The Best Wall Ovens

Ovens can be used to cook, bake, warm, or broil all sorts of food. Whether you cook daily or only around the holidays, the odds are good that most of your recipes will require the use of an oven in some form or other. When you think of an oven, you probably imagine a classic range oven, which rests on the floor and has a gas or electric stovetop for heating water, cooking pasta, and other similar tasks. However, a range oven isn’t your only choice for your kitchen. Depending on your cooking habits, the size of your kitchen, and other factors, you might find that a wall oven better suits your needs.

Buying Guide for Wall Ovens

Why buy a wall oven?

The main advantage of wall ovens over range ovens is that they don’t require you to bend over or kneel in front of them to open and close the door or access the food inside. Many professional bakers prefer wall ovens for this very reason, especially since it makes them safer and easier for removing hot, heavy foods. Other people prefer wall ovens because they take up less floor space. If you have limited kitchen space or don’t want your oven to be the kitchen’s focal point, a wall oven might be an ideal choice for you. They also tend to have a sleeker, more linear, and more streamlined look than range ovens. And as a bonus, wall ovens don’t require any extra venting.

However, it’s worth keeping in mind that installing wall ovens will be a more involved process, and they tend to be more expensive than regular ovens. They also don’t have a connected stovetop for tasks like boiling water or cooking pasta.

What should you look for in a wall oven?

Here are a few things to consider before buying a wall oven:

• Type: When it comes to selecting a wall oven, you’ll have the choice between a single, double, or combination model. Single wall ovens, like classic range ovens, offer one cooking and baking zone and will be the most space-efficient. A double wall oven comes with an extra cooking slot, which is essentially two ovens stacked on top of each other. These are great for people with large families or who bake in large quantities. A combination wall oven features a full oven and microwave built into the same appliance, which can also be a great space saver. This also makes defrosting food and warming up leftovers a convenient one-stop shop. Also, consider whether you want an electric or a gas wall oven, keeping in mind that electric models are far more common, and your choices will be more limited if you opt for a gas oven.
• Size: In terms of width, the size of wall ovens will be pretty comparable to that of classic range ovens. The most common widths are 24, 27, or 30 inches, and 36-inch models are also fairly easy to find and are an excellent option for people who cook or bake in large quantities, as long as they have the kitchen space. Beyond a wall oven’s width, consider how many racks it will fit and its internal capacity (usually measured in cubic feet). Most wall ovens will have space for two or three racks—four or six if you opt for a double oven—and an internal capacity of 4.5 to 5.1 cubic feet of cooking volume.
• Features: Modern wall ovens offer a nice range of useful features that can make your cooking and baking process easier or more streamlined. You might prefer one that’s a convection-style oven, which circulates the air inside for more even cooking. Newer models can also offer an air-frying and/or steam-cooking option. Many are self-cleaning, and some have removable doors or oven bottoms that make it easier to access hard-to-reach spots inside the oven for more thorough cleaning. Others will have gliding racks that roll in and out of the oven, which are optimal for removing foods like casseroles or checking on your food as it cooks without fully taking it out of the oven. The most modern models might even have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to use your smartphone to preheat the oven or change the temperature, even if you aren’t at home.

Can you buy a convection-style wall oven?

Yes. Convection ovens have a special fan and exhaust system to circulate hot air inside the oven, so there’s no reason that a wall oven can’t be a convection-style oven. There are a decent number of convection wall ovens available for purchase if you prefer them or have recipes that call for their use. Many people like convection ovens because they allow food to cook faster and brown more evenly. They’re also great for cooking multiple items at once since heat will be distributed equally between your dishes (although cooking too many dishes at once can affect their performance).

Our Picks for Best Wall Ovens

Pros: This oven preheats quickly, especially for its larger size, so you can get to cooking or baking that much faster. It has three racks, allowing you to cook one more tray of food than in the average oven. Also, the effortless temperature probe will detect and let you know when your desired cooking temperature has been reached, taking out the guesswork element.

Cons: While this model will still save floor space, as per usual with wall ovens, it will take up more wall space than most. It might also be too wide to fit in your allotted oven slot. Overall, it isn’t a great option for anyone with a small kitchen or limited available kitchen space.

Bottom Line: This wall oven is the ideal choice for anyone who tends to cook or bake in large quantities. The extra-wide body, 5.1-cubic-foot capacity, and three interior racks can fit and cook more food at once than most other wall ovens.

 

Pros: You get an extra oven for cooking and baking, which is especially ideal for cooking multiple recipes at once. You can cook vegetables in the top oven while baking cookies in the bottom one, for instance. Also, even with two ovens, it’s easy to clean thanks to a combination of the stainless steel body and its EasyClean and self-cleaning modes. The interior is lit up with bright lights, ensuring that you always have a clear view of what’s happening inside. There’s no need to open the door to check on your food.

Cons: As with double ovens of all sorts, this model is very expensive, even by wall oven standards. And, even though you get two ovens in one, the top oven is smaller than the bottom, which limits how much you can fit inside it. Even with the smaller top oven, this model is less space-efficient than some other wall ovens, so it isn’t a great choice for smaller kitchens.

Bottom Line: Serious cooks or bakers will love this double wall oven. It allows you to cook two different recipes at two different temperatures at the same time, should the need arise. And since one is a convection oven and the other is a microwave oven, you have the option to pick whichever type better suits your food and recipe.

 

Pros: This combination wall oven is a beautiful stacked microwave and convection oven. The stainless steel makes the oven look sleek and modern. The microwave and convection oven each have their own separate control systems, which is especially beneficial if either one has trouble or requires repairs down the road. As opposed to some other combination styles, this microwave’s door opens to the side, which makes it easier to use safely. The convection oven comes with three racks that can adjust to accommodate whatever baking needs you have. The oven also has a self-cleaning option to keep your beautiful wall oven operating at its best.

Cons: Some thought that the oven’s fan was louder than expected.

Bottom Line: Stack your kitchen for performance with this combination wall oven. The microwave is conveniently tucked above the convection oven, saving you some counter space. The oven has a self-cleaning feature, which makes maintenance easier.

 

Pros: Tackle whatever cooking you have on your menu with this electric oven that has nine different working modes, including defrost, grill, conventional, convection, and rotisserie. The oven features a cooling down fan, temperature controller, and timer as well. This stainless steel oven features three layers of tempered glass for safe and easy viewing of your food. The oven comes with five rack heights for flexible cooking and baking needs.

Cons: The controls are hard to read and complicated to use, especially when just getting used to the oven.

Bottom Line: While this oven has multiple modes of cooking to accommodate any recipe, it can take a minute to figure out how to switch between the different cooking modes and options. Once you get the hang of it, you can enjoy a variety of cooking options to satisfy your cravings.

 

Pros: Powered by gas, this convection oven circulates heat for an even cook. With five available racks, you can fit everything from a pan of brownies to an entire turkey in the oven. This convection oven also includes a rotisserie function for even more cooking variety. The oven is made of durable stainless steel and can withstand an active kitchen, even resisting scratches. Three ergonomic knobs help you adjust cooking modes, times, and temperatures.

Cons: Since this is a natural gas-powered oven, be sure you have the proper supply before purchasing.

Bottom Line: If you need a natural gas-powered oven, this option gives you the even cook of convection and also includes a rotisserie function. The 18-gauge stainless steel oven is scratch-resistant and stands up well to frequent use in a busy home.

Final Thoughts

While not the right choice for everyone, there are plenty of good reasons to invest in a wall oven for your home. If you have limited kitchen floor space or a bad back or knees, or you tend to cook or bake large amounts of food on heavy trays, a wall oven could very well be the right choice for you and your kitchen.