Combi ovens are hugely versatile appliances, offering huge flexibility in commercial kitchens. They work well within a restaurant kitchen, pub kitchen, school kitchen, canteen kitchen and even in residential care kitchens too. Users can use steam, convection or a combination of the two.
Whilst all combi ovens offer multiple options when cooking, there are differences amongst different models and brands which will be explored further in this article.
Things to Consider when Picking your New Commercial Combi Oven
Different catering establishments have different needs so it’s important to decide what your priorities are before going straight into buying a new combi oven. Do you need to cook a high volume of food every day? Will your oven be in use all year round? How much space is there for an oven in your kitchen? How technical is the cooking within your business?
Combi ovens come in various sizes. Some are very small and are suitable for countertops in smaller establishments like cafes. Some are much larger with multiple shelves and will have a far bigger footprint in your kitchen. These are great in restaurants or pubs and also in schools or residential homes where space isn’t so much of an issue. It’s also important to think about how technical or advanced the cooking at your establishment is. Schools, for example, tend to need less technical features and intricate cooking options than restaurants do.
Once you’ve decided what it is you need your oven to do, you can start thinking about brands and models.
Our Combi Oven Brands
Here at Prestige we make sure we work only with top quality oven brands to ensure our customers receive the very best products and service. The brands we choose, Convotherm and Rational, offer not just a superb product but also excellent support and aftercare.
Once your oven is installed in your kitchen, a brand rep will come out to train your staff on how to use it and get the most out of your new appliance. They can even help you set up menus that work around using the oven. Most of these reps are ex-chefs and have the knowledge and experience to help make sure your new combi oven enhances your business. Finally, there’s also a two year warranty which also includes replacement parts, so with our chosen brands you can rest assured that if any problems arise, you’ll be well looked after.
Rational Combi Ovens
Full combi ovens from Rational
Rational is a really forward-thinking, fantastic brand for combi ovens. The Rational CombiMaster Plus range offers a more basic level of technology (though this still means the ovens have the capacity for up to 100 different cooking programmes and are self cleaning). These kinds of ovens usually go into establishments where the cooking tends to be less technical, schools, for example. Then you have the all singing, all dancing models: the Rational SelfCookingCenters. Their name gives a little indication as to how intelligent these ovens are. They can recognise the food being put inside and cook accordingly, get used to chefs’ habits or preferences and even cook overnight if needed. These impressive ovens are usually used in establishments where the cooking requirements are more specific and technical such as restaurants and pubs. The most popular Rational models we supply to businesses are the Rational SCC101E and the Rational CMP101E. Check out the Rational ‘Connected Cooking’ video here:
Rational also offer combi oven users an app which has several really useful features. Chefs can use the app, called Chef Connect, to network with other chefs and share knowledge, to watch how-to videos and find recipes, and to find tips and tricks on how to use the Rational combi ovens. One of the most useful features, though, is being able to monitor your ovens remotely. You can see exactly which settings are applied at any given time and even modify them from wherever you are.
Convotherm Combi Ovens
Convotherm 4 EasyTouch and Convotherm 4 EasyDial ranges both offer exceptional quality within a combi oven. The most popular models we supply are the Convotherm 4 EasyDial 10.10 and the Convotherm 4 EasyTouch 10.10. Both are incredibly well-built and are durable and reliable appliances. The Convotherm EasyDial is controlled with a manual dial panel whereas the Convotherm EasyTouch features a 9” LCD display. These ovens are extremely easy to use and their functions are entirely customisable too, giving chefs even more flexibility. Again, we tend to see the EasyDials going into premises where the cooking doesn’t need to be too advanced, and the EasyTouch going into places where chefs would benefit from further flexibility. Owners of Convotherm ovens also have access to an app which can be used by chefs to configure their appliances. There are also full demos available as well as any relevant documents, meaning you won’t have to worry about losing any physical manuals.
If you’re looking to buy a new combi oven, we can help you through the entire process, from choosing the best oven for your needs to arranging the most suitable payment option for you. Call us on 01604 756395 for more information.
