The kitchen is an appliance-heavy space. Fridges, freezers, washing machines, coffee makers and more are all necessary to bring together snacks and meals to fuel the household.
You won't get far without a decent oven when it comes to cooking. It's pivotal for any kitchen, no matter the size you're working with, so choosing the right one is vital.
The trouble is the choice itself; there are just so many ovens to pick from. Single, compact, double, mini ovens - the list goes on.
What type of oven should I pick?
If you're tight on space or are happy with roasting and grilling in the same machine, a single oven may be all you need. They're usually designed with the same set of measurements, so if you're replacing an oven on its way out, it shouldn't be too much of a challenge to find a new one with the same width and depth. That said, it never hurts to check with a measuring tape.
If you're a big home chef and like cooking and grilling multiple things at once, an integrated double oven may be more your bag. They're often positioned side by side or on top of each other, with the latter best placed at standing height to spare your back the strain of continually bending down.
On the premium end of the scale sit shiny new smart ovens. They are loaded with tech to streamline cooking with a menu of functions, pre-sets and self-cleaning modes. Naturally, these cost a little more than a typical integrated oven but if you want to make kitchen life easier, they're worth the extra expense.
Can you install your own oven?
Unless you've got watertight skills, this is a job best left to the professionals. Some built-in ovens need hardwiring or other tradesperson expertise. Many retailers offer installation services to add on with your purchase, meaning your new oven will be delivered and fitted at once.
If you're not sure where to start your search for an integrated oven, you've come to the right place. We've rounded up the best options to consider below from big brands you can trust.
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SAMSUNG Series 4 Dual Cook NV7B41403AK/U4 Electric Smart Oven
This sleek all-black smart model comes from Samsung, so you can be sure it's full of the latest hi-tech features. The multifunction electric model can do it all, from recommending personalised recipes, drawing up a weekly meal plan and running a natural steam mode to keep dishes juicy on the inside.
It offers five oven functions: conventional, convection, eco convection, large grill and eco grill modes so whatever you're making there's an option to suit. It's incredibly energy efficient too with an A+ rating - top in class. Add in self-cleaning, a child safety lock and compatibility with Samsung's SmartThings app and it's a tough option to beat.
It will need hardwiring though, something to factor into the price, which is still excellent for such a tech-forward oven.
Buy now £349.00, Currys
Bertazzoni Modern Series 60cm Self Cleaning Built In Electric Oven, Copper
Best for: pyrolytic self-cleaning
For baking lovers keen on smart technology, this built-in electric oven has all the mod cons, from Touch TFT display to pyrolytic self-cleaning. It also has 11 functions – which are ideal for mid-to-low temperatures, such as baking or slow-cooking meals like casseroles. There are also defrosting and grilling settings.
Perfect for big families ad making multi-course meals, the 76L capacity means there’s no waiting around when making big dishes. While we also love that it has a non-convection mode and fan-assisted mode – the latter means that there is heat distribution on all five levels of the oven with no flavour crossover.
The copper-coloured oven is fitted with a soft open-and-close door and a smart glass-finish handle. If safety is on your mind, the oven door is quadruple-glazed, which also makes it incredibly energy efficient.
Buy now £1049.00, John Lewis
Smeg Classic DOSF6390X
Best for: Built-in double-over style and substance
Italian manufacturer of a multitude of kitchen devices, Smeg, can’t help but create appliances of absolute – how shall I put this? – exquisiteness. If you’re designing a statement kitchen and need a cooker that not only physically enhances but also delivers baked goods, look no further than the Smeg Classic DOSF6390X.
The whopping 70-litre main multifunctional oven allows for a wide range of cooking, including static or fan-assisted, an eco mode, defrost and proving, all while the second electric conventional oven is ideal for traditional cooking and has a handy grill setting for adding that finishing touch.
Safety-wise, the Smeg comes armed with something they call the Superior Tangential Cooling System, essentially a special fan that cools the oven exterior so that the doors are always cool and safe enough to open.
With an enamel interior for easy cleaning, the Smeg Classic DOSF6390X comes A-rated for energy, so is just as easy on the environment as it is on the eye and to see to all your culinary concerns.
Buy now £1229.00, AO
Bosch Series 8 HBG7741B1B Built-In Electric Self Cleaning Single Oven
The self-cleaning programme on this oven gets going at the touch of a button, using high temperatures to melt away any grease and residue, leaving you with a pile of dirt to simply wipe away. At 71-litre capacity, this oven is large enough to meet the cooking needs of most families and comes with plenty of added functions, including the ability to monitor the humidity inside the oven and adjust the heating mode accordingly.
The PerfectBake option is ideal for cake makers with pre-selected bake times already installed and ready to go. Simply select your cake of choice and press start. The hot air function circulates across three different trays ensuring everything cooks evenly, ideal if you’re planning a Sunday roast and want to get those tricky timings right. Even better, get a head start on dinner with the remote control that allows you to switch the oven on when you’re away from home to get a meal started or adjust the temperature before you’re even back from work.
Buy now £849.00, Currys
Miele H2455BP Built-In Electric Single Oven
Say goodbye to scrubbing with this sleek electric oven that has a 76-litre capacity and five cooking shelves. The pyrolytic cleaning function is a welcome addition saving you time and elbow grease. Simply press a button and let the oven do the hard work as it melts away weeks (okay, months) of cooking mess leaving you with a light residue or small pile of debris that can be wiped away in seconds with a damp cloth.
Although this is an investment buy, it isn’t just a posh gadget, it’s a reliable and long-lasting addition to your kitchen that has been tested to perform consistently for over 20 years. The temperature can be easily adjusted depending on your meal of choice and the heat is distributed easily ensuring breakfast, lunch, dinner and all snacks in between are cooked exactly to your liking. Overall, it has all the standards of high quality you might expect from a Miele appliance and is a great option for people who need a reliable oven that does it all, from a full Sunday roast to a tray of cupcakes.
Buy now £719.00, AO
AEG 8000 BPE742380M Built-In Electric Self Cleaning Single Oven
This oven has its very own pre-installed recipe collection ready and waiting to be tried out. Plus there’s a digital cooking assistant that selects the optimal temperature and time for your meal so your dishes are always cooked perfectly. We wondered if a temperature probe was really necessary on an oven, but it turns out this handy addition is a great way to ensure that the core temperature of your food is high enough, meaning you’ll never run the risk of underdone or overdone steak again.
The appliance also allows you to tailor heating functions to your liking using familiar cooking terms like rare, medium and well done. The bright LED display allows for easy navigation and a handy timer turns off the heat once everything is ready to serve. Like others on our list, this oven uses a pyrolytic cleaning system to remove grease and stains from the interior, which can be wiped away once the heat cycle has finished.
Buy now £765.00, John Lewis
BEKO AeroPerfect BBIE12301XMP Electric Single Oven - Stainless Steel
Once you’ve eaten a midweek meal and the dishes are done, who has the time or energy to clean their oven? That’s where the self-cleaning oven comes in and this multi-function option from Beko is a practical choice, allowing you to cook with complete confidence knowing every splash and spill will be taken care of. It uses consistent airflow to deliver fast and even results, minimising temperature variations and ensuring cooking efficiency, from basic meals to cakes and bakes.
The pyrolytic self-cleaning function heats the oven up to 480°C to burn away residual dirt and grease. Once the oven has cooled, simply wipe away any residue with a damp cloth. This appliance combines a fan and conventional oven, a grill and a host of different cooking functions, with a touch control LED display that is easy to navigate.
Beko ovens are rigorously tested with the door opened and closed over 15,000 times before the appliance is signed off for public use. This peace of mind alone means you can confidently cook any meal knowing this budget-friendly oven is built to last.
Buy now £339.00, Currys
INDESIT Aria IFW 3841 P IX UK Electric Pyrolytic Oven
Indesit’s 71-litre self-cleaning oven is full of extra functions for more than half the price of some others we tested, so it’s a solid choice for those looking to keep costs down. Controlled using a simple dial, this oven has a variety of pre-set programmes that determine the best cooking time and temperature for your favourite dishes, meaning you simply turn the dial and relax whilst the oven does the hard work.
In addition to its cooking functions, this oven has an automatic pyrolytic cleaning cycle which heats the oven to 400°C, reducing burnt-on food and grease to a pile of ash. It also comes with a tilting grill which can be pulled out and downwards, giving better access during the cleaning process, and ensuring no trapped grease remains on the roof of the oven. Inside, two shelves and five shelf positions give the flexibility you need to cook everything from large roast dinners to birthday cakes. An affordable and spacious option that would be right at home in any modern kitchen.
Buy now £249.00, Currys
CDA DC741BL, built under double oven
Best for: Multi-functions for medium-sized families
A built-under electric oven option with a AAA energy rating, a 50-litre main oven with three functions and a 35-litre second oven with four functions, the CDA DC741 is as capacious as it is cool-looking.
Finished in stainless steel and black for that thoroughly modern yet unassuming aesthetic, functions include fan and conventional cooking, warming, defrosting and grilling. There is also semi-automatic cooking available on the main oven, a touch-control timer and programmer, and for those – myself included – that loathe the mere thought let alone the actual act of having to scrub the inside clean from food and fat, there’s even an easy-clean enamel interior.
Buy now £599.00, Appliances Direct
Hotpoint Class 2 DD2540BL
Best for: Large-capacity cooking on a budget
They say that size isn’t everything, but they clearly didn’t ask those who live with a large family, a scenario in which you need all the internal oven capacity you can get and – increasingly these days – without having to break the bank. This is where the Class 2 DD2540BL from Hotpoint happily backs itself into your built-in cavity.
With a main oven capacity of some 74 litres and a second oven capacity of 42 litres, you are not going to struggle for space.
Okay, at considerably under the £400 mark, you’re not going to get all the functions and features of the more expensive oven options, but what you do get is an electric fan oven that circulates hot air to cook food evenly across every shelf, and also a second conventional oven with a handy grill, which for most people who don’t generally prepare food with Gordon Ramsay screaming swear words at them is probably enough.
There’s also an electronic programmable timer to turn it automatically off when your food is done, and when it comes to the hated task of cleaning the thing, the main oven is equipped with an enamel-coated interior to prevent grease from sticking.
Available in black, it may seem a little basic compared to the likes of the Smeg, but check out that price difference too and narrow down your cooking needs.
Buy now £339.00, AO
Hoover H-OVEN 300 HOC3T3058BI Electric Oven
Best for: budget-friendly
One of the cheaper models on the market, this Hoover oven is part of the brand’s Collection 3 range.
If you’re looking for smart features for this price, you’ll be impressed with its Hydro cleaning function. All of its other cooking functions are accessed via the LED touchscreen, which includes a pizza and defrost function.
Slightly smaller than other ovens, it has a capacity of 65L with four levels for cooking, while its LED clock also functions as a timer.
If you do decide to clean the oven yourself, you’ll be pleased to know that its new enamel design means food residue and grease are less likely to stick or burn the inside of the oven while cooking.
Buy now £199.00, Currys
