Steam Cooking
Some add bursts of steam to ordinary fan cooking, others steam on their own or blend steam with heat, and a few include a microwave.
Which type suits you depends on how often you'll use steam. The guide below the products compares them.
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Steam ovens by type
- Steam-assisted single ovens: full-size ovens that inject steam during normal cooking, giving crustier bread, better-risen pastry and moister roasts.
- Combi steam ovens: cook on steam, on fan heat, or on both together. Most are compact, around 45cm tall, with some full-size models. See also combination ovens.
- Dedicated steam ovens: steam alone at controlled temperatures, for gentle cooking of vegetables and fish.
- Steam with microwave: compact models combining steam and microwave power, some with fan heat too.
Which type suits you?
| Oven | Suits | Worth checking |
|---|---|---|
| Steam-assisted | A main oven that improves bread and roasts. | The amount of steam it injects and how the water is added. |
| Combi steam | Steaming, baking and reheating from one appliance. | Compact or full size, and tank or plumbed-in water. |
| Steam only | Healthy cooking, batch cooking and reheating beside a main oven. | It won't brown or crisp food. |
| Steam with microwave | Packing the most functions into one compact space. | The controls take a little longer to learn. |
Making the choice
How much will you steam?
If you're after crustier loaves and juicier joints, a steam-assisted single oven gives you that while staying your everyday oven. To steam whole meals of fish, greens and puddings, reheat plates of food and run several dishes together, choose a combi steam or dedicated steam oven.
Compact or full size?
Compact combi steam ovens are usually stacked over a single oven in a tall unit, giving you a pair of ovens that do different jobs well. Choose a full-size combi steam model and it can serve as your only oven.
Tank or plumbed in?
Most steam ovens use a removable tank, filled at the start and emptied at the end. A plumbed-in oven draws from the mains and drains away automatically, so it's ready whenever you are. Every steam oven needs descaling now and then, more often where the water is hard.
Sous vide and low temperatures
Combi steam ovens are good at holding gentle, exact temperatures, and some include a sous vide mode for vacuum-packed food. Add a vacuum drawer beneath the oven to do the sealing.
Cleaning
Steam softens splashes so they come off with a cloth, and many models have programmes to clean or dry the cavity. A few steam-assisted ovens also self-clean; see our pyrolytic ovens.
Before you order
- Check the housing. Decide between compact and full size, then compare your units with the installation sizes on the product page.
- Plan the water. A plumbed-in model needs a supply and a drain close to the housing, fitted by a plumber.
- Check the electrics. Some steam ovens plug in; others must be wired in by a qualified electrician. The product page says which.
- Expect to descale. In a hard-water area it'll be more frequent; the manual explains how.
The brands we sell
Our steam ovens come from . The brand filter beside the products lines them up, and each brand's page helps you plan a matching column.
Buying a steam oven from KDH Electrical
Each oven carries the full UK manufacturer's guarantee. We deliver free on orders over £600, normally within 3–7 working days. Living in our installation area? We can build the oven in and take away the one it replaces; the basket shows what each costs.
Our price match means we'll do our best to match a cheaper price from another UK retailer. Call 01622 541312 to talk steam cooking through, or visit our showroom in Rochester; give us a ring first to check what's on display.
Steam Cooking: your questions answered
Steam-assisted or combi steam: what's the difference?
Steam-assisted ovens are fan ovens that release steam at set moments. Combi steam ovens go further: steam on its own, heat on its own, or any blend of the two.
Does a steam oven brown food?
A dedicated steam oven doesn't. Combi steam and steam-assisted ovens also use fan heat, so they brown and crisp like a normal oven.
Do steam ovens need plumbing in?
Most don't; you fill a tank by hand. A minority connect to the mains and a waste pipe. Check the product page for each model.
Can I cook a whole meal at once?
Yes. Flavours don't travel in steam, so fish, vegetables and a pudding can share the oven. Some ovens even work out when each dish should go in.
How often does it need descaling?
It varies with use and with your local water hardness. You'll get a reminder on the display when it's time.
Could a steam oven be my only oven?
Yes, if it's a full-size combi steam or steam-assisted model. Compact and steam-only ovens are better as a partner to a main oven.