How to choose a mini oven?

The modern electric mini oven successfully combines the possibilities of a stationary oven, a toaster and a grill. It can also become an excellent alternative to a microwave oven in the kitchen of those gourmets who do not want to subject them to electromagnetic waves or do not imagine a chicken without a ruddy crust. Given the ever-increasing popularity of compact home appliances, when it is necessary to replace the oven or during the arrangement of the new kitchen area, buyers are increasingly thinking about how to choose the mini oven correctly.

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Advantages of mini-furnaces

The electric mini-oven has a number of advantages:

1. It is absolutely not tied to the hob, which opens wide possibilities for design solutions.
2. The cooking quality is the same as in a conventional oven, but the appliance can cook toasts and defrost food.
3. For its work you need only electricity. Quite often a mini-oven is bought in a house in a village or at a dacha.
4. Compact, so it fits perfectly into a small apartment.
5. Consumes less power than a regular electric oven in the cooker.
6. The heating rate is much higher than that of the ovens built in the oven plate. This parameter is especially important if you cook often and in small portions.

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All attention to the volume of the

Before choosing a particular model of a mini electric oven, you need to determine for what purpose you are buying it. From this, in the first place, depends on the required volume, as well as the availability of additional functions.

In the shops you can find mini-ovens with a capacity of 8.5 to 40 liters. Naturally, the more volume, the more food can be cooked in one go.

Important! The more the electric oven, the more electricity it consumes and the more slowly it heats up. Therefore, in order to save time, money and space, you need to choose the volume that best suits your needs.

When choosing a mini-oven, experts recommend orienting on the composition of the family:

• For 1-2 people it will be enough to have a small oven, up to 10 liters. Also, a small home appliances will do, if you just need to warm up food, toast or defrost food.
• For a family of 3-4 members - 12-21 liters.
• For 5-6 people - from 28 liters and above. In such mini-ovens, you can safely cook a bird or fish entirely, bake pies and pizza.

Important! For a full cooking, small electric furnaces are not suitable. In some models, even the timer is designed for a maximum of 15 minutes.

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How to choose a mini oven of the required power?

The second important characteristic is power. It directly depends on the volume of the mini-oven and additional functionality. As a rule, electric furnaces have such power indicators:

1. Small-size - 700-1000 W.
2. The average size is 1500-1900 watts.
3. From 28 liters and above - 2000-2200 watts.

The more powerful the device, the faster it warms up to the desired temperature.

Important! Naturally, the power factor directly affects the amount of electricity consumed, as well as the price of household appliances. Therefore, it is not worth chasing super-power electrical appliances. And besides, not every wiring is designed for such loads - it is better to take a mini-oven of average power within 1000-1500 W.

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Operating Modes and Convection

Considering how to choose from a variety of electric mini-ovens a budget-friendly model, note that the standard device has one or two heating elements. This indicator affects the functionality and cost of technology.

If you plan to bake a full meal, it is better to buy a mini oven with two heating elements. They allow you to use such heating modes during cooking:

1. Top or grill - only the upper heating element works. Suitable for baking biscuits, toast, pizza.
2. Bottom - heating only from below. This delicate mode is used for cooking legs, wings and various confectionery products.
3. Combined - two heating elements operate simultaneously. It is necessary for baking meat, fish and vegetables.

In addition to the main modes, depending on the model chosen, there may be additional:

• baking;
• quick heating;
• roasting;
• pizza;
• toasts.

Important! A large number of additional modes extends the functionality of the mini oven and greatly simplifies the cooking process. However, each new function is a plus to the price.

Many buyers are thinking how to choose a mini-oven with convection and whether they need such a function in principle, after hearing this phrase for the first time from the seller in the store. Convection is the movement of air in a mini oven using the built-in fan. Process features:

• This function allows the distribution of heated air throughout the oven, so that all dishes are evenly baked.
• Also this mode saves time - the cooking time is reduced by more than 20%.

Important! The convection function is relevant when selecting a mini oven with one heating element. In a device with an upper and lower heating it is not so important.

Convection is useful if you plan to bake vegetables and meat, cook dough products, and also dry mushrooms, fruits, etc.

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How to choose a mini oven?- Additional parameters of

In addition to the above characteristics and parameters, there are additional nuances that should also be paid attention. They will directly affect the convenience and practicality of your chosen home appliances.

Control system

The mini oven can have the type of control:

1. Mechanical - the adjustment is carried out by turning the knob. Such a control system is reliable and, in the event of a breakdown, easier to repair. In addition, the very cost of the furnace with a mechanical adjustment is lower.
2. Touch or electronic control by pressing the buttons or touching the screen. Such models are more modern and stylish look in the interior. However, they are more expensive than the previous version, and their repair is more problematic.

Options for opening the door

There are two options for opening the door in modern mini-furnaces:

1. Folding or "on yourself."In the same way, a familiar classic oven opens. Note that if the device with such a door is located above the level of the hob, it will be inconvenient to use it.

Important! If a mini oven with a folding door is placed on the edge of the table, it is strictly forbidden to put any objects on the open door, especially baking, as many housewives like to do. Otherwise, the center of gravity is displaced, and the device can simply tip over to the user.

1. To the side. Also open the microwave door. Mini-oven of this model can be safely placed at the level of hanging cabinets. However, when planning, do not forget to leave a free gap, so that the door can open completely.

Interior coating

When planning to purchase a mini electric oven, few people think how to choose an interior coating. But it is on its quality that it depends on how much the mini-oven will be durable and easy to take care of. The label "Durastone" in the instructions or on the device itself indicates that the coating is resistant to high temperatures, scratches and chemical agents.

Important! To clean the inside of the mini-oven, use only chemicals specially designed for ovens. Always apply the test on a small surface before the first application.

Guides baking

There are two types:

1. Lattice - a cheap and simple option. However, the pallet has a ragged course, which is why it is possible to splash the liquid.
2. Telescopic rails - the tray travels simultaneously with the opening of the oven door. Such a system is very convenient, but there is a risk of damage to the mechanism.

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Additional functions of

Modern mini-ovens have a number of functions that significantly expand the areas of its use and simplify the use:

• Heated. The presence of such a regime will simply abolish the microwave oven in your kitchen and will allow you to heat up ready-made food quickly and with minimal energy consumption.
• Defrosting - this function greatly facilitates the life of modern housewives and allows you to quickly prepare frozen foods. In some models, there are two modes of defrost: normal and deep.
• Auto-shutdown is a great feature for busy people or lovers of sitting at the computer. If the oven temperature reaches the maximum value for a given cooking mode or if it lasts too long without adjustments from the user's side, then the device stops working itself.
• Saving programs - allows you to select the optimal cooking mode for a particular dish and store it in the device's memory.
• Self-cleaning is a very necessary function, especially if you have a mini-oven with a skewer. Cleaning can be carried out with the help of water heated in a pan, or by means of high temperature.

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Equipment

The convenience of using the mini-oven and the price depend on the equipment. Therefore, before choosing a mini oven with all the "bells and whistles", think: will you really use them?

Important! Many buyers note that they deliberately overpaid for an electric oven with a spit, but in reality they used it only a couple of times.

Compact furnaces can have such additional equipment:

1. The thermostat is a very important element in modern technology. It helps maintain the desired temperature throughout the cooking time. The minimum adjustable temperature value by means of a thermostat in the electric oven is 60 ° C, and the maximum temperature is 320 ° C.

Important! When choosing a model with a thermal relay, pay attention to the range of controlled temperatures. For example, there are models that have a thermostat with parameters min 100 ° C, max 240 ° C.This is not very convenient, especially if in your family like a gentle roast beef, which is cooked at a temperature of 65 ° C.

1. Timer - simplifies the cooking process. Some timers automatically turn off the device, others - sound a beep at the end of the cooking time.

Important! The range of adjustable time in different models can be from 15 to 120 minutes.

1. Thermal insulation on the door - prevents excessive overheating. This is an important detail if the apartment has small children or animals.
2. Grill is a heating element, with which you can make a mouth-watering crispy crust on a platter.

Important! Grill browns food on one side only.

1. Rotisserie - used to evenly bake a bird or fish entirely, as well as large pieces of meat. In this case, a crusty crust is formed on all sides of the finished dish.
2. Burners - with their help a mini oven turns into a compact electric stove. Before choosing a mini-oven with convection in this option, note that it still has less functionality than a classic plate.
3. Folding top cover - allows you to turn your mini oven into a brazier in minutes.
4. Metal detector - prevents the mini-oven from turning on in the event that cutlery or metal utensils were forgotten in the middle.
5. Various pallets and trays - simplify the use of a mini-oven. Different models can be equipped with a baking pan, a trellis stand, a pizza and lasagna tray, a crumb and liquid tray.

Important! When buying a mini oven, make sure that all your frequently used forms are placed in a new device - then you do not have to spend money on new accessories.

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Popular manufacturers and models

Naturally, many firms offer mini-electric ovens. How to choose a reliable manufacturer?- This is also an important issue, without which the article would be incomplete.

Rating of manufacturers for the price of

Consider the manufacturer based on the price range:

1. Low price. In this range are mini-ovens from the brands Delfa, Saturn, Scarlett, Supra, Severin, DEX, Mirta, Mystery, Orion. Many products of Chinese production are not of high quality, so we recommend, first of all, pay attention to the features of the assembly and the coating of the inside.
2. Average price segment. Here, such brands as Ariete, Delonghi, Panasonic have gained prestige. Models of these manufacturers are distinguished by good build quality and durability.
3. High price. Each brand has expensive models, but the prices for the Bork technique are always above average. Of course, the quality and functionality of mini-ovens from this manufacturer deserve praise, but advertising costs are also a rather large part of the cost price.

Important! When choosing a mini-oven, you need to focus not only on the manufacturer, but also on your specific needs for roominess and functionality.

Popular model mini-ovens:

1. Among devices with small volume users give a mini-stoves preference Panasonic NT-GT1WTQ and Delonghi EO 420. They are ideal for heating and brief cooking - their timer is designed for a maximum of 15 minutes. If you are interested in compact equipment with a longer cycle of work, pay attention to Severin TO 2030.
2. If you need a mini-oven medium size up to 20 liters, pay attention to the EOB 2071 Delonghi, Delonghi EO 1455, Delonghi EO 20312, Bork W550, Ariete971, Scarlett SC-097.
3. But among compact ovens with a large capacity of 21 liters buyers choose Bork W500, Luxell 3575, Delonghi EO 3835, Saturn ST-EC 1070.

Now you know how to choose a mini-oven, which will delight you and your loved ones fragrant sandwiches, delicious pies and crispy crust on the chicken. Successful purchase!