In winter, just when the thought of making a mouth-watering BBQ sounds most appealing, the cold and rain make firing up your outdoor BBQ an unappealing or impossible idea. What can you do? It\’s simple, really: just choose an oven that can make a BBQ quality roast or grilled meal.

Your first decision will be between a gas and an electric oven. Gas cookers have a lot of advantages, but they have some disadvantages, too. Weight the advantages versus the disadvantages and see which way the scales tip for you:

Advantages of Gas Ovens

– Gas is generally cheaper than electricity.

– Gas ovens heat to the desired temperature faster than electric ovens.

– Fan assisted models allow for faster temperature changes than are possible with most electric ovens.

– Gas ovens create a moist heat, while electric ovens can dry out a roast or other longer cooking dish.

Disadvantages of Gas Ovens

– Gas is not as readily available in some areas as is electricity.

– Gas ovens are generally more expensive than electric ones.

– The moist heat generated from gas can lead to rust and corrosion.

– Maintenance costs are generally higher than for electric ovens.

Some Features to Look For in Gas and Electric Ovens

Whether you choose a gas or electric oven, there are many features you can look for that can enhance your oven\’s performance. Some of these include:

– Electronic controls for more precise temperature control.

– Fan assisted convection ovens circulate heat evenly throughout the oven.

– Multi-function models can perform at least three different cooking functions inside the main oven.

– Self Cleaning: Self cleaning ovens work by burning off residue inside the oven. A catalytic liner is required to make the residue flake off, rather than stick to the oven lining.

– Defrost: A defrost feature on your electronic controls comes in handy.

– Cooling Fans: One of these can make a big difference in your oven\’s performance, rapidly cooling the interior just when you need it.

Wall Mounted or Underbench?

If your kitchen is large enough and has sufficient wall and bench space to accommodate it, consider getting a wall mounted oven. The main advantage of a wall mounted oven is ergonomic: you don\’t have to stoop down to put things into or take them out of the oven. If the oven has a glass front panel, you can see at a glance how the cooking is progressing.

The disadvantage of a wall mounted oven is that it takes up potentially valuable bench space. You must allow enough space between the cabinet side and the cooktop to eliminate the possibility of fire. This, combined with the width of the oven and its cabinet enclosure, can take up to 90cm useable space from your kitchen benchtop. An underbench oven fits neatly below your cooktop, saving space and giving continuity to your cooking area.

There is an enormous price spread between ovens. The best way to choose an oven is to select the features you want and then use a good online appliances comparison website to compare prices feature-for-feature. As the old saying goes, you want to compare \”apples with apples.\” If you do your shopping this way, you are likely to discover you can get all the features you want, at a price you can afford.

Author Bio: Dan Stewart is a writer and researcher for Comparison.com.au, Australia\’s largest product comparison website. Find all your home appliances online at Comparison.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: ovens,gas ovens,electric ovens,stoves