Best oven buying guide: expert-recommended models

Best ovens at a glance

• Best oven: Bosch Series 4 HBS534BB0B, £349
• Best budget oven: Indesit Aria IDU6340IX, £319
• Best premium oven: Neff N50 U2ACM7HH0B, £1,099
• Best energy-efficient single oven: Hotpoint SA2844HIX, £189
• Best energy-efficient double oven: Hisense BID95211XUK, £329
• Best affordable oven: Beko BBRIF22300X, £239
• Best conventional oven: Indesit IFW6230IXUK, £169
• Best oven for families: Zanussi ZOPNX6X2, £429
• Best oven for medium-sized households: AEG DCB331010M, £599
• Best countertop oven: Sage the the Smart Oven, £329.95
• Best countertop oven with steam function: Smeg COF01CRUK, £849.95

Jump to:

• Best ovens to buy in 2024
• How to choose an oven
• Which type of oven is the most energy efficient?
• General oven tips

Best ovens to buy in 2024

Bosch Series 4 HBS534BB0B

Best oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 71 litres
• Energy efficiency rating: A
• Seven heating methods
• Child lock
• Eco Clean Direct catalytic cleaning

This oven features a sleek and understated fascia and is available in three colours: all black, black and silver, or white, making it easy to find a version that fits your kitchen. This isn’t the most high-tech oven on the market, but it gets the basics right.

Equipped with five oven shelf positions, you can easily arrange the interior of the oven how you like. You’ll also find seven different heating methods, allowing you to fully tailor the way you cook your food. We particularly like the pizza function that ensures a crisp crust.

This Bosch model is easy to keep clean thanks to ‘Eco Clean Direct’, a technology that coats the interior and breaks up any grease splatters from particularly bubbly dishes. With an A energy rating, this oven is cheap to run, too.

Indesit Aria IDU6340IX built-under double electric oven

Best budget oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 37 and 59 litres
• Energy efficiency rating: B
• Easy clean enamel coating
• Second electric oven with handy grill setting
• Simply designed

If you're on a tighter budget, this Indesit double oven offers a good amount of bang for your buck.

As you’d expect, it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some of the high-tech models on this list. The top 37-litre oven only has two settings for grilling, and the bottom 59-litre oven has three. You’ll find a light in the main oven, but not the top.

This fan oven ensures that food is cooked evenly. This budget model still comes with some of the same features as the Hisense above, including the useful easy clean enamel coating and the ‘set and go’ feature. The B energy rating is good to see, too.

Neff N50 U2ACM7HH0B built-in electric double oven

Best premium oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 34 and 71 litres
• Pyrolytic cleaning
• Telescopic runners
• Meat probe
• Energy efficiency rating: A

If you’ve got lots to spend and are looking for a truly impressive bit of kit, this NEFF oven will not disappoint. This double oven is unlike some of the others on this list, in that both the top and bottom cavities are multifunctional. So, you can cook your roast chicken in the bottom and dessert in the top at the same time, with no risk of the smells cross-contaminating.

There’s a great deal of attention to detail to be found on this oven; the runners are telescoping, keeping your arms safe, and the oven doors stay a cool 30C (even when the oven is on high).

The premium price point means premium features. This oven is WiFi connected, allowing you to control the oven from your phone and access NEFF’s bank of tips and recipes, so you produce perfect results every time. Use this in tandem with the meat probe and you’ll have guests singing your praises.

Hotpoint Class 2 SA2844HIX built-in electric single oven

Best energy-efficient single oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 71 litres
• Energy efficiency class: A+
• Eco-cooking mode
• Steam-cleaning function
• Multi-flow technology

If energy efficiency is a deciding factor for you, this Hotpoint model is a solid contender. It features multi-flow technology that circulates hot air efficiently and evenly through different vents, producing consistent results, so you shouldn't have to use any more heat or energy than you need to.

Among its 11 functions, there's also an eco mode that's ideal if you're using just one shelf for a longer period of time – for instance, when roasting a joint of meat. The programmable timer can also be set to turn off when food is ready.

Keeping it clean isn't a bother either, as you can switch on the 35-minute steam-cleaning function to loosen any baked-on grease and wipe it away easily afterwards.

Hisense BID95211XUK built-in electric double oven

Best energy efficient double oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 38 and 72 litres
• Energy efficiency class: A/A
• Easy-clean enamel coating
• Child lock
• Programmable timer

This A-rated double oven is a great choice if you're regularly cooking food for a crowd. It works efficiently, and its 10 different functions are designed to help you achieve the best possible results depending on what you're cooking – whether it be pizza, roast potatoes, or baked cheesecakes. There's also a cooking chart inside the manual, so you can easily decipher which setting is best.

You can select an automatic shut-off option, which kicks into action once your food is fully cooked, and the greaseproof enamel coating removes the faff of keeping both ovens clean. There's a handy child lock for families with little ones, too, so you needn't worry about any accidental button-pushing.

Beko AeroPerfect BBRIF22300X electric single oven

Best affordable oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 72 litres
• Energy efficiency class: A
• AeroPerfect technology
• Easy to clean enamel interior
• Steam-assisted cooking
• Removable inner glass door
• Defrost feature

Large ovens with all the bells and whistles often come with a hefty price tag, but this model offers impressive functionality at a lower cost. It uses Beko's own AeroPerfect technology to move hot air around inside so it hits every corner, delivering more consistent results.

There are five functions within the main cavity, including a handy defrost setting. If you're a regular baker, Beko's steam-assisted cooking helps to achieve moisture inside bakes like sourdough or sponge cakes, while evenly browning the outside.

The inner glass door slides out for easier cleaning, and powerful steam helps to loosen and lift stubborn grease and stains that can then be wiped away. This oven also sits within Beko's RecycledNet range, which uses recycled fishing nets and industrial waste to make materials like oven doors and display covers.

Indesit Aria IFW6230IXUK electric conventional single oven

Best conventional oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 71 litres
• Energy efficiency class: A
• Click and Clean system
• Tilting grill
• Minute minder alerts
• Easy-clean enamel coating

If you've previously owned a conventional oven and you're seeking familiarity with your next purchase, this 71-litre model from Indesit is worth a look. Its size makes it an ideal choice for larger households, and it also comes with a built-in timer and full-surface grill.

Cleaning is much easier thanks to the Click and Clean system, which allows you to remove the oven door in two steps. It also has an A energy rating, and features a tilting grill that pulls out and downwards, giving you better access to the top of the oven cavity.

Beko AeroPerfect™ RecycledNet™ BBRIE22300XD

Best eco oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 66 litres
• Energy efficiency rating: A
• AeroPerfect
• Easy clean liners
• RecycledNet

For an affordable oven with impressive eco credentials, look no further than this Beko model. As the name alludes, this oven uses recycled fishing nets and industrial thread waste in its oven components. This, coupled with its A energy rating, makes it a great choice for the eco-conscious.

This model is simply designed. It comes with just six functions, so if you’re not looking for anything too fancy or complex, the functions on this oven really are the essentials. But, there are some useful additions, such as Beko’s own AeroPerfect function. This feature circulates hot air around the oven cavity, ensuring an even cook whatever you’re making.

There are also easy clean liners inside to absorb spills and grease for quick clean up. We like the addition of the programmable time that automatically switches off the oven when cooking is done.

Hotpoint Class 6 SI6874SPIX

Best oven for versatility

Top features:

• Capacity: 73 litres
• Energy efficiency class: A+
• Automatic bread setting
• MultiFlow technology
• Pyrolytic cleaning

This reasonably priced Hotpoint oven comes with a wealth of useful features. It’s equipped with 16 functions, offering all the classic settings, plus useful extras like an automatic bread setting.

If you’ve got a young family or pets, this oven’s door stays cool even at high temperatures. The display screen also has an anti-fingerprint coating to keep it smear-free.

Hotpoint’s MultiFlow technology ensures that food is evenly cooked. This function keeps the oven cavity at a steady and even temperature, giving you great results every time. For low-maintenance upkeep, this model has pyrolytic cleaning built in, so all you need to do is sweep up the ash.

Zanussi ZOPNX6X2

Best oven for families

Top features:

• Capacity: 72 litres
• Energy efficiency class: A
• Retractable dial controls
• Heats up 40% faster than standard models
• Fan-controlled defrosting

Equipped with 10 settings, this oven is a great choice for big families looking for a fuss-free piece of kit. The touch controls and retractable dial controls make this model easy to program and wipe clean, as the whole fascia can be made flat.

Zanussi claims that this model heats up 40% faster than other models, which is ideal if you’ve got hungry mouths to feed. Also, if you forgot to get the chicken out of the freezer to defrost before you left for work, the fan-controlled defrosting setting makes life a lot easier.

This is an understated oven, packed with all the features a busy family needs, as well as well-considered extras that make life easier. The pyrolytic cleaning function means you’ll spend less time scrubbing it clean, too.

AEG DCB331010M

Best oven for medium-sized families

Top features:

• Capacity: 43 and 68 litres
• Energy efficiency class: A
• Multifunctional oven
• Catalytic liners
• SurroundCook

This AEG double oven is a great option for busy households. With a range of functions for both the top and bottom oven, there’s plenty of options to ensure you cook your meals to perfection. This mode features AEG’s SurroundCook, which ensures the oven is evenly heated from the top to the bottom while the fan circulates the hot air all around the cavity. This setting provides perfectly even browning – ideal for your favourite lasagne.

Like the Zanussi above, the display is touchscreen and there are retractable controls that not only make the oven smart-looking, but also easier to clean. For added ease of cleaning, this model is equipped with a catalytic liner that absorbs all greasy drips and spills, meaning all it needs is a quick wipe.

Sage the Smart Oven

Best countertop oven

Top features:

• Capacity: 21 litres
• Wattage: 2400W
• 10 functions
• Non-stick cavity coating
• Convection-powered

Star rating: 5/5

Think of this smart little stainless-steel appliance as a new permanent fixture in the kitchen, and watch as you start using it in place of your main oven more and more. It would be a lifesaver for Christmas and parties, a winner for small kitchens, or a good option for Aga and range cooker owners who don’t want to 'fire up the beast' for the sake of a chicken kiev.

Offering presets that can tackle anything from a crumpet or chips to slow-cooked casseroles, its air-frying function is also among some of the best we've tested. Sage uses technology that combines a supercharged convection heater with air-frying to really crisp things up, hitting temperatures of up to 230C – making for chip perfection.

As with the full Sage appliances range, a premium price delivers a top-notch product, and the stainless steel finish, nicely-weighted door and inner trays make this a quality piece that's worth the money.

Read our full Sage the Smart Oven review.

Smeg COF01CRUK 10-in-1 countertop oven

• Available from Smeg (£849.95)

Best countertop oven with steam function

Top features:

• Capacity: 30 litres
• Wattage: 1800W
• 10 functions, with 33 automatic programmes
• Made from easy-clean enamel

Star rating: 4/5

Sporting Smeg's iconic 1950s design, this appliance has the functionality replace your oven and air-fryer in one fell swoop. It could also be used as a secondary oven, particularly if you're regularly feeding a large crowd and find yourself running out of space. Bear in mind, though, it has an enormous countertop footprint and you'll need to clear a lot of space for it.

The oven comes with a stainless-steel grill rack, an enamelled tray, and stainless-steel perforated tray – the latter of which warped during cooking and didn't return to its original shape when cooled.

As well as traditional oven settings like fan-assisted cooking and a grill, this gadget also has air-fryer and steam functions, plus presets for specific ingredients. We used the steam function to cook a salmon fillet, to great success, and our chicken breast – which we air-fried for 20 mins at 200C – was juicy and succulent. Our air-fried chips were mixed: generally golden in colour, but uneven and a little dehydrated. They also took almost 50 minutes to cook at 200C.

The COF01CRUK is expensive and costs almost as much as some of Smeg's traditional single ovens, but if you're cooking large quantities and have the space in your kitchen to store it, we can see this being a useful appliance.

Available from:

• Smeg (£849.95)

More ovens rated by experts

• Beko BBRIE22300XD AeroPerfect Built-In Electric Single Oven, £249
• Hotpoint SI6874SPIX Built-In Electric Single Oven, £399

How to choose an oven

Single or double oven?

Before you even begin to think about nifty features and aesthetics, you need to consider what size oven is right for you and your family. In-built ovens are available in two sizes: single and double. Always check the dimensions before buying. Here are the differences:

Single ovens are around 60cm tall. They can go anywhere in the kitchen, but most people choose to place them under the counter, beneath a built-in hob or at eye-level in a cabinet.

• Pros: single ovens have a larger single compartment compared to double ovens, making them ideal for big roasts and for fitting large casserole dishes
• Cons: you can only use one function at a time and only set the oven to a single temperature

Double ovens are around 90cm tall and they only fit into a cabinet at eye-level.

• Pros: ideal if you’re looking to cook lots of different dishes at different temperatures or looking to use two different functions, e.g. grill and fan oven, at the same time
• Cons: take up more space, less oven space for larger dishes/pieces of kitchen kit

Gas or electric

Both gas and electric ovens have various pros and cons. We’ve laid them out below to help you make the right choice.

Electric

Pros:

• Modern looking
• More electric ovens available
• Easy to use
• Generally cheaper to buy than gas
• More high-tech features

Cons:

• Slower to heat up
• Slow to adjust temperature

Gas

Pros:

• Can control oven temperatures easily
• Gas creates a more moist environment that's ideal for baking
• Quick to heat up and cool down

Cons:

• Can cost more upfront than electric
• Food needs to be rotated to ensure it cooks evenly
• Moist environment makes these ovens less than ideal for food you want to crisp

Features to look out for

As with all white goods, there have been various advancements in the technology used and range of features found on ovens. We’ve detailed the features we think are worth looking out for and asked white goods experts about which features are nice to have but not essential.

• Self-cleaning: look for pyrolytic or catalytic self-cleaning ovens to keep the clean up simple and chemical-free
• Telescopic runners: these are rails that extend fully out of the oven that make removing trays, pots and dishes smoother, easier and safer
• Temperature/meat probes: if you’re not the most confident cook or you just like to ensure accuracy, meat probes are a great addition for precise cooking and to ensure food is cooked through
• Timers: set your oven to automatically cook and turn off without you having to do anything
• Digital controls: these are ideal for when you need an exact cooking temperature, i.e. for bakes. Five- or 10-degree manual dials are fine, but they’re not particularly precise; one or two degree increments ensure accuracy
• Controls that sit flush: this is a real benefit of touchscreen digital controls as it makes the fascia easy to clean. Some manual dials can be pushed inwards so they sit flush, too
• A good selection of accessories: we favour ovens with a range of oven trays, wire racks and a decent number of shelves
• Steam cooking: if you love baking bread, this is the function for you. Some ovens have a water tank that sends plumes of steam into the oven cavity
• Automatic cooking settings: these allow you to choose the setting for exactly the food you’re cooking, e.g. roast chicken, cake, and more
• Lights/how easy to see inside: an oven cavity that illuminates allows you to peek through the glass without affecting the temperature inside the oven. This is ideal for those bakes where you shouldn’t open the oven halfway through, like cake

Additional oven features: are they worth it?

If you’re happy to spend a decent amount of money on a new oven, it's easy to be seduced by the wealth of additional features on offer. We spoke to buying experts from AO, Appliances Direct and Currys to find out what they think about the following features.

• Split ovens: These ovens can be split in two, allowing you to cook at two different temperatures at the same time. A central panel splits the oven into two separate compartments, so you could cook sweet and savoury dishes without the flavours melding. "These ovens are great for versatility and have the benefits of a double oven, with the large capacity of a single oven when needed," says Emma Cabourn, buyer at Appliances Direct, "they also help to save energy, giving the option to cook in a smaller cavity without heating the entire oven." AO’s expert, Isabella Forgione, adds that split ovens are ideal for busy households and make a fantastic addition, "if you’re short on space, or for those who want the choice of more cooking options."

• Slide-away doors: If you’re a fan of The Great British Bake Off, you’ll have spied these ovens in the tent. The slide-away door does exactly that: when the oven is opened, the door slides underneath, allowing you to get closer to the oven cavity. All of the experts we asked agreed that these ovens make getting close to the oven safer, allowing you to remove heavy things with ease while also avoiding spills. They can be more expensive, but Jonathan Marsh, senior buyer at Currys says they can be "worth the investment – especially for those with disabilities, families with small children and small kitchens. For example, someone in a wheelchair is able to access the oven to put things in and take things out more easily compared to a normal oven." Appliance Direct's expert Matthew Bibbington also points out that they're useful for "removing large trays or pots, and the soft-close hinge is good for mitigating any impact on delicate bakes."

• Smart ovens: It seems most kitchen appliances now have some kind of smart function; we’ve seen them on dishwashers and fridge-freezers, so it’s no surprise that ovens have been given the 'smart' treatment. Jonathan says: "they're great for those with busy lifestyles or even those who have a keen interest in tech," while Isabella adds they're "particularly handy if you want your dinner ready when you get home from work." The smart features on offer can vary, but the majority allow you to control your oven from your phone via the brand’s app. This could be used to cut the time it takes to cook a meal or use the app to see more specific cooking options.

Self-cleaning ovens

No one enjoys cleaning their oven; we'd be willing to bet it's the one task you really put off doing. But, this is where self-cleaning ovens come in. Designed to make the task easier, there are a few different types of self-cleaning ovens to look out for:

• Pyrolytic: this function heats the oven cavity to a super-high temperature, meaning any food, grease and dirt is carbonised (turned to dust) that can then be simply swept or vacuumed up
• Catalytic liner: these liners absorb fat and anything else that drips down to the base of the oven. The oven will come with a self-cleaning program that’ll need to be run once in a while to loosen all of the dirt, making it easy to wipe away with a damp cloth
• Easy clean enamel: As the name suggests, the enamel lining of the oven doesn’t absorb fat and dirt, making the surface wipe clean. Be aware, these need to be cleaned regularly to avoid grease build-up baking on hard
• Steam cleaning: this natural cleaning method uses steam to loosen dirt and grime from the oven cavity. Simply pour water into the indent in the base of the oven, select the steam clean function and let the oven do the work. Once the cycle has ended and the oven has cooled slightly, you’ll be able to wipe it clean

Oven symbols: explained

Have you ever looked at your oven and wondered what on earth all of the symbols mean? If you’re a 'pop it on 180C and let it do its thing' type of person, you may not be making the most of your oven. Our graphic details what each symbol means – read on to find out more.

• Low heat element only: only the base of the oven is heated. Ideal for crisping up the base of dishes, like caramelised onion quiche with cheddar & bacon, custard tart or deep dish meatball marinara pizza
• Upper and lower heating elements: this heats both the top and bottom of the oven without the fan. Use this on foods you want to cook on the top and bottom, like classic cheese scones or these spiced 'chorizo' pastry slices
• Fan with lower heat: the heat in the oven comes from the base of the oven and is moved around the oven cavity by the fan. This setting is great for those dishes with a crisp base and gently cooked tops, such as this herby spring chicken pot pie: the base and filling cook while the delicate filo on top doesn’t burn
• Fan oven: heat comes from the element at the back of the oven and is circulated evenly by the fan. You may see a fan symbol with lines above and below – this means the heat comes from the top and bottom of the oven and is circulated by the fan. Fan cooking is great for a range of dishes, but ideal for even bakes on cake, be it quick and easy cakes or decadent chocolate cake
• Full grill: heat is produced by the full grill element – great for grilling bacon or finishing off pasta bakes
• Part grill: for when you’re only grilling a small amount, like cheese on toast or a couple of rashers of bacon
• Grill and fan: this setting focusses the majority of the heat on the top of whatever you’re cooking, while the fan distributes the heat, allowing for gentle cooking. Great for fish
• Grill and lower: for browning the tops of dishes and also crisping up the underside. Use this setting on our sausage & leek mash pie or fish pie mac & cheese
• Defrost: this setting turns the fan on minus any heat, so that air circulates, defrosting your food faster than leaving it on the counter would
• Oven light: to turn on the light inside the oven
• Plate warming: gently warm your plates in the oven before serving
• Pyrolytic cleaning: high-heat cleaning function (see above)
• Alarm: so nothing burns!
• Minute minder: this setting automatically turns off the oven after cooking – great for meringues or baked cheesecake
• Child lock: this stops the oven settings from being fiddled with and changed while also keeping children safe

Which type of oven is the most energy efficient?

The energy efficiency of your oven can often come down to its size, age, how often you use it and what you use it for. However, the general consensus among our experts is that fan ovens are more efficient as they circulate hot air more quickly and evenly, which results in quicker cooking times and cuts down the need to preheat the oven.

Jonathan from Currys adds that fan ovens aren't always the most efficient though, and instead you should look out for pyrolytic models that are rated A+. "They can keep heat in the oven more effectively whilst cooking. In addition to this, the pyrolytic cleaning eliminates [the need to use] harsh chemicals to clean," he says.

General oven tips

How long should an oven last?

This is an open-ended question that depends on a range of factors, such as how well you look after your oven, how often you use it and the kind of things you use it for. All of our experts agreed that a well-maintained oven should last over 10 years.

When should you replace your oven?

In most cases, if something seems up with your oven, professional help should be your first port of call. But, there are some tell-tale signs that indicate your oven may be on its last legs:

• Your much-loved recipes aren’t turning out as they normally would
• It’s making strange sounds
• It isn’t heating up
• Your bills are higher than usual
• Nearby cupboards or units are looking scorched

Top tips for looking after your oven

We asked experts from AO, Appliances Direct and Currys for their top tips for looking after your oven.

Clean, clean, clean! The best way to keep your oven in tip-top shape is to keep it clean; this means avoiding messy cooking, wiping away spills and messes as soon as you spot them, and cleaning the whole unit regularly. Use the intense self-cleaning functions sparingly, as they can be hard on your appliance.

Get to know your appliance: this’ll make it easier to spot funny sounds, issues with the controls or when something is taking longer than usual.

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