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Original poster

Eye level oven (daft) questions

28 replies

minipie · 07/05/2018 17:14

Redoing our kitchen soon. We currently have a range against the wall but switching to separate hob on the island, so I need to decide between oven built under the hob or eye level oven somewhere else. Everyone seems to love their eye level ovens but I'm not sure!

We mainly use our oven for roasting and grilling veg fish and meat. Sometimes pasta bakes and casseroles. Occasional baking but hardly ever.

Question 1: I tend to get the roasting trays out several times during cooking to turn and baste. At the moment I plonk them on the hob for this. How does it work with eye level ovens? I know I'd need worksurface nearby, but it may not be heatproof (probably having quartz). Does this mean I'd have to get out a heatproof mat every time? Is there a solution I'm missing? Would telescopic shelves be an option for this - bit worried they would be too wobbly?

Question 2: What's so good about being able to see into the oven? If the food is lying flat in a roasting tray (like veg or fish fingers) I would imagine you can't see it without taking the tray out anyway... or can you?

Question 3: Would it be mad to have one of each - one under the hob and one eye level wall oven? Partly because I can't decide...!

thanks!

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amyboo · 07/05/2018 17:26

My DH does all the cooking in our house, although I bake a lot. Reasons he hates having the oven under the hob:

  • he's tall and has to bend down low to get stuff in and out the oven,
  • hot legs when cooking using oven and hob
  • oven door is too near to our small kids and their hands
  • oven dials can get (and gave got) knocked while cooking at hob, accidentally making oven too hot
  • pans for the hob have to be kept on the other side of the kitchen, not in a nice drawer under the hob

Reasons I hate oven under the hob:

  • I can't see my cakes cooking without lying on the floor
  • the oven dials are at child height, and have been played with during cooking, and one child is constantly "accidentally" setting the oven timer by playing with the dials!
Original poster
minipie · 07/05/2018 17:39

Thanks amyboo!

My DH does a lot of the cooking too and is tall but has never complained about the under counter oven... but then he has never known any different, my guess is he might love a higher oven.

We also have small DC but safety hasn't been a big issue so far, I guess we mostly use the oven once they are in bed, daytime meals tend to be more hob based... They have played with the clock but not the temp controls (not electronic so less appealing!). Plus they will be older (6 and 4) by the time the kitchen is redone.

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Original poster
minipie · 07/05/2018 17:40

Have you had an eye level oven... If so what did you / your dh do about getting out hot pans?

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GuiltyFeminist · 07/05/2018 17:43

I still take trays out and put on hob which is opposite. Much prefer eye level as no bending and can see what's going on

squidgesquodge · 07/05/2018 17:47

We have an eye level island which isn't adjacent to a work top. One kitchen designer refused to design a kitchen like that for us as it was too dangerous with young DC (toddler & newborn at the time). 6 years later & it's been fine. Often I'm just peering in to check on something, sometimes I'm pulling it out but obviously stood in front of it. It's only really when doing a roast (so once a fortnight probably) when I get something out to put it back in. The number of times that has coincided with the DC being in that bit of the kitchen is minimal and, when it has happened, yelling at them to stay out of the way has workedz

OnTopOfSpaghetti · 07/05/2018 17:51

I have a hob close to my eye level oven so I do put hot oven trays etc on there. It is so much easier not bending down each time you need to check something/turn something over/get something out. In fact I have a top and bottom oven and wouldn't go back to my old range for anything! It is helpful to be able to check on cakes, roasties etc so you don't open the oven door unnecessarily.
my glass is a bit grubby to see through though

MismatchedPJs · 07/05/2018 18:10

I think the main advantage of an eye level oven is that you can have a good size double oven that fits into a 60cm unit. Built under means compromising the size of the oven, sacrificing the 2nd oven or using more than 60cm width.

I've had them in rented houses and I find them more difficult to use - I'm short. However I think the worktop heatproofness is a separate issue. If you go for a non heatproof one, you will have to get used to using trivets for hot pans etc anyway. Using one for oven trays should just flow from that. I would really want a worktop nearby though, as I've had my fingers burned into nasty blisters through an inadequate oven glove when taking things out of the grill. I want to be able to put things down quickly and safely.

bouncydog · 07/05/2018 18:56

No way would I go back to an under hob oven. They are much harder to get stuff out of than an eye level. Telescopic shelves on neff mean that the trays are locked in place and can easily be pulled out for basting etc. If you have room, have 2 side by side at eye level.

RainbowFairiesHaveNoPlot · 07/05/2018 19:06

Hot pans... I just have those cast iron little trivet things on the worktop beside the oven and put one of those down before I put a pan onto it. Honestly not a problem.

Wouldn't willingly go back to a low-down oven now - so much easier on my back and keeping an eye on things... plus with kids similar ages to you - they like having it at eye level so they can see things they've helped you cook bake off without having to go right up to it or open the oven door.

JT05 · 07/05/2018 19:10

I have a heat resistant glass slab next to the hob and opposite the eye level ovens.
I have no problem with built under ovens, but used to the glass slab to save the wood work surface from careless ‘ helpers ‘.

MissisBoote · 07/05/2018 19:19

Eye level without a doubt.

I just have a trivet next to the oven if I need to get anything out.

Soooo easy to check on food without getting it out of the oven.

More importantly - I've now got a massive double oven so can cook properly without squeezing food in.

I have also have reduced mobility in my arms, so it's much easier to check on food without dropping it.

No way would I go back to a under worktop oven.

Original poster
minipie · 07/05/2018 20:07

Thanks all! I am reading and being convinced, I think.

Still not keen on the trivet thing but suppose I would get used to it (creature of habit me)

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Original poster
minipie · 07/05/2018 20:10

Any thoughts on one of each? (90cm under the hob and 60cm in the wall)

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Original poster
minipie · 07/05/2018 20:11

Glass slab is a good idea, I like that very much

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cupoftea84 · 07/05/2018 20:25

Just switched from normal cooker to an eye level cooker. Love it!
I found one with 2 telescopic shelves and they're great, could definitely do basting etc.
It was the lifting for me ( bad joints) so I like taking something out and putting it down not having to stand up whilst holding a hot and sometimes fluid dish.

Haffdonga · 07/05/2018 20:38

We love ours but a totally unforeseen disadvantage is what goes under the hob. Our hob is over units including drawers with all the kitchen utensils, saucepans and a cutlery drawer. So if person a is cooking on the hob while person b is trying to make a salad, lay the table or put away the pots they always get in the bloody way.

Be warned: your under the hob units should only ever be used for the storage of soda streams, bread makers and fondue sets.

namechangedtoday15 · 07/05/2018 20:42

The trivet thing - i don't like anything out on my worktop at all but when I'm cooling something in the oven that needs basting, just before the 1st baste I get a little metal rack out of cupboard and put on worktop. Obviously use it for that meal, then it goes back in the cupboard.

I have 2 single ovens side by side and wouldn't go back to under counter now.

FrogFairy · 07/05/2018 20:43

Miele ovens doors can support a weight of up to 15kg, might be worth checking the specs for your new oven as then the open door gives you a resting place while you baste.

Original poster
minipie · 07/05/2018 20:54

Thanks, all useful. And unanimous...!

Haffdonga I have wondered about that problem. I'd already reckoned the cutlery should live elsewhere but yes that should also include salad servers and cheese grater shouldn't it.

Frog thanks! Good info, I cook with cast iron casseroles a lot so would need strong doors and/or telescopic shelves.

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gingergiraffe · 07/05/2018 21:11

What about the cleaning issue? No way would I want to go back to crouching or kneeling on the floor to clean the oven. With mine I just have to easily remove the door and stand to clean it. I also like the points others have made about children having access to fiddle with the controls in a lower oven.

Once you have decided, think about having plenty of drawers to put things in so they are easily accessible.

BrashCandicoot · 07/05/2018 21:21

Eye level without a doubt. I dream of not risking burning my wrists or falling over every time I get something out of the lower shelf.

ItchyBites · 07/05/2018 21:26

I've had both, and don't mind either. In our old kitchen, we had a wall of floor to ceiling cabinets, so it was easy to slot the ovens in there, and had two side by side. The main disadvantage for me with that arrangement was that I burned myself a couple of times on the doors, which were at perfect elbow height when getting things out. I

n our new house I had space for a pretty large island unit, but only space for one floor to ceiling cabinet which I decided to put the fridge in. The two ovens are side by side on the island unit, directly opposite the hob, which is where I put pans when I take them out of the oven. It isn't that much of a bother to take pans out from a low oven, to be honest.

codswallopandbalderdash · 07/05/2018 21:30

Heck I'm in a minority. I love my range cooker. Hate eye level ovens. With my range I have two separate ovens - great when baking and cooking casseroles as need different temperatures. Find it much safer to lift food up to worktop from low oven rather than down .... also hate fact you are carrying food from eye level to worktop nearby. i've had both and would always choose a range in future. Also think they make best use of space

BubblesBuddy · 07/05/2018 21:35

I have Le Cruset so I have heavy pans and casserole dishes. I have a cradle of shelves in my eye level oven. I press a button and all the shelves come out and sit above the oven door. I don’t take anything out if it’s on the top shelf. If it’s on a lower shelf I might have to but it is easier than bending over. In my built under oven, (second oven) each individual shelf is on a runner. So any shelf can be pulled out separately. This system might suit you better. I rather suspect the cradle system is obsolete now!

Although I have the built under oven which is 900 wide, I tend to use the eye level much more. It is more convenient and has the microwave built in above it. It’s neat!

Original poster
minipie · 07/05/2018 21:45

aggggh dissent! Makes things harder Smile

Ah Bubbles that's the one of each option I was thinking of! Do you wish you had both at eye level or are you happy with one of each?

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