Conventional Oven Information
- The freestanding oven is the most popular oven on the market. Most houses and apartments come with this type of oven. It has a stovetop range for boiling liquids, frying, sautéing and heating food. The cooking temperature starts at about 150 degrees and goes up to 450 degrees. This type of oven usually has the largest amount of cooking space, ranging from 2.4 to 5.4 cubic feet of space for a 20 to 30-inch gas or electric range model, respectively.
- Newer homes are seeing more and more of these wall-mounted ovens because they utilize space differently in the kitchen and have a modern-design appeal. These ovens usually come in three sizes -- 24, 27 and 30-inch width. According to Lowe's, about half of all built-in ovens are double models, meaning that there are actually two ovens, which allow you to cook two courses at one time. These newer ovens also come with a variety of features not found in ordinary range-top ovens, including controlled heat release, a hidden element beneath your kitchen floor that makes cleaning spills and drips easier, and different broiling controls.
- There was once a time when all a toaster oven was good for was toasting bread and heating frozen waffles. Now, you can use a countertop oven to make pot roast, cook casseroles, and bake all kinds of confections. Some are even large enough to bake two 12-inch pizzas on separate racks, like the Hamilton Beach Countertop Oven. Even this large model ships at less than 30 pounds and is only about 14 inches in height. With approximately 0.75 cubic feet of cooking space in a standard-sized model, using a small machine like this reduces the temperature that a large oven can generate in the kitchen, and costs less than a quarter of the price. Like a full-size oven, temperatures can reach 450 degrees, and some even have broiling capabilities.