Ovens - under counter or not?

[PingPongBat]

Our kitchen planning is proving tricky, and were not sure how to fit in the oven and fridge freezer. Currently we have a free standing fridge freezer and tall unit with a double oven, but the new kitchen design has less wall space so we're struggling to fit both in.

So, an obvious option is to have a single oven built in under the hob, which is not something I've had since we moved here 20 years ago. We've always had a tall unit so the oven is at counter top level.

If you have a low level oven, do you hate it? Love it? What are the pros and cons? I'm struggling to think of any pros, tbh.

Hi just moved to a house with a very expensive range 8 weeks ago and really, really miss my eye level ovens to a ridiculous extent! Try to get them in if possible.

Problems include bending over to lift heavy things out which I can't do as easily these days as I could when I was 20!! Also not being able to peep in easily at how things are getting on, having to continually take things out to stir them rather than being able to in situ.

If you can get the Neff ones with the doors that slide in too!

We inherited a below counter oven. It is hell on toast and the second I can afford to rip it from the wall and put a proper eye level double in, I will be a kinder and better person!

I would find space for an eye level oven if at all possible. Could the freezer, washing machine or something else go in the garage to give you the space?

I've only ever had cookers with the oven under the hob bit. It's never crossed my mind as an issue. It's really easy to fit, or swap if it breaks. And instead of a central oven and slightly odd, hard to reach random cupboards below and above I can have either a fabulous larder cupboard or a bottom cupboard, extra work surface and a normal top cupboard.

I'm sure I'm just behind the times. I suppose I've never had a big enough kitchen that I'd compromise on cupboards or worksurface area for the sake of bending a bit less. And I'm short so pretty low to the ground to start with!

Love my range cooker easy to use glass doors so I can see in no problem. and sorry but I hate the look of eye level cookers would be an instant ' that needs replacing' for me,

I've never had an eye level oven, but when staying in houses that do have them, I wasn't keen and prefer an under counter oven. I recently installed a new kitchen and chose a self-cleaning oven directly below the hob with a deep drawer going behind the plinth to store baking trays, which was my perfect layout.

I'm nearly 6 ft tall so the bending really worries me. Interesting to read your comments, mostly against, which confirms my first instinct, avoid if possible.

Washing machine / Tumble dryer going in utility room, dishwasher would drive me mad if elsewhere (& my teens would never put anything in it!) ditto fridge freezer.

I think we may just have to sacrifice some counter top space

I'm the other way around. I'm five foot seven, but feel unstable putting things in the upper shelves, and DD (9) isn't tall enough to use the eye level oven, or even really to check how things are cooking without standing on a stool. I find squatting down feel safer and more stable than teaching up. Also, I like lots and lots of counter space.

Eye level ovens are a must for me, can't abide under counter ones. Built in under counter ones generally tend to be small as well. I also have small DCs and don't like the idea of having oven doors accessible to them.

I prefer the under the counter sort but am short. We have an eye level and above eye level one now (came with house) and I never feel quite happy reaching up on tiptoes to get heavy hot things out of the oven!

I don't really care which I have tbh. We've just put in an under the counter one. The lighting is really good on it, so it's easy to see into.

I hated my old oven which was in a unit at eye level. Just got a new rangemaster for the renovated kitchen, much better.

I'm in a similar situation OP. I had an eye level double oven in my last place and enjoyed using that. Our new kitchen has a much larger dining area but a more tricky smallish kitchen area. Putting a wall mounted oven into our new kitchen would sacrifice precious worktop space.

My main concern however is more about losing two ovens. Under-counter double ovens are too small and two ovens is a bit overkill and eats precious kitchen storage. I was even considering putting an extra oven in the utility room. But we have redrawn the plans and it looks like we can fit in a 100cm range cooker. I've never really wanted a range but for the space it seems to work. Neither of us mind bending down to get out food, I just see that as a normal oven just as freezers are usually in the bottom section of the fridge.

That's it fabtigger - counter space vs oven. I'm totally rubbish at visualising potential new layouts & DH is tearing his hair out as he's even worse!

At the moment we've got a double oven, but the smaller one doesn't really work so in practice we only use it as a grill & to warm plates. Effectively we've got a single oven & separate grill built in, and a huge bloody great microwave on the counter top.

We're going to get a single oven & a microwave combi oven, with slide & hide doors. That way we free up counter space by chucking out the microwave. But it's going to be a squeeze. I'm really worried I'll regret an under-counter oven.

I might upload the current plan to see what people think.

Just changed my eye level 1.5 oven for a range and though I was concerned about all the bending I'm not finding it a problem and my kitchen looks a lot less cluttered as everything with the exception of the freestanding fridge freezer is at the same level (no wall cabinets)

@PingPongBat

Yes if you show your plans people will have ideas. Everyone is different though, layout can be a very personal and sometimes not even fully logical choice.

Out of curiosity, how often do you use your microwave? You could put that it the utility if it is not often and save more under counter space.

We use it for porridge, defrosting & reheating cold coffee!! & that's about it. I do like the idea of a 2nd, smaller oven which I actually might end up using more than the large one. But I need to look at them IRL to see how big they are inside. Putting it in the utility is a good idea

I should clarify, we don't defrost coffee punctuation fail...