The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Cusinart Brick Oven

beeman1's picture
beeman1

Cusinart Brick Oven

I know this subject has been discussed a few months ago. I am thinking of getting one and I am wondering how peoplle are making out with them. It's starting to get warm in Florida and the price of LP gas is going up severly.

bnb's picture
bnb

I am in the same boat.

One thing I want to know if using this oven has caused a decrease in anyone's power bill, if so how significant was the difference.

beeman1's picture
beeman1

Thanks a lot. There is some very informative information there.

yogajan's picture
yogajan

Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History

I am so happy with my oven, except it doesn't make great toast. If I am making one loaf of bread or a pan of muffins, it is perfect. I can't say whether or not there has been a change in my electric bill, but it should be cheaper than turning on the big oven.

 

 

 

beeman1's picture
beeman1

I don't know for sure if it will cut down on the utility bills but I think it would have to since I wouldn't be heating the big oven and then cooling the house with the air conditioner.I know I paid almost $400 for LP gas the last time I filled my tank. I ordered one so I will soon see for myself how it works.

Wild-Yeast's picture
Wild-Yeast

What are the cooking compartments dimensions?

Wild-Yeast

beeman1's picture
beeman1

To wild Yeast. The oven came in today. The dimensions of the baking stone is 12in. by 12in. There is 6inches clearance from the baking stone to the broiler elements.

Wild-Yeast's picture
Wild-Yeast

Thanks Beeman!  12" x 12" x 6" equals 0.5 cubic foot of space.  Do you think this be enough to meet your needs?

Wild-Yeast 

bnb's picture
bnb

 

Here's a picture from Susan's blog.

http://www.wildyeastblog.com/2007/09/17/cuisinart-oven/

Hopefully beeman can post more pics.

phxdog's picture
phxdog

I wondered about getting an cuisinart oven like you mentioned, but I took another route.  I have a double oven with a convection feature. I talked my wife into letting me 'dedicate' the lower oven to bread.

I went to a local brickyard and purchased some refratory bricks or firebricks to line the inside of my home oven. I lined racks placed at the lowest and highest levels. I even put bricks up each side and most of the back of the oven. The size of each fire-brick is 9 x 4.5 x 2.5 in. (228 mm x 115 mm x 64 mm). They fit perfectly, hardly any gaps! I still have a 1.5" space under the bottom rack for a castiron grill that receives a handful of icecubes when I bake. Total cost was under $35.

It takes me about an hour & a half to bring that thing up to 500 degrees. I turn it off & just let the residual heat form those dense bricks bake my bread. If I throw a loaf or two in at 7 PM, the bricks in that oven are still almost too hot to touch the next morning. I often use this extra time to bake other items (cakes, cookies, etc) as the oven slowly cools. I'm not sure if this extra use makes up for the energy required to bring that beast up to temperature.

I have been VERY happy with the results; no spalling, or cracking. I've even thrown a handful of ice cubes directly onto the bricks. NY Pizza cooks like it should and the crusts from my sourdough loaves are amazing.

Now all I have to do is work on my skills as a breadmaker, my oven seems to be doing all it can!

Phxdog (Scott)

beeman1's picture
beeman1

I think that what you did is great and is probably a better bread baking oven than the cuisinart. The reason I got the cuisinart is that I live in a mobile home in Florida and I found that my LP gas oven heats my home to a greater degree than I like. In addition the last time I filled my gas tank it cost me almost $400. I have found that the cuisinart bakes bread very well. It is fast. I usualy take 5 to 10 minutes off most recipes. In addition when I am done baking I just take it outside and let It cool down there.