THE HEAT IS ON

WHATEVER YOUR COOKING STYLE, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED WITH ALL THE LATEST OVENS

- LYNNE TESTONI

A good oven is possibly the most expensive appliance you will have in your home. They should last for years, so it’s worth spending time to look at all the options, whether it is for an existing kitchen or as part of a renovation.

Technology has brought all sorts of advances into cooking. The humble microwave has been supplanted by the steam oven, often combined with a convection oven for a dual-purpose appliance. When a microwave is part of a new kitchen, it tends to be a combination unit as well. Warming drawers are popular, too.

The major choice is between a freestanding cooker or a built-in option. Both have similar functions – it depends on your kitchen, how it is configured and your aesthetic preference.

“A freestanding cooker can be a centrepiece, making a design statement as well as being an efficient cooking appliance,” explains Wayne Campbell, the managing director of Smeg Australia. “With a built-in oven, consumers can create a vertical or horizontal configuration and customise their appliances with a choice of wine cellars, combi-steam ovens, speed ovens, coffee machines and blast chillers.”

While coloured cookers attract attention, most people choose stainless steel, black or white. If you’re adventurous, Ilve has its Design Your Own Ilve product configurator, built for and exclusive to Australia (ilve.com.au).

“It’s a wonderful function,” says Bruce Cranston of Winning Appliances. “You get to select the size, number of ovens and, in most cases, the configuration of the cooktop. The customers can select from standard colours or from a selection of more than 200 colours.”

Before you choose anything, think about how your family cooks and how often you entertain. Then, pick the right oven for you.