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Part 1
What a modern oven can do
Required elements
In any electric oven there are heaters - heating elements, due to the heating of which food is prepared.
The lower heater is usually hidden under a metal sheet and is not visible to the eye, but the upper heating element and grill are located under the ceiling of the oven, you can look at them and touch them with your hands. They are not hidden under a metal sheet, since infrared radiation does not pass through the metal.
The overhead heaters are quite interesting. Firstly, it is a heating element, which runs along the perimeter of the oven ceiling and is called the upper heating element. Secondly, it is a curved heating element located in the middle - a grill that looks like the heating element of a kettle or an automatic washing machine. At the maximum temperature (usually 220-250 ° C), the grill is red-hot. At the same time, the surface of the dish located on the middle part of the wire rack placed on the upper or middle level is heated directly. Interestingly, the air in the oven does not heat up much at the same time, so the cutlet placed on the edge of the wire rack will remain undercooked. All manufacturers in the instructions for stoves and ovens emphasize the features of the operation of this mode.
Sometimes there are models of built-in ovens with a quartz grill (the heater is hidden in a quartz glass case). These are always ovens with a microwave function (Smeg S300X, Siemens HB77L55 EU), we did not find quartz grills in ovens without microwaves.
In order to cook on the entire surface of the grate, a mode has been created in which both upper heaters are turned on. Different manufacturers call this function differently: “Large Vario Grill” (Bosch), “Double Grill” (Indesit), “Full Grill” (Zigmund & Stain), etc. When activated, you can cook over the entire grill area.
If you want the cooking dish to be fried on both sides, you must remember to turn it over. Almost all manufacturers use the term "grill" to refer to the operation of the central heater, but Gorenje prefers the name "infra-heater" and Mastercook calls it "roaster", although this does not change the essence of the matter.
In the "top heating" mode, which is not found in all manufacturers, only the top heating element is turned on. Its power is usually small, therefore the general functionality of the mode is very limited, which explains the fact that it is not used very often.
The fan changes everything
Ovens with two heating elements and a grill are called static. But this technique cannot be called modern. This is yesterday's, and maybe the day before yesterday's level of comfort. Devices that are rightfully called multifunctional or multifunctional have confidently replaced static ovens. What changed? The upper and lower heating elements remained in their places, but a small but smart fan appeared on the back wall of the oven, which drives air throughout the entire inner space of the oven, while providing faster heating and an even distribution of hot air.
Have you noticed how quickly and evenly your skin becomes tanned in windy weather, even if it's not very hot outside? Likewise, any dish placed in a fan oven cooks faster at a lower temperature. When the fan is operating without heating the air, you can defrost a variety of foods, and at a temperature of 50-80 ° C, you can dry fruits and mushrooms. Combinations of simultaneous operation of separate heaters and a fan are naturally possible. Particularly interesting is the grill operating mode with simultaneous fan operation.
Many homemade grilled meat lovers remember that in a static electric oven, a chicken or goose was often mercilessly dry during grilling. A working fan provides a "hot breath" that spreads directly to the meat located in the oven, so it quickly becomes evenly crusty, keeping its juiciness inside. Some experts even point out that in ovens with this mode, a spit is not needed, because now it is not the meat that rotates, exposing its sides to the heat of the grill, but the hot air rotates around the meat. Many fan ovens do not include a spit. But some manufacturers did not deprive people of the pleasure of contemplating a rotating appetizing chicken, and left the skewer.
With the simultaneous operation of the lower heater with a fan or two heating elements with a fan, the time required for cooking any dish is reduced. In addition, as mentioned above, the cooking temperature in this mode can be reduced by 20-30 ° C, which is recommended in some instructions (for example, for Electrolux stoves).
And the ring has no beginning and no end
Progress does not stand still, and in many stoves and ovens on the back wall around the fan there is an additional heater, which is called "back" or "ring". With its appearance, the functionality of ovens has become even wider.
First of all, the mode of simultaneous operation of the fan and the ring heater appeared. As it is not called by different manufacturers of stoves: and "multi-hot air" (AEG), and "3D - hot air" (Bosch, Siemens), and "cooking with blowing" (Candy), etc. The main feature of this mode is the possibility of simultaneous cooking at once on several levels of the oven. In this case, you can bake several trays of shortbread cookies, or you can cook two different dishes at once.
In some ovens and stoves, a special mode for pizza preparation has appeared, in which the bottom and ring (rear) heaters and a fan work simultaneously. Moreover, this mode is found not only among Italian manufacturers (Ariston, Zanussi), but also among other Europeans (Bosch, Electrolux, AEG). However, some manufacturers do not limit the use of this mode only to the preparation of a traditional Italian dish, but emphasize its attractive features: ultra-fast heating, which allows you to significantly save time. The recommended temperature for this mode is 200 ° C.
The "pizza" mode aims to bring the conditions in the oven closer to those in the stone oven in which the dish was traditionally cooked. Fast uniform heating allows you to get high-quality baked pizza with melted, but not burnt cheese in a short period of time. The main thing is to catch the moment when to take out the pizza, so that it is, as they say, "in the juice itself", and here a lot depends not only on the capabilities of the oven, but also on the owner's instinct and experience.
How much?
We have divided all electric stoves and built-in ovens offered on the Russian market into three large groups:
price up to $ 500
price from $ 500
up to $ 1000
price from $ 1000
I must say that the price of stoves and ovens depends on a number of reasons: volume, control (mechanical or touch), self-cleaning functions (pyrolytic ovens are always very expensive), protection functions, energy class, design (prices for the same models with different designs can vary over a wide range).
In the stoves, among other things, the price depends on the type of coating of the cooking zone (almost all glass-ceramic are in the middle and high price group), on which heaters are installed on the surface, whether there are heating zones with varying geometry. All this leads to the fact that models of the same manufacturer with the same number of heating functions in ovens can be in different price groups. But a certain gradation is still observed.
Available to all
The group of the most affordable plates includes the equipment of domestic manufacturers Gazmash, Gefest, Darina, DeLuxe, ZVI, NovoVyatka (enameled and glass-ceramic), from foreign manufacturers this is a number of models Beko, Bompani, Nardi, Indesit, some models of Ardo, Ariston, Asko , Hansa, Gorenje, Kaiser (mostly with enamel hob and pancake burners).
You can find a stove with a fan from domestic manufacturers (Gefest 1140-05, Darina 1403-04B, a number of ZVI models). In ZVI stoves (401-10, 401-11), unlike imported counterparts, the fan has its own separate control button, so it can be turned on in any heating mode.
Thus, in cheap cookers (the price is slightly less than $ 250), up to 10 heating modes are provided. But in these models, there is no ring heater on the back wall, which somewhat reduces the capabilities of the oven. The overwhelming majority of imported stoves in this price group have a static oven (top / bottom, top, bottom, grill). Sometimes, in the range of $ 400 to $ 500, you can find models with five programs, for example, the Ariston c 302 M (W).
In built-in ovens of this price group, the presence of several modes is more common. For example, among Ardo ovens there are models with convection (from $ 300) and with a rear heater ($ 487). Ariston offers a choice of static ovens ($ 273-313) or ovens with five programs ($ 299-368). You can find a “7 cooks” oven, but to keep within $ 500, you will have to be content with a model with a modest design. In this price group, there are some Bosch convection ovens with four heating modes (price over $ 400), and you can also pick up a multifunctional oven with a rear heater and 7-8 modes of operation for less than $ 500 from Electrolux, Gorenje, some of them even have a mode "pizza".
Domestic manufacturers began to produce built-in ovens, at a price they are affordable for the mass consumer. So an oven with four modes from the ZVI is sold for only $ 345. Darin's 32.03 ECV model is noteworthy. This oven is equipped with a fan, so its functionality is very wide, its cost is $ 296.
Middle half
This group includes electric cookers Ardo, Ariston, Bosch, Brandt, Gorenje, Electrolux, Indesit (the most expensive models of this manufacturer), Hansa, Kaiser, Siemens (the cheapest models of this manufacturer), etc.
Needless to say, in the second price group, the vast majority of models have a glass-ceramic hob. It is its presence that is the main factor in the price increase, therefore, in the range from $ 500 to $ 650, you can find models with a static oven, but a glass-ceramic hob. For example, the Bosch HSS 722 KEU stove ($ 597), Indesit K6C7E (W) R ($ 568), etc. Interestingly, the prices for models with a multifunctional oven but an enamel hob are about the same. True, there are only a few such models, because most manufacturers and consumers choose glass ceramics. An example is the Gorenje E 777W, E 7774W and Kaiser E502.81TeKDNCs stoves, in the ovens of which there are eight operating modes at a price of $ 536, $ 588 and $ 624, respectively. The Kaiser model is more expensive, since in addition to the fan, there is also a ring heater on the back of the oven.
In mid-range stoves, many models have a fan on the back wall, and some have a ring heater. For example, Ardo C 60EEFWH with seven work programs ($ 611), Ariston C3V9 - seven programs ($ 582).
The prices for glass-ceramic hobs with multifunctional ovens from a number of other manufacturers - Bosch, Brandt, Gorenie, Kaiser, Siemens, etc. are much higher. So the Bosch HSN 832 KEU hob ($ 747) has only five programs and there is no ring heater on the back wall, only a fan. The Gorenje EC 774 ($ 743), EC 777B ($ 833), EC 778 B ($ 896) stoves have seven programs, including the Aqua Cleen branded self-cleaning.
Signature oven “7 Chefs - Pizza” is installed in the most expensive Ariston stoves (from $ 700).For Kaiser stoves, the Multi8 oven is installed in glass-ceramic hobs, the price of which exceeds $ 850 (models C502.813TeKDSpCs, C602.80TcWs, C602.834TeKDCs). In general, in stoves of this price group, the number of oven heating programs is usually less than ten. All the necessary programs are present, but only in a few models you can see circular heating and special modes like "pizza". The same group contains a large number of the most diverse models of built-in ovens, and often technically more equipped than electric stoves of the same group. This is quite natural, since the price of the stove is made up of the cost of the oven and the hob. Considering the current trend towards glass-ceramic surfaces, the price increase for slabs is obvious.
But do not forget that you will also have to buy a hob for the built-in oven. In this price group, you can find built-in ovens from such expensive manufacturers as AEG, Kuppersbusch, Siemens. They cost from $ 700 and have up to nine heating modes. In the middle price group there are ovens that, in addition to multifunctionality, have an "electronic mind" and can "independently" cook a different number of dishes.
The most expensive Ariston ovens ($ 750- 885) have Smart Cooking and 15 recipes in electronic memory. Bosch ovens cost $ 550-650 are equipped with a fan, and models for $ 900 have a ring heater on the back wall and in addition, they "remember" 24 automatic cooking programs.
An interesting oven in this price group is offered by Siemens (model HB 77L55EH). This is an oven of a small volume 34 l with a microwave function. It is even difficult to understand if this is a small oven with a microwave or just a large microwave oven. Manufacturers call this device an oven, which is why we attributed it to this group. The main feature of this oven is the presence of a quartz grill, which is usually used in microwave ovens. Its main advantages are faster and more uniform frying of the dish. The use of this grill in this oven is conditioned by its purpose - quick preparation of meals.
A thousand is not the limit
The ranges of the high price group are distinguished, first of all, by their convenient control, the presence of an electronic timer and changing heating zones on the hobs. In addition, stove-top ovens can be equipped with self-cleaning systems. As for the functionality of ovens, it does not increase in all models and not in all manufacturers. For example, the Gorenje stoves have as many oven functions in the most expensive models as in the $ 700 stoves. Bosch cookers, on the contrary, in addition to the Comfort multifunctional oven, also have 20 automatic cooking programs that allow you to cook according to specific recipes with guaranteed results and with minimal human intervention. The Kaiser C602 / 848TrkDSrbf is equipped with an oven with 12 heating modes.
There are not many expensive solo slabs on the market, and their number is gradually decreasing. This is due to the orientation of manufacturers and buyers towards built-in appliances. Built-in ovens in this category (from $ 1100) usually have a maximum number of heating modes, including a large number of additional ones. In addition, ovens in this price range often have steam cooking functions (AEG, Electrolux, Miele) or the ability to cook with microwaves (Ariston, Miele, Bosch, etc.). Naturally, in addition to multifunctionality, such expensive ovens are often equipped with pyrolysis, almost all have touch controls and a well-thought-out security system.
Most ovens in this price range have the maximum amount of electronics. Many ovens are able to work practically without the participation of a person who can only put prepared food on a baking sheet, press the buttons and after a while take out the finished dish. Some Miele models even have special sensors that allow you to monitor the process with extraordinary precision. This is how the oxygen sensor determines the amount of this gas in the working chamber.If there is a lot of oxygen, it means that the dish is not ready yet, if its amount decreases, then it remains to wait quite a bit. The humidity sensor regulates the direction and intensity of the air currents, which affect the overall humidity inside the oven.
