook long term, like beans or all day marinara.

The central griddle oval burner is nice for a griddle, does a good job of cooking things, little low temp for a good sear. Does very well with the large oval dutch oven however!

I found the heat dispersion pattern of the burners to be as good as my Mother in Laws Viking range. Simmering was very even across the whole surface even in larger 12-14 inch pans. Makes omelettes like a dream!

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Samsung-30-in-5-8-cu-ft-Gas-Range-with-Self-Cleaning-and-True-Convection-Oven-in-Stainless-Steel-NX58H5650WS/205067297

for reference.