Best Freestanding Ovens

What's the difference between a freestanding oven and a wall oven?

A freestanding oven is placed directly onto the floor, and usually has a cooktop on top, while a wall oven is built into the cabinetry of the kitchen, and generally doesn’t have a cooktop.

So, are freestanding ovens better than their wall counterparts? The answer largely depends on your personal preferences regarding how you like to cook, as neither is inherently better than the other.

We’ve listed some benefits and disadvantages of using a freestanding cooker below.

What to look for in a freestanding oven

Oven type

Freestanding ovens can come in any configuration you want, so it’s up to you whether you want a freestanding electric oven or gas oven, with gas, induction, or electric hobs.

Electric ovens tend to be more versatile than gas ovens, which are naturally hotter at the top and cooler down the bottom, and so food in a gas oven usually needs to be rotated or rearranged for it to cook evenly.

Electric ovens are also generally cheaper, and most ovens on the market are electric rather than gas, so you’ll be more spoiled for choice if you opt for this oven type.

Cooktop type

There are 3 different types of cooktops found on freestanding ovens. The right choice for you will depend on how you cook (for example, if you make a lot of stir fries then you’ll probably want a gas cooker to use a wok) and your budget.

• Gas cooktops. These offer instant heat and temperature control, and cook food quickly. They’re compatible with all types of cookware, however they’re generally less eco-friendly and more fiddly to use.
• Electric cooktops. Electric cooktops are simple to use, can be used with any kind of cookware, and offer residual heat to help keep food warm. However, they take longer to heat up, and sometimes don’t cook as evenly as gas or induction cookers.
• Induction cooktops. Induction cookers are energy efficient, offer the fastest cooking times, precise temperature control, and are easy to clean. They’re not as common as gas or electric stoves however, because they cost more to buy and require induction-friendly crockery.

Size

Make sure that you measure the space in your kitchen (height, depth, and width) and compare it to any oven you’re considering buying. The width of freestanding upright ovens often range from 50cm to 120cm.

Don’t overlook the width of the hallways leading to your kitchen - there’s no use buying an oven that you can’t physically transport to your kitchen.

Capacity

A larger oven means a larger capacity and more cooktop space, which means you can cook more food at once. The capacity of an oven is usually measured in litres - for domestic use, most households suit a 90 to 120L capacity.

If you love dinner parties and entertaining at home (or just love lavish home meals), then you can even opt for a double oven, which is made up of a large oven as well as a smaller oven alongside it. These double (or even triple) ovens can sometimes let you cook food at different temperatures, so you can make entrees, mains, and desserts all at the same time.

It’s also worth checking whether your favourite baking dishes can fit into an oven before you buy it, to save you heartbreak down the road.

Features

There are plenty of features on a freestanding oven that can make cooking with and cleaning your oven easier. You should also check that these features are simple to understand and use.

• Pyrolytic cleaning: With this function, the oven heats to between 400 to 500°C for a few hours, turning any food residue and grease to ash, which you can then easily wipe away once the oven has cooled down.
• Catalytic liners: These liners absorb and burn off grease splatters when heated for an hour at 250°C, which can then be wiped off with a damp cloth. These liners should cover the back wall, sides, and ceiling of the oven.
• Cooling fan: A cooling fan blows air through a vent at the top of your oven door, keeping the control panel cool to the touch so you don’t burn your fingers. It also helps quickly lower the temperature once the oven is switched off.
• Child safety lock: When activated, this prevents children from opening oven doors, keeping those curious little fingers safe.
• Separate grill: A separate grill gives you extra space to cook and grill food, so you can multitask and cook more in less time.

Number of hobs

A 60cm freestanding oven will usually have 4 hobs or burners, while a 90cm freestanding oven will have 5 or even 6 hobs. Home chefs who like to make more elaborate meals can also rest assured knowing that they can find standalone ovens with as many as 8 hobs on the cooktop.

Price

Upright cookers can cost anywhere from $500 for a cheap freestanding oven to $10,000 and upwards. The final figure will largely depend on what kind of features you want (pyrolytic cleaning, for example, usually adds around $1000 of value to an oven) and the level of craftsmanship you want.

The bottom line

The right freestanding cooker for you will depend on your own personal preferences, as well as any size and budget considerations you need to make. Taking the cooking needs of your household into account should help ensure you find the perfect addition to your kitchen that lets you cook your way.