The Ultimate Guide to Commercial Convection Ovens
If you’re still setting up the kitchen of your new hospitality business, or if you already have a functional kitchen but you want to upgrade it, consider getting a commercial convection oven. It might not be the first equipment that comes to mind when creating a commercial kitchen, but it’s actually one of the most important appliances that you can get for your business. Learn more about this essential equipment by reading our guide.
How Convection Ovens Work
Many people grew up with traditional ovens in their home and are more comfortable using them due to familiarity. A lot of recipes are also made with traditional ovens in mind, which makes them a popular choice. However, just because they’re a universal and well-established option doesn’t automatically mean that they are the best option for commercial kitchens.
Traditional ovens (also called thermal, radiant or conventional ovens) are designed with heating elements at the top and at the bottom of the oven. With this set up, the part of the dish that’s closest to this heating element will typically cook the fastest. This increases the risk of having burned spots on your dish as well as uncooked and even still-raw areas that might not be safe to eat.
This is where convection ovens make a difference: aside from having traditional heating elements, they also come with fans that circulate the air inside the oven along with an exhaust system. This design keeps every inch of the oven at a constant temperature and removes the risk of having too-hot and too-cool areas.
Why Convection Ovens Are a Good Investment
The circulating air inside a convection oven commercial unit ensures that your dishes will be cooked evenly on all sides, not just on the areas that are nearest the active heating element. By using this type of oven, you’ll find browning and crisping much easier, and you’ll end up with meats that are deliciously crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
Circulating the air also accelerates the baking and roasting processes and removes the need to rotate your baking pans (which is often a must for traditional ovens). Convection ovens have quick pre-heating times so you can start cooking right away, and many units are designed with multiple racks, which give you more flexibility and allows you to cook several dishes at once. All of these factors can speed up your food preparation process, reduce your customers’ wait time, and greatly improve their satisfaction.
Another excellent thing about convection oven commercial electric units: they can be used to cook almost anything! This means that you can use your convection oven not just to make desserts but also roast vegetables, cook steaks and other types of meat, and come up with creative casseroles. This usually isn’t an option for traditional ovens, which are often recommended for specific baked goods like quick breads and delicate cakes.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Convection Oven
When it comes to commercial convection ovens, business owners and managers have many options to choose from. However, different makes and models bring different things to the table, so it’s important to choose a unit that suits your business’s food preparation needs. You can choose the ideal oven by taking note of these factors:
- Tray capacity
One thing that you should consider is the oven’s tray capacity. Smaller convection ovens can accommodate up to four trays measuring 460 by 340mm, while bigger units can accommodate ten or more trays that measure 600 by 400 mm.
- Oven dimensions
You should also look at the actual dimensions of the equipment. You’ll want to ensure that your new commercial kitchen convection oven will easily fit on the counter where you’re planning to put it and that it won’t make the space too crowded for comfort. Don’t forget to check the oven’s gross weight and make sure that it won’t make the space too crowded for comfort. Don’t forget to check the oven’s gross weight and make sure that your counter is sturdy enough to handle the weight. Small units can weigh around 40kg, while larger makes and models can weigh up to 150kg. the last thing you want is to have your new convection oven fall through your counter and get damaged because it’s too heavy for the surface.
- Single fan vs. twin fan
Another factor to consider is the number of fans that the oven has. Smaller units are built with a single fan, which usually does the job. However, if you’re planning to purchase a bigger convection oven or if you want to get a unit that will cook your dishes quickly, you’ll want to find ovens with a twin fan configuration.
- Ease of use
As much as possible, looking for a convection oven that’s designed to be user-friendly and can be easily operated even by kitchen staff with minimal skills and experience. By getting this type of oven, you can easily integrate it into your kitchen and make sure that your employees can operate it with minimal risk of mistakes, even without intensive training.
- Price
While it’s not a good idea to choose a convection oven simply based on how much it costs, it’s still important to take a closer look at price tags. By doing so, you can find out which make and model offers a balance between cost and quality and can provide you with the best possible value for money.
- Customer reviews
There’s only so much you can learn from product pages and comparison charts. So, to get additional information about the convection oven that you’re eyeing, take the time to read customer reviews on it. These reviews will give you a clearer idea of how the oven functions in real life and help you determine if it’s a good investment or not.
Reach Out to Our Team
Ready to buy commercial convection oven? Get in touch with HE2020! We have a large inventory of convection ovens that are specially made for commercial kitchens, and we can walk you through each option and explains its features as well as its pros and cons. With our assistance, you can find a convection oven that suits your budget and will speed up the food preparation process in your commercial kitchen. Send our team an e-mail today or give us a call!