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Original poster

In your kitchen do you have....?

31 replies

arseyfarcey · 22/10/2014 15:00

A built in double oven, or a single built in + single Oven/Microwave or Steam oven?

Trying to decide what would be better and need some opinions please :)

New kitchen & I need to order to Oven(s) this week. We are having a tall unit to house built in oven appliances.

Double oven would be great - separate oven which would mostly be used for grilling I expect unless catering alot of food. Downsides is that a double can't have that lovely PryoKlean feature. Microwave would sit in lader cupboard and be a bit annoying to use, as much as I hate it, I do use it alot (Heating bottles for baby, milk for toddler, meals from freezer etc)

Single oven + Oven/Microwave - Would service oven & microwave needs, but expensive option to go for. The microwave doesn't look as big and then I would have to clear out fatty grilling trays when I wanted to use it, or have the main oven with these

Single Oven + Steam Oven - Would be a new fangled healthy way to cook lots of things (but is it a fad?) Would also be an expensive option and Microwave would still be in the larder.

Anyone got any of these combos and love/hate them? Siemens is the brand we've decided on if that makes a difference.

Thank you wise Mnetters

OP posts:
mineallmine · 22/10/2014 15:16

I would go for the single oven and microwave/oven option. I have a single oven and steam oven and I SO regret not getting a built in microwave. The steam oven has turned into a glorified rice maker. Total waste of money but I worried that I'd regret it if I didn't get it. My microwave is in the pantry taking up valuable space there.

AlpacaLypse · 22/10/2014 15:20

We have a double oven, the top (small) oven is also the grill. We virtually never use it as an actual oven but it works hard as the grill and as a warming cabinet. It is one of the very few things in the kitchen I don't want to change!

Original poster
arseyfarcey · 22/10/2014 15:31

That was my fear mineallmine. I think Im put off the steam option - thank you!

Thanks Alpacalypse - I too think a double would be super useful - and I'd use it exactly like you, but I'm still hankering after more order & less cleaning ;)

Anyone have a built in Oven which doubles as a microwave? (not other way around) - anyone with a siemens iq700 specifically ? :)

OP posts:
elenasalvatore · 22/10/2014 15:38

I have a built in oven/microwave - a Bosch one but I think it is pretty similar. I hesitated over the extra cost but am delighted as it gives us the flexibility to use as either option without a microwave cluttering up worktop.

Original poster
arseyfarcey · 22/10/2014 15:44

Thank you elenasalvatore - what do you do about grilling? My OH will grill bacon/sausages and leave the tray in until next time. If that happens to also be the microwave that would be annoying! Is it also smaller? Can you stand up normal sized things?

OP posts:
mineallmine · 22/10/2014 16:44

arseyfarcey, my oven has that pyroclean thingy - it's a Neff oven so a (poo) first cousin of the Siemens one- and in the 4 years that I've had it, I've used that feature once!

wildstrawberryplace · 22/10/2014 16:53

Built in single oven and oven/micro here. We use the oven/micro all the time and think it is fab, it does have a grill function but we don't use it, I don't grill much anyway but the larger oven has a grill feature should I need it. It's easy to clean and the range of functions is pretty good. The main oven is used for roasts and baking, the smaller oven/micro combi for everything else.

RandomMess · 22/10/2014 16:54

3 years ago a got a large single oven and beautiful built in mirowave. The large oven was not great in the end. This time I'm going back to a double oven and just having a worktop microwave. If money was no object I'd have an all singing all dancing built in micro combi oven.

Briony32 · 22/10/2014 17:09

I am having a similar dilemma to you. We are going for....(I think!)
a double oven (and will use the top as a grill/keeping foot hot
a built in microwave (hoping this will give wow factor when we sell)
a built in coffee machine (from Ikea) to help balance the design but really umming and ahhing about this as we have no experience of coffee machines

I think having a microwave and grill funtioning together would be tricky due to the regular cleaning required. And I grill and microwave a lot!!!

We have decided to go for a built under double oven to save on space, (just hoping it won't look a bit dated!) For some reason, I find eye level ovens more dangerous.

elenasalvatore · 22/10/2014 17:14

We do use it for grilling but we are careful not to leave the grill pan in - it lives in the cupboard above the oven. The tallest thing we microwave are those packets of Tilda rice which are fine. Microwave steamers etc are also fine!

Briony32 · 22/10/2014 17:15

yes, i do like a double oven to keep my foot hot. A modern day necessity I think!

burnishedsilver · 22/10/2014 18:05

I really wanted pyrolytic but couldn't find it in a double oven. I ended up with 2 single ovens and a microwave all in one tall unit. It's working it well so far. The second oven in a double oven is too small to do much other than grilling.

AnnOnymity · 22/10/2014 19:33

Single oven plus built in oven/mricowave (that we only use to warm plates) plus aga

greenfolder · 22/10/2014 19:43

we have neff single oven with built in microwave/oven/grill above. Had it for 6 years and do not regret at all.

we use the microwave far more than the grill tho.

Original poster
arseyfarcey · 22/10/2014 20:07

You're all fab thank you so much for helping me - I've decided I'm going for the single oven & oven/microwave.

OP posts:
UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 22/10/2014 21:20

I really wanted a double (bult in) oven, but our kitchen designer talked me into large single oven plus combi microwave/oven above. Don't regret it at all, it's brilliant to have the microwave which we use loads, plus the single oven is huge. It's self cleaning as well.

MisForMumNotMaid · 22/10/2014 21:28

I have one of these. Its a single, double and steam. Work that out! Its fab. You can either cook as one big oven or use the split shelf and set the top and bottom sections at different temperatures. It also has a steam feature.

Mind you I got it for £400 due to a john Lewis web site pricing glitch that they honoured.

poocatcherchampion · 22/10/2014 22:34

we are having a double oven and sitting our normal microwave above it in the cupboard. it will be high but at least out of the way.

MissClemencyTrevanion · 22/10/2014 22:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Chunkamatic · 22/10/2014 23:30

In our old house we inherited a large single oven and a combi microwave oven. I never, ever used it for anything other than microwaving! Couldn't get my head round it in over 3 years!

In our new house we have a double oven and a built in microwave above. The ovens have pyrolytic linings. To be honest this arrangement suits me much more as you can grill, bake/roast and microwave simultaneously if needed!

lazysummer · 22/10/2014 23:58

I would go for the single oven and microwave/oven option. I have this. The microwave is less powerful than a traditional microwave, and I don't grill/ roast fatty foods, as I don't want to clean it. I do all the mucky stuff in the single oven, as it is pyrolytic.

arna · 23/10/2014 01:11

You can definitely buy pyrolytic double ovens. Take a look at De Dietrich and Smeg. Unfortunately, I have a 'normal' Neff double oven - I discovered De Dietrich far too late otherwise I would have bought one!

suze28 · 23/10/2014 08:13

I have a Siemens single oven with compact oven with microwave function housed above it. I've attached photos which may give you some idea.
I'm really pleased with mine. Sorry I don't know how to rotate! I haven't attached images to a post before!

In your kitchen do you have....?
In your kitchen do you have....?
Eastpoint · 23/10/2014 08:31

I have a Neff microwave/combi, then a single oven & a warming drawer below. I already owned the ovens when we had our kitchen redone & we just installed the old ones.

In your kitchen do you have....?
sweetheart · 23/10/2014 10:32

We currently have a double oven and a microwave on our worktop. For me personally and our lifestyle I need all three - oven / grill / microwave and use each one equally. We are moving in a few weeks and will be refitting a new kitchen. The one thing I will change is that I will get a double oven where both ovens are fan assisted as I currently mostly use our top oven for grilling and could often do with a better 2nd oven when we entertain etc. I may consider building the microwave in separately but I won't exchange my 2nd oven for a microwave only. I think it really depends on your personal preference and what appliances you use / need.