what2ask
Home | Full A-Z list | Feedback | About Us
Mini-ovens - what to ask before you buy
If you're thinkng about buying a mini-oven, but you want to know more before you decide, these questions will help you figure out what to ask to make sure you get the right one. See also the list of questions about convection microwave ovens.
Click on a question below for more information.
- Type: What type of mini-oven should I buy?
- Size: How big is the mini-oven?
- Advantages: What are the advantages of a mini-oven?
- Safety: Does the exterior of the mini-oven get really hot?
- Uses: What can I cook in the mini-oven?
- Controls: What kind of temperature control does the mini-oven have?
- Timer: Does the mini-oven have a timer?
- Cleaning: Is the mini-oven easy to clean?
- Design: What does the mini-oven look like?
1. What type of mini-oven should I buy? 
Determine what you want to use it for before you buy it. If you want it to replace your normal oven, you'll want more features and probably a larger size than if you just want it to warm over a croissant or bagel.
Some mini-ovens are only suitable for warming food, others will cook a roast or a cake, and others are convection ovens which cook like a regular electric oven.
If you're looking for a mini-oven, you may also want to consider a combination oven, which combines microwave with a convection oven and/or grill, all in one appliance.
2. How big is the mini-oven?
Cooking
- Mini-ovens can range in size from tiny things that will only fit couple of slices of toast, up to larger ovens which can cook two pizzas at once.
- Note: If you plan to cook or reheat commercial or frozen pizzas, or you want to make your own on a standard pizza tray, make sure it will fit in the oven. Not all of the 'larger' mini-ovens will fit a whole pizza! You'll need at least 30cm (12in.) depth and width.
Storage
- The main question here is whether you have the bench space (or cupboard space) to store the mini-oven when not in use.
3. What are the advantages of a mini-oven?
The main advantages of a mini oven are that they:
- use less power than a regular electric oven
- tend to cook faster
- heat up faster
- can cook at a slightly lower temperature than a regular electric oven
- don't heat up the room to the same extent as a regular electric oven - a big advantage in summer!
4. Does the exterior of the mini-oven get really hot?
The exterior of the mini-oven probably does get very hot. In which case, you'll need to take care when using it, especially if there are children around.
5. What can I cook in the combination oven?
Not all mini-ovens can do all these things. Find out if you can use it for:
- Toasting
- Defrosting
- Baking/roasting
- Grilling (broiling)
- Re-heating
- Browning
- Pizzas (check the depth of the oven)
- Rotisserie cooking (not common)
- Keeping food warm
6. What kind of temperature control does the mini-oven have?
The temperature control may be variable, or it may be a collection of pre-set temperatures. Either way, you'll get used to whatever is provided - and even with variable controls, every oven is different.
7. Does the mini-oven have a timer?
- You really need this, as the mini-oven can cook things more quickly than the regular electric oven.
- Some have a bell or beep when the cooking time is complete, while others will actually turn the oven off when it's finished. Having it turn off automatically is important for economy and safety.
- Some even have a keep warm facility for when the cooking time is over.
8. Is the mini-oven easy to clean?
Some mini-ovens have a non-stick type of finish, or a continuous cleaning function that stops the build up of burned-on grease within the oven. Cheaper mini-ovens don't have these features - in that case, you'll have to wipe it clean regularly, inside and out.
Most will have a removable tray to catch crumbs and drips. Check to see that it is easy to use. Some can only be accessed from the back of the mini-oven which may not be convenient.
9. What does the mini-oven look like?
If you have to keep it on your kitchen bench, you probably want to choose something well designed. Some are better to look at than others.
Some come in stainless steel, grey, black, or white. If you go for white, find out if it will turn yellow with the heat.
