In the world of school and commercial kitchens, a hot topic is simmering: are combination ovens worth it? At School Catering Equipment, we understand how important it is to ensure function and capability where your commercial kitchen equipment is concerned. In this blog post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about combination ovens so that you can make an informed decision. We’ll explore what combination ovens are, and the benefits they offer and will answer the question: are combination ovens worth it? We’ll also highlight why we should be your top choice for yours. For more information about Combination Ovens or any of our other products, contact us today!
Understanding Combination Ovens
What are combination ovens?
Combination Ovens, commonly known as Combi Ovens or Combi Steamers are widely considered to be one of the most versatile cooking machines in the modern professional kitchen. Hugely powerful, these multifunction ovens deliver impressive cooking results – allowing you to cook large quantities of food quickly with absolute precision and consistency every time. There’s a vast selection of heavy-duty combi ovens available, all specifically designed for everyday professional use.
How do combination ovens work?
Combination ovens, as the name suggests, combine several types of cooking functions for seamless culinary creations. The functions typically include convection cooking, steam cooking, or a combination of both. Convection cooking is the process of cooking by circulating hot air around the food, this results in even cooking and heating. Steam cooking uses the power of steam to cook food gently without impacting the flavour or nutrients. Combination ovens combine these methods of cooking to provide greater flexibility and control in busy commercial kitchens, such as schools.
Types of Combination Ovens
Here at School Catering Equipment, we offer a choice of quality combination ovens, suitable for many environments and applications. Here are our most popular combination ovens…
Giorik Kore – Slimline Electric Combi Oven (£5,299 Excl. VAT)
The Giorik Kore – Km101w 10 X 1/1gn Slimline Electric Combi Oven (with wash system) is a must for professional kitchens with its easy touchscreen programming. This high-quality slimline combination oven is built to withstand the demands of a busy and rigorous environment. As is it slimline, it is ideal for environments that lack the space for the standard combi oven. Plus, it even has a built-in wash system, with a choice of 4 timed cycles. It provides precision and consistency resulting in exceptional quality of food. It is a robust cooking appliance that provides steam, hot air, hot air with variable steam and a regeneration functionality.
Giorik Movair 10 Rack Electric Combi/Bake Off Oven (£665 – £5,100 Excl. VAT)
The Giorik Movair 10 Rack Electric Combi/Bake Off Oven, is an innovative piece of equipment designed to elevate your baking and cooking experience. This combi oven offers versatility with a spacious capacity that accommodates 10 x 1/1gn or 600 x 400mm containers at 74mm shelf centres. It also has an inbuilt liquid wash system to make cleaning a breeze. Equipped with a user-friendly 7″ touchscreen interface, navigating through its features and functions is seamless, offering three cooking settings: Manual Mode, One Touch, or Recipe Book for your convenience. Plus, with its recipe menu book storing up to 85 pre-set menus, customisation is at your fingertips.
Rational iCombi Classic – Model 10 Grid – Electric Free-standing Combi Oven (£6,200 Excl. VAT)
The iCombi Classic replaces numerous conventional cooking appliances on a footprint of less than approx. 1 m2, it is robust, high-performing, powerful and efficient. With its user-friendly controls featuring recognisable symbols and a push function dial, navigating through its impressive functions is effortless. Moreover, the digital display allows for precise monitoring of cooking chamber humidity, time, and adjustable temperature, ensuring consistent and high-quality results every time. Chefs can store up to 100 cooking programs, each with as many as 12 steps, allowing for complete customisation and efficiency in their cooking processes.
RATIONAL iCombi Pro – 6 grid – Electric Free-standing Combi Oven (£5,650 Excl. VAT)
The intelligent RATIONAL iCombi Pro 6-1/1 thinks, learns, watches and adapts, dynamically responding to requirements. Intelligent, connectable cooking system with operating modes for poultry, meat, fish, egg dishes, desserts, side dishes, vegetables, baked goods and finishing as well as the cooking methods of roasting, cooking, baking and grilling. Its innovative iCareSystem redefines cleanliness and features nine cleaning programs, including an ultrafast interim clean completed in approximately 12 minutes. It also sets the standard with its WiFi interface, facilitating connected cooking and granting easy access to essential HACCP documentation.
If you would like to speak to our team about our range of combination ovens, contact us today!
Are combination ovens worth it?
At School Catering Equipment, we have seen our loyal customers enjoy the benefits of combination ovens first-hand. Here are some of the advantages that you can enjoy with our combination ovens…
- Combination Ovens Are Versatile
One of the top benefits of combination ovens for commercial kitchens lies in their versatility. Whether you’re cooking, roasting, baking or grilling poultry, meat, fish, egg dishes, desserts, side dishes or vegetables, combi ovens can handle it all with ease. In busy commercial kitchens, this allows chefs to streamline their operations for maximum efficiency.
- Combination Ovens Offer Precision Cooking
Combinations ovens come with a range of precision controls which make precise cooking elements such as temperature, humidity and cooking time a breeze to handle. They are built to withstand the demands of a busy and rigorous environment and deliver meals without food waste or impacting the quality of dishes.
- Combination Ovens Save Time & Are Energy Efficient
Commercial kitchens are required to meet large-scale demands for food creation and delivery, and combi ovens meet those needs time and time again. Combination ovens can cook faster than traditional ovens and use less energy while doing so. So not only can they boost kitchen efficiency, but they can lower your energy usage while they’re at it.
- Combination Ovens Retain Nutrient Value
Unlike other food preparation and oven equipment, combination ovens can retain natural flavours, colours and nutrients within the food being prepared. By using steam cooking, commercial kitchen chefs can be assured that their dishes are healthy and delicious, as well as looking as good as possible.
- Combination Ovens Have In-Built Cleaning Programs
Many combination ovens come with built-in cleaning programs with a range of speedy, timed cycles as standard. These user-friendly self-cleaning features make combination ovens simple to operate and maintain, even in the busiest of environments. This means that kitchen staff and chefs can focus on creating culinary delights instead of worrying about cleaning them.
If you think that a combination oven may be right for your business or organisation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today for more information.
How to choose the right combination oven?
Now that you know about the types of combination ovens on offer and their benefits, how do you pick the right one? Here’s everything you need to think about to help you pick the right combination oven for your business or organisation…
- The size of the combination oven relative to your kitchen’s volume requirements.
- What additional features do you need such as built-in washing cycles, programmable recipes and humidity control?
- How often will you be using the combination oven?
- How long will you be using it daily?
- What budget do you have available?
- How many combination ovens do you need?
- What safety precautions do you need to consider?
- Do you need any additional design features?
- How much maintenance will your combination oven require?
Speak to our specialists today, we are more than happy to provide you with trusted advice and guidance on how to pick the right combination oven for your business or organisation.
Combination Oven Frequently Asked Questions…
Q: What is a combination oven?
A combination oven or a combi oven, is a versatile cooking appliance that combines the functions of a convection oven, steam oven, and sometimes additional cooking methods such as grilling or microwaving.
Q: How does a combination oven differ from traditional ovens?
Combination ovens offer the flexibility of multiple cooking methods in a single appliance. Unlike traditional ovens that typically rely on one cooking method, combination ovens allow for precise control over cooking conditions by utilising a combination of heat and moisture.
Q: Is special cookware required for combination ovens?
No, special cookware is not required for combination ovens. They are compatible with standard oven-safe cookware such as metal baking pans, ovenproof glass dishes, and ceramic bakeware.
Q: Can I use any type of food in a combination oven?
Yes, combination ovens are versatile and can be used to cook a wide variety of foods, including meats, vegetables, grains, baked goods, and more. Whether you’re roasting, steaming, baking, or grilling, a combination oven offers the flexibility to handle a range of cooking tasks.
Q: How quickly do combination ovens cook food?
Combination ovens offer fast cooking times due to their ability to combine multiple cooking methods simultaneously. Whether you’re looking to quickly steam vegetables, roast meat, or bake pastries, a combination oven can deliver efficient cooking results.
Q: Are combination ovens energy-efficient?
Yes, combination ovens are designed to be energy-efficient. As they utilise precise temperature control and incorporate steam cooking, they can help reduce cooking times and energy consumption compared to traditional cooking methods.
Q: How much does a combination oven cost?
The cost of a combination oven can vary depending on factors such as size, features, and brand. We offer a range of combination ovens to suit different budgets and requirements. Get in touch with us for more information about our range of combination ovens.
So, are combination ovens worth it?
In answer to the question ‘Are combination ovens worth it?’ the answer is a resounding yes. Combination ovens boast an extensive range of desirable benefits for commercial kitchens including being highly versatile, the ability to cook with precision, lowering the cost of your utility bills and the ability to handle a range of high-level cooking requirements with ease. For these reasons, why believe that combination ovens are a smart investment for any commercial kitchen including schools.
If you’re considering incorporating a combination oven into your professional kitchen, School Catering Equipment is here to help. Our range of high-quality combination ovens, backed by expert advice and support, ensures that you’ll find the perfect solution for your cooking requirements. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today to learn more about our selection of combination ovens and how they can elevate your kitchen. Whether you’re a school, restaurant, or healthcare facility, we’re dedicated to providing you with the tools you need to succeed in the kitchen.
How To Order…
No need for credit cards or upfront payment. You will be invoiced directly and automatically be given 28-day payment terms. Simply fill in your school details, set up your own school account and you can start to order from the most comprehensive catalogue of catering equipment on the web specially selected for school and college needs.
If you would prefer to use your own purchase order system we will be happy to take orders over the phone on 0845 309 6355 or e-mail enquiries@schoolcateringequipment.co.uk.
Please call us at any time if you have any queries or would like any samples.
Not a school? Not a problem! Simply set up an account (including your phone number), place your order and we will call you within the hour to take payment over the phone. We will then ship your goods as soon as we receive payment.
