ARTICLE

Do You Need A Second Oven? Here’s What You Need To Know

February 6, 2024 - 5 min read 

Love entertaining but are finding your oven capacity falls short? Or maybe you’re a passionate home chef who needs more versatility when it comes to oven features and functionality? It sounds like a job for a second oven.

Fast becoming a fixture in many Aussie households, a second oven offers greater efficiency and flexibility to whip up family dinners (with leftovers for lunch) or cater for crowds on the weekend. Plus, you can take advantage of the latest next-gen cooking tech with a steam oven or versatile combi oven.
If you’re planning a kitchen renovation or new build, now is the time to consider installing two ovens – and never fear, we’re here to help you select the ideal combination of ovens for your needs and your kitchen design.

Mother with a baby on her knee talks to her young daughter while opening the door of the oven in the kitchen.

Is It Worth Having Two Ovens?

While the latest ovens are fit for all your cooking needs, an extra oven can certainly make mealtimes more streamlined. Here’s how:

Efficiency

A second oven can help you speed up batch cooking and eliminate oven queues when you want to cook multiple dishes at once. Think of it like this: two ovens will give you double the cooking capacity, so you’ll halve your weekly meal-prep time.

Got food allergies in the family? A second oven is a simple and effective way to separate meals with traces of gluten, nuts and other allergens.

Flexibility

Keen to grill, bake and roast all at once? Make your kitchen versatile with the programming possibilities that come with having a second oven.

“The latest ovens offer grilling, baking, steaming, poaching and even air-frying cooking programs that let you cook almost anything to restaurant quality,” says Tania Grillinzoni, The Good Guys Buyer – Cooking and Dishwashers.

Roast the chicken and potatoes in one oven while in the second, an apple pie bakes away for seamless serving come dessert time. Parents will also love the second space to crisp the kids’ chicken nuggets while the beef bourguignon for grown-ups gets cooked to a turn in its own oven.

“The latest ovens offer grilling, baking, steaming, poaching and even air-frying cooking programs that let you cook almost anything to restaurant quality.”

How To Choose A Second Oven

Ready to call in back-up? Here’s what you need to consider when choosing and installing a second oven.

Size And Space

No matter the amount of space your new kitchen design or existing layout can afford, there is an oven to suit. The latest 90cm-wide ovens are brilliant for bigger catering jobs because they can accommodate wider baking trays and pans. Other great options include a standard 60cm oven or a 45cm combination built-in microwave oven.

Set-Up

Where will your second oven live? There are perks to both the side-by-side and butler’s kitchen set-ups.

“Putting a second oven near the first makes it easy to monitor food. The butler’s pantry set-up is great for a second oven used only occasionally for large family gatherings or birthdays as it keeps cooking out of the way,” says Kerri-Ann Hooper, new home specialist at Carnelian Projects.

“I often refer to the triangle rule, where your sink, oven and fridge should be set in a triangle for maximum accessibility.”

Features

Make the everyday easier with a self-cleaning pyrolytic oven, and coordinate cooking with timer and delayed start settings. There are also cooking programs and modes that let you do everything from steaming and defrosting to baking on an energy-saving fan mode.

Close-up of a woman’s hand turning the knob on a wall oven to adjust the temperature.

Oven Types

For a perfect pairing, choose a second oven to complement the look of your existing one but with lust-have features it’s lacking. Here are your options:

Steam Oven

Behold the magic of steam! These ovens lock in moisture for juicy, tender meat and deliciously moist puddings, and give fluffy garlic bread a quick-cook boost. “A steam oven uses the perfect balance of steam and hot air. The superheated steam cooks food quickly while retaining its moisture and nutrients,” says Tania Grillinzoni.    

Shop Steam Ovens

Electrolux 60cm Pyrolytic Steam Oven Dark Stainless
Miele 60cm Steam Oven Graphite Grey

Westinghouse 60cm Pyrolytic Steam Oven

product image of the Westinghouse 60cm Pyrolytic Steam Oven

Combi Microwave Oven

This thrifty three-in-one works as a convection oven, microwave and grill. Convection cooking circulates dry heat to deliver delicious breads and pastries, while a quick microwave melts cold butter for the cookie dough. Perfect Friday night pizzas with the grill function, or microwave and grill at the same time to reheat yesterday’s margherita. 

Shop Combi Ovens

Miele 60cm Steam Microwave Oven – CleanSteel

InAlto Inbuilt Microwave Oven

Asko 45cm Combination Microwave Oven – Stainless Steel

product image of the Asko 45cm Combination Microwave Oven - Stainless Steel

Second Oven Vs. Double Oven: Which Is Best?

Instead of two ovens, you might want to consider a genius 2-in-1! Double ovens can be the perfect solution if you don’t have room for two separate ovens but require more oven space. Two internal compartments let you simultaneously cook at different temperatures. For big party productions, use the separate compartments to juggle different dishes.

You might also want to consider adding a warming drawer to your kitchen layout, to keep meals toasty and tasty until you’re ready to eat.

Shop Double Ovens

Westinghouse 60cm Pyrolytic Double Oven

product image of the Haier 60cm Double Oven Stainless Steel

Give your kitchen the capacity to cook more (and cook better!) with the latest convection, steam, combi and double ovens at The Good Guys. Visit us in-store and online for expert advice and to explore the range.

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