Which free-standing electric oven should I buy?
You've settled on a free-standing electric oven, but which one should you buy?
Note: Not sure if a free-standing electric oven is the way to go? Head to our article, 'Which is the best electric oven?'
In this article we will outline some general considerations you should review if you want to browse your options. We will then recommend the best-fit option based on your requirements and preferences.
General considerations
In general, we'd recommend sticking to your existing oven size to minimise the complexity of the retrofit. When considering your budget, remember you will probably need an electrician to install the oven.You can narrow down your options fast by considering your limitations and preferences:
- Cooktop choice
- Your budget
- The width of your current oven
- Any features that are must-haves
Options on top: which cooktop do you choose?
This factor is a bit more involved than the previous ones. For all-electric units, configurations include an electric oven with an induction or ceramic hob. We'll run you quickly through the two options and provide a recommendation so you can quickly decide which is a best fit for you.
How does ceramic technology work?
Ceramic cooktops have coiled metal elements under the glass surface that are heated red-hot by electricity.
How does induction technology work?
Induction works via a magnetic field that essentially turns your cookware into the heating element.
Induction cooktops
Pros
- Fastest cooking method and highly controllable.
- Can manage very low temperatures (for melting butter or chocolate) and very high temperatures (for boiling water or searing food).
- Continuous cooking surface with few to no residue traps.
- Very quick to heat up and respond instantly to temperature changes.
- Comes with many safety features like safety sensors that monitor temperature, automatic switch-off that turns the element off if the cookware is overheating, safety cut-out for protection against overspills, child locks and pan detection.
- Food is cooked via the heat of the cookware, not from the cook top itself, so the cooktop doesn't get hot.
- Some models come with "power boost" for boiling water, stir-frying or searing meat. It heats up the cookware even faster, saving around one third of the normal heat-up time.
- Many come with zone connection so you can enlarge the cooking zone for larger pots.
- Many come with cooking timers that can be used for programming zones to switch off automatically.
- They're easier to clean than other cooktops.
Cons
- Generally more expensive than ceramic cooktops.
- Only compatible with certain types of cookware.
- Size of the base of the cookware needs to match the cooking zone closely: if it's too small it won't respond, and if it's too large it won't be energy-efficient.
- They usually need a dedicated circuit, typically 20A or greater, which will need to be installed by an electrician.
- You might notice some noises – a buzz or hum is common and could occur if the cookware doesn't have a strong magnetic hold. The cooling fan for the electronics can also generate some noise.
- A dedicated isolator safety switch must be installed within reaching distance of the unit due to the high current requirements. This may increase the cost of installation.
Ceramic cooktops
Pros
- Continuous surface with few to no dirt traps, so they're easy to clean.
- Useful for cooking foods that require very low temperatures, like melting chocolate.
- Generally cheaper than induction.
Cons
- Slower to respond to changes in the temperature setting.
- Spills can bake on, so you need to wipe them up quickly.
- The ceramic glass holds heat, so you need to take care with delicate foods.
- They hold heat even after being switched off, which is a safety concern. Some models come with residual-heat warning lights that stay on until the surface reaches a safe temperature.
Requirement/scenario | Induction | Ceramic |
Tight budget |
| ✅ |
Similar experience to gas cooking | ✅ |
|
Child safety is important | ✅ |
|
Electrics do not need upgrading* | ✅ | ✅ |
*Why would you need to upgrade your electrics? It's not the first time we've answered that question.
Budget
Remember when you are considering your budget, you will probably need an electrician to install the unit.
How much do you realistically want to spend? If you want to minimise costs then the following things may help:
- Avoid ovens with extra compartments and being able to run them all at the same time. Another big power suck is pyrolytic cleaning (aka "self cleaning"). As well as increasing the up-front purchase price, you'll have higher running costs.
- Choose a 60cm width unit to reduce purchase price and running costs.
- Choose whichever brand supplies a trustworthy product at a good price.
- Only buy the features you need. Consider your current cooking experience: what features do you already use and what features are missing that you feel are essential?
What's the best size?
To keep your project as simple as possible, exchange like for like and get a replacement free-standing oven that is the same width. It should slide right into the same gap in your cabinetry.
The only exception to this? If you've got a larger free-standing oven and you want to reduce purchase price and running costs, choose a 60cm oven as a replacement. It might be a good time if you realised your last oven was a bit extravagant and you can get by with something smaller.
If you want to change the size of your oven, this is possible but will require cabinetry work. Get guidance with one of our Home Electrification Masterclasses and learn to identify your needs, gain expert installation advice, and meet trustworthy tradespeople. Check your Masterclass readiness now!
What about features
Every time you purchase a new product, you'll be bewildered with all the latest features available with the most up-to-date products.
Avoid spending more than you need or getting talked into buying a confusing product by asking the simple question; what functionality do you currently use and what is missing from your current oven? Apart from the fact it runs on gas!
What about self-cleaning ovens?
This is a relatively new development in the world of ovens. A self-cleaning oven sounds great, but they don't always live up to the hype. However, they make cleaning a much easier task. There are two main types of self-cleaning oven: pyrolytic and catalytic.
Catalytic liners (or self-cleaning surfaces)
These work by absorbing fat splatters. For the liners to work well, you need to regularly heat the oven to 250°C for an hour to burn off the splatters and, when cool, wipe them with a damp cloth. Look for liners covering the back wall, sides and even the ceiling.
Pyrolytic cleaning function
The oven locks itself and heats up to around 400–500°C for approximately two to three hours, converting food residue to ash, which you simply wipe away when it cools. When using this function make sure there is plenty of ventilation and keep small children and animals away from the oven as the glass can become very hot and there can be smoke.
As well as using a lot of energy during the cleaning process, using this function also draws a lot of power, which might mean you'll need to upgrade your mains supply and/or switchboard. Make sure you factor this into the cost of your kitchen upgrade.
Some ovens use a steam-clean cycle to loosen baked-on grease and food. Simply fill the baking tray with water and select the automatic one-hour cycle that heats the oven to 90°C. Once the cycle is finished, all you should need to do is wipe the oven clean with a soapy cloth. A chemical oven cleaner might be needed to remove stubborn grease marks thoroughly.
Options for your specific needs
In this section we outline options based on three categories:
- Reasonable budget all-electric options which have a ceramic cooktop
- Highly recommended options with induction cooktops
- 90cm+ units.
The example appliance brands and models are included to illustrate what is available in these categories but they are not the only option. There are comparable products. We will provide links for comparable products.
If you sign up to an Energy Freedom Homes Masterclass we can connect you with experts who will recommend a unit based on your budget, needs/wants, kitchen space and installation time requirements. Check your Masterclass readiness now!
You're after a reasonable budget all-electric option
A reasonable budget all-electric option is an electric oven with a ceramic cooktop.
An The 60cm Beko BFC60VMX1 is the most affordable all-electric free-standing oven with a high Choice score at RRP $1399. It's got a ceramic cook top, which isn't the highest performance option, but it'll do the job at an affordable price and power requirements will be lower than the induction cooktop alternative. It comes with a 2 year warranty, which is extendable if the unit is registered within 90 days of purchase.
This is an example of an electric oven with a ceramic cooktop. Other options can be browsed through the E&S website, which has comparable units within this price range, with similar features. On this website you can also specify the size of the free-standing oven to have it easily slide in to your existing cabinetry.
You're after a highly recommended oven with an induction cooktop
The step up from the budget range is an electric oven with an induction cooktop. An induction cooktop provides a comparable cooking experience to a gas cooktop and is safer than an electric.
Source: https://www.bosch-home.com.au/productlist/HLS79R350A#
It's a big step up from the price point of the Beko at $4199, but the Bosch HLS79R350A comes highly recommended by Choice and features an induction cook top. The unit comes with a 2 year warranty. It is no longer available according to the Bosch website, but there are still a few floating around the market.
The Bosch HLS79R351A at RRP $3799 is still available and has similar features to the HLS79R350A.
For another option, the Bosch HKS79R250A, RRP $3299 and is recommended by Reader Digest. The unit comes with a 2 year warranty.
Most of the Bosch units come with a self-cleaning pyrolytic function, if you hate scrubbing ovens like any normal human. Both Bosch options are 60cm units so they should fit into whatever space is currently occupied by your existing free-standing unit.
This is an example of an electric oven with an induction cooktop. Other options can be browsed through the Appliances Online website, which has comparable units within this price range, with similar features. On this website you can also specify the size of the free-standing oven to have it easily slide in to your existing cabinetry.
You want a 90cm+ unit or you prefer a certain brand
At this point, money is less of a concern. You'll be looking at $7k - $20k for a unit.
The best resource we've found for a range of all-electric free-standing induction units in one place is the E&S website. The added bonus? You can pop into one of their stores to look at physical units to check if it is right for you. Here's a link to filtered search results on their website.
To reduce your risk, make sure the product you are interested in has a good warranty and that the manufacturer is established. Compared to what? Other products and manufacturers.
What's next?
Hopefully you've picked out the best free-standing oven for your circumstances.
This means you are all set with your planning for cooking appliances, take a moment to congratulate yourself! Cooking is the most personal of the Energy Freedom upgrades and so it is often the most difficult. When you are ready to move to the next area of upgrades, such as hot water or space heating, in your journey to an Energy Freedom Home, click here to head to our planning article.
Ready to get it installed? Make sure you have the right installer to get the job done. We have some advice in our 'How to find a trusted tradie' article.
Want to fast-track home electrification? Join an Energy Freedom Homes Masterclass and learn to identify your needs, gain expert installation advice, and meet trustworthy tradespeople. Check your Masterclass readiness now!
The recommendations in this article come from talking with real people and communities to identify a best-fit option for a range of priorities. We also do our research; each of the above recommendations is based on articles by Choice Magazine, ratings from Product Review and general consensus from the popular Facebook group, My Efficient Electric Home.