Buyer's Guide: Built in Ovens

It has become fashionable in recent years for people to kit their kitchens with snazzy multi-purpose ovens - but how many of us really need them?

Standard built in ovens - often as cheap as £250 or £300 - are often perfectly suitable for even small to medium sized families, and there's really no need to over-indulge when it comes to such a simple purchase.

Here is our guide to a cheap, hassle-free built in oven.

Size

Firstly, don't make the mistake of thinking that built in ovens are just for singletons living in small one-bedroom flats. It's true that a lot of ovens of this kind are limited in terms of size - but you can also get "double" ovens that are - in theory - spacious enough to feed the whole family.

Remember, though, that not all double ovens literally increase space for general oven cooking - some simply give you a broader range of options instead (i.e. a grill of roughly the same dimensions) - which doesn't necessarily mean you can feed more people with the same dish if you're thinking about bulk cooking for a large group.

There's also something to be said for choosing a small and economical oven if you have a boxy kitchen - as, ultimately, there is little room for anything too ambitious.

Types

Most ovens that are sold these days are electric, but you shouldn't totally rule out a gas model because they are - generally speaking - a lot cheaper to run on a day to day basis.

Of course, gas comes with a few warning labels and we'd highly recommend you go for a new model regardless. Also bear in mind that an electric oven should be subject to the same scrutiny when it comes to ensuring it is safe to use.

Apart from that, though, electric ovens tend to cook things more quickly and efficiently (i.e. they are more likely to ensure your food is cooked evenly and all the way through).

Built in gas ovens also don't tend to have fans, which help with keeping heat moving and airing out your kitchen - this is another reason you should probably look go electric.

Shopping guide

Prices vary enormously depending on where you're looking, but as a rule we'd recommend you set a budget in the region of £600 for a double oven and £300 for a standard-sized one.

The best places to look are electronics stores such as Currys, whose best selling offerings come from high quality brands such as Belling and Bosch.

They also offer a half price installation service and a one year guarantee directly with the manufacturer itself (not just the third party supplier). This gives you more security in the event of a breakdown.

Unless you're willing to loosen the purse-strings, avoid high-end department stores such as John Lewis as you could be looking at upwards of a grand for a unit that should really be somewhere closer to £300 or £400.