When looking for an oven for a bakery, you can’t look toward the same ones you have in your domestic kitchen. They won’t be able to withstand the pressure of commercial cooking. So commercial ovens for baking are super important.
But, not every commercial oven is made equal. There are multiple commercial ovens that you can choose from, depending on your needs.
Take a look at all your choices!
Types of Ovens For Commercial Use
Bakeries and commercial venues require something more powerful than the average oven you’d find in a kitchen. But, even with commercial ovens, there are several types to choose from.
Standard Oven
Also known as the standard commercial oven, this is the simplest commercial oven you will find on the market. They’re the best for a small commercial kitchen to start with as they’re affordable.
The affordability is also why they’re a common choice for an oven for a bakery. However, they have one defining feature apart from the affordability- the heating element is at the bottom.
Pros:
- Affordable and easily available
- Few moving parts make it easier to repair
Cons:
- Not as reliable because heat isn’t distributed evenly
- Food can cook unevenly
Convection Ovens
Convection ovens are very common in actual bakeries. Despite not being as affordable, they’re seen as an upgrade from the standard commercial oven.
They have a different system for heat distribution and come with various features, including fans that circulate hot air into the baking chamber.
Pros:
- More even heat distribution
- Uniform cooking
- 25% – 30% faster cooking time
- Steam injection system for dough
Cons:
- Will need to tweak recipes
Deck Ovens
What makes deck ovens so incredible is the way the heat is distributed through the oven. Since there are heating elements on the top and the bottom, you can adjust these different elements to have two different temperatures at separate ends of the oven for additional items.
There is also a stone shelf with separate heating to help keep your dishes warm. It also provides a traditional quality to the bread.
Pros:
- Different baking rates for additional items at once
- Stone shelf to keep baked goods hot
- Better for artisan bread
- Can cook several things without taking up space
Cons:
- Long preheat and reheat times
- Can develop cold spots
Conveyor Ovens
If you’re in a big kitchen and need to produce vast volumes of food, then the conveyor oven is the best option.
The oven works like a conveyor belt, as the name suggests. Once the food is on the belt, it passes through a chamber where they’re blasted with heated air. The speed of the belt never changes to ensure that every item is cooked evenly.
Pros:
- You can cook large volumes of food at once
- It takes very little time compared to previous ovens
- Extremely easy to use
- Can be stacked for more significant space
Cons:
- Foods that you can bake are limited due to the height of the oven
- Some pastries might not hold up against the jets of air
Steam Ovens
Much like the conveyor oven, steam ovens also use hot air for baking. It leads to a soft, moist baked good. The oven is connected directly to a water source which allows for a constant steam supply for the baking chamber.
Pros:
- Baked goods come out moist and nice
Cons:
- No crisp or browned edges are possible
When setting up your bakery, your first thought should be your oven—the life source of your setup. When you see the number of choices – you’re bound to be confused.
With this quick list, you can easily find the commercial oven that works best for your kitchen!