The Best Commercial Combi Oven | Buyer's Guide

Buying a commercial combi oven: what to consider

From the model to the manufacturer, there is a lot to take into account when purchasing a combi oven for your kitchen.

Here are some factors to keep in mind. Some will be more important than others, depending on the needs of your venue.

Size

Commercial combi ovens come in a range of sizes, from countertop, compact models to floor standing ‘giants’ that can take up to 40 trays.

Size is a factor for three reasons:

Have the space where you will install your combi oven measured before you start shopping so you know how much room you have. Don’t forget to check height and depth as well as width.

If you’re not sure if the size of combi oven you are looking at will meet demand, speak to a consultant or visit a couple of establishments that are similar to yours to see which models they chose.

In terms of functionality, touch-to-open doors will make life easier for your chefs.

Combi ovens come with other features, including ‘stopwatch’ for testing new recipes, timers to automatically switch off and pre-programmability so the oven is hot the minute you need to use it.

These models all have glass doors but steam can make it hard to see what’s going on inside, so there are also models with condensation reduction functions that give you visibility for 20 seconds or so.

You can also look out for:

Combi oven power

You need to speak with your dealer or manufacturer to ensure your commercial combi oven can withstand being used all day if that’s what you need it to do.

Check the power requirements to make sure your kitchen’s electricity supply will meet your combi oven’s needs.

Water management

Your commercial combi oven uses water to steam food. Note that if you won’t ever use this function you should be using a regular convection oven.

Aesthetics

If your kitchen is open to the rest of your venue, the look of your commercial combi oven may be a factor that influences your final decision. However, this shouldn’t be a more important consideration than other, more practical factors like usability, efficiency and safety. It is more important for an oven to be robust than good-looking. 

Accessories

Your commercial combi oven accessories are mostly trays, grids and racks so make sure you can get ones that you fit, and as many as you need. A trolley that you can wheel in and out may be suitable for a floor model of combi oven.

A smoker is another accessory. Add wood chips in the specially-made container, put it in your oven along with the food and create bbq-style dishes that diners love.

Speak with your supplier about which accessories come standard with the combi oven you wish to purchase and which extra accessories will come in handy. There are additional items like pastry containers, baking trays and combi oven stands with space to store racks.

Consider where you are going to store your spare trays if you don’t order a stand with racks or if the racks don’t have enough room for all your trays. 

Insurance and warranty

Everything that plugs in has the potential to break down, especially when it is working as hard as an oven.

When you’re buying a machine that’s as pricey as a brand new commercial combi oven, you should always make sure the parts are covered by warranty and that you have insurance in the case of theft or damage.

Read the fine print closely. There may be a clause which voids a warranty if you don’t service the machine in a particular way.

Mostly, commercial combi oven warranties cover faulty manufacturer parts so be aware that a warranty isn’t a fail-safe for when things go wrong. 

Maintenance and commercial combi oven repair

If you use it, it will need maintenance.

When you buy a combi oven, find out what is involved with keeping it in good working order. Stick to a maintenance and cleaning schedule and you will improve your chances of being able to claim warranty on parts.

Some of the best commercial combi ovens

With so many commercial combi oven manufacturers, it is hard to know which one is right for your venue. Take a look at some of the most recommended models and widely-used models.

Premium commercial combi ovens

It always makes sense to get the best model of combi oven you can afford. These are some of the high-end brands to look out for.

RATIONAL combi ovens

RATIONAL is a near-50-year-old company which is one of the stalwarts of the commercial cooking industry. This company boasts that 140 million dishes are prepared daily around the world in RATIONAL units, which are produced in Germany.

A RATIONAL combi oven is energy and water efficient and is designed to produce consistently high-quality results. They are programmable and ‘smart’, which means they can automatically gauge the volume of food in the oven and can determine which cleaning cycle is needed without your input. RATIONAL combi oven models come in a range of sizes, from compact to floor-standing versions. Fans of these ovens say they help reduce errors and produce consistent outcomes.

Zanussi combi ovens

With easy-to-use controls, Goldstein combi ovens come in a range of sizes.

Affordable combi ovens

Smeg combi ovens

Smeg has been producing kitchen appliances since 1948. Well known for their domestic products, they also have a commercial range. The brand boasts Australia wide warehousing, high-volume logistics, on-time delivery and on-site support.

Smeg’s combi ovens have more than a dozen cooking functions including static, fan assisted, grilling, warming and re-generation. Their models have cleaning and descaling features as well as removable inner doors, soft-close hinges and A+ energy efficiency.

TECNOEKA/EKA combi ovens

EKA branded combi ovens are characterised by quality, efficiency, technical progress, ease of use and optimal performance. With headquarters in Italy, this brand has been around since the 1970s. It invests in technology so it can produce continually improved products.

Robust but elegantly designed, EKA combi ovens come with touchscreens and a range of features and options that can meet the demands of even the busiest venues.

Bosch combi ovens

Bosch is a well-known commercial and domestic brand which began its journey in Germany’s Stuttgart in 1886.

A combi oven from Bosch provides the quality, even-cooking technology that European baking appliances are known for. With a temperature probe to remove the guesswork, and ‘EcoChef Mode’ which allows the remaining heat in the oven cavity to finish the cooking process, plus a range of cooking modes and programs, these ovens are easy to use.

Asko combi oven

Asko is a Swedish company that makes commercial and residential kitchen appliances.

Their compact combi ovens are gentle on food, and preserve vitamins and nutrients better than traditional boiling. With full colour touchscreen display, soft close doors, a huge range of settings and programmable functions, and a range of cleaning and descaling functions, these are a reliable model of combi oven. 

Fagor combi ovens

Fagor is a 60-year-old Spanish company with 35 offices in 20 countries. It offers five sizes of combi ovens with varying features plus gas and electric options.

Easy to use and automatically self-cleaning, Fagor’s ovens are designed to make working in a kitchen more convenient, more cost-effective, safer and more hygienic. The range is versatile, durable and designed with ergonomics in mind.

Ten questions to ask before you buy a commercial combi oven

With so many models and options, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. One way to make a decision is to focus on your realistic needs and budget, rather than being distracted by features which may not be used.

Here are questions to ask your dealer or supplier about the best combi oven for your business:

Commercial combi oven FAQ

How to clean your commercial combi oven

Your commercial combi oven should be self-cleaning, which will make life easier for you and your team.

Check the cycle length before you switch the cleaning mode on to ensure it won’t interrupt service. Overnight or while the kitchen is closed is usually the best time to do the clean.

Once the cycle is complete, wipe the oven down to remove any residual grease or food particles that may be left inside.

Note: This is generic advice. Speak to your supplier for specific instructions.

How much water does a commercial combi oven use?

The amount of water your commercial combi oven uses will depend on how large it is, how you use the steam function and how many hours you use it for each day.

Look for a water efficient model and expect to use quite a few litres of water if you’re using the steam setting all day. For a specific idea of how much water will be used, speak to your dealer.

How much does a commercial combi oven cost?

The cost to buy a commercial combi oven depends on what you will be using it for, which features it has and the size you choose.

Compact models of commercial combi ovens can start for well under $10,000. At the other end of the scale, you can expect to pay in excess of $50,000. This is why a lease-to-buy option makes sense for many venues.

How to use a commercial combi oven

Combi ovens are designed to be as simple to use as possible and programmed so anyone can use them but you still need to take the time to be clear on how yours works.

To make the most of your commercial combi oven, a training session will probably be necessary. It may also make sense to make manuals or videos for your staff so they can use the machine without needing to interrupt anybody else.

Don’t forget to make the most of pre-programmable settings. This way your chefs will be able to simply select a number or recipe and press ‘go’.

Who can install a commercial combi oven?

Because it involves water as well as electricity or gas, you will need a professional to install your commercial combi oven. Don’t attempt to install it yourself or you may void the warranty.

Commercial combi oven terminology

Your commercial combi oven has a range of features and capabilities. The following are some of the terms you will hear as you shop around.

Artificial Intelligence/AI: Some models of combi oven use wifi connectivity and artificial intelligence to gauge the progress of your food as it is cooked and make automatic changes to temperature, heat delivery etc.

Boiler: The boiler inside your combi oven builds up water pressure and releases steam.

Combination cooking: With one oven, you can poach fish then quickly chargrill it without needing to open the door. This is the ‘combination’ magic of the combi oven. Programmable settings will let you determine which combination of cooking methods to use.

Convection: Convection is the cooking method used by a traditional oven. With this function, air heats up and is circulated around the cavity so food is cooked evenly. The advantage of a combi oven is being able to choose to combine this function with steam cooking.

Control Panel: This is what you will use to set the cooking functions of your combi oven.

Default temperature: Your commercial combi oven may have pre-set temperatures for different cooking functions.

Drainage: Because they use water, combi ovens require drainage.

Double stack: Multiple combi ovens can make a busy kitchen even more productive. Look for models that can sit on top of each other to save space.

Eco: Your dealer may talk about energy-saving functions which lead to economic savings. For example, there are stand by modes which will reduce the energy your oven uses.

Extraction: As your combi oven creates grease, steam and heat, it is likely to need extraction in the form of a mechanical ventilation system with a hood. There may be the option of a built-in hood with the oven you purchase (make sure the hood complies with local regulations).

Fan: Combi ovens have fans to distribute heat, depending on how your chefs are using the cooking functions.

Floor model: A floor model of combi oven can cook up to 20 racks at a time and is as tall as you are (give or take). These are used at high volume venues.

Gas/Electric: Like other ovens and appliances, your commercial combi oven can be gas or electric.

Gastronorm: Gastronorm accessories like trays, sheet pans and pots are a standard size. When you’re buying a combi oven, you may hear people speaking about the model being able to accommodate gastronorm sizing.

Grease trap: Your kitchen will more than likely need a grease trap. Check there is one before you buy a combi oven.

Program: With so many features, knowing how to program your combi oven is important. Some have touch screens, while others use dials/knobs.

Scale: Any appliance that uses water will have ‘scale’ buildup inside it and your combi oven is no exception. Water treatment and regular maintenance will be required.

Self-cleaning: A good combi oven has self-cleaning capabilities so your team doesn’t have to spend time scrubbing the inside.

Shrinkage: Food shrinks and loses moisture when cooked in a conventional oven. This reduces your yield. A combi oven can help reduce shrinkage and keep your food tasting delicious.

Steam: Steam is part of the combi oven, allowing you to steam your food. Now as well as being hot, your food is moist, meaning it doesn’t dry out and shrink. Steam cooking is an excellent way to retain the colour, shape and flavour of vegetables.

The steam function of your combi oven requires the ability to draw and flush out water. Your commercial combi oven will need to be ‘plumbed in’, connected to water supply and drainage, or self-contained. For self-contained, you will need to refill the water cartridge (this is good if you need a portable oven but it can be labour intensive).

Steam injected: If your combi oven doesn’t have a boiler, it will inject water directly onto the oven’s cooking elements. Steam injected models are generally smaller than combi ovens with boilers. They can be more cost-effective when it comes to upfront costs and maintenance.

Temperature probe: This can be used to check the core temperature of the food inside your combi oven, for example, roast meat. This is invaluable for evenly cooked or cooked-to-order cuts of meat. The temperature probe may come permanently connected to your oven or it may be removable. Some models even have connections for three or four probes. Consider if you need this tool before you select it as an option.

Timer: Your oven should be able to tell you where it is at in the cooking cycle with the help of a timer. Some models give you a ‘stopwatch’ so you can test optimal cook times.

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Thanks for reading this commercial combi oven buyer's guide

Investing in a combi oven can make an incredible difference to your kitchen workflows and the quality of food your venue produces. This guide has hopefully helped you understand what to look for, so you can narrow down your decision about what really is the best commercial combi oven for your venue.