My beloved 15 yr old oven is dead and cannot be resurrected since the manufacturer no longer offers the part that my cat knocked on the floor, breaking some electronic thingy. So we were looking at ovens… Sigh. The demo unit we saw at the store had a steam oven option that knocked the socks off Mr. B to the point that Mr. miraculously “found” a 220V line he can run for it to be installed.
Anyone owns the abovementioned appliance? Do you like it? Hate it? Just meh? How useful is the steam option? Appreciate your advice, input, and suggestions!
Ask beloved spouse what he would use it for. My only connection with steaming was premicrowave commercial cooking done for vegetables in the dorm food service kitchen.
Thanks, wis, I certainly hope that the technology made some progress since your college days! It is apparently quite a versatile oven - has steam, convection, and other modes of cooking. Mr. will not be using the appliance - LOL. He wants to “simplify” my life. We eat steamed veggies, fish, and occasionally I used to make large meat or veggie filled dumplings (Turkish? Central Asian?). Cooking those for a large crowd requires a huge steam pot with multiple racks and takes 40-50 min.
Microwaving dries out the food; apparently, steam-cooking keeps it moist and cuts down on time.
I’m pretty sure I’ve read of steam injection being used in baking bread. I’ve seen recipes tuned for convection ovens, but never any tuned for steam ovens.
Personally, I’d be worried about some wicked burn possibilities with steam.
The demo lady running the William Sonoma free weekly cooking classes tried to extol the virtues of steam ovens and made a few dishes in it. As far as I remember, no one chose to buy one, even tho they were on sale and would get an additional discount for being in the class. As I recall the food cooked in the steam oven didn’t taste any different to me and the others in the class.
Steam is for breadmakers IMO. Unless you do that it is probably a waste of money. I make my own bread and make steam using heat and water! Our house would not deserve the $$ of a top end oven.
Thanks, all. The oven we were looking at is designed to cook food with steam (like trays of broccoli and salmon) and not make bread. Are there any actual steam oven owners who would like to say a word or two about their ovens? I know we had an oven thread not so long ago, and someone mentioned that they were looking into a 24" one. How did that work?
Thanks! Unfortunately, that option is out due to it needing plumbing (Mr. insists on doing his own… considering how busy he is at work, we are not going to have an oven until next Thanksgiving! )
So I looked around and found this handy-dandy comparison chart of steam oven models - posting for anyone who would search CC in hopes to find said info:
I’ll be installing a steam oven in my new kitchen. They are supposed to be great for bread (and getting a nice crust), cooking fish and reheating leftovers (less drying out). I only have space for a 24" which leaves me with the Wolf or the Thermador. (I don’t have a local Meile dealer and the Gagg is too pricey.) Niether can be plumbed but, from what I have read, it’s not that big a deal. There’s some discussion over on GardenWeb, if you care to take a look.
Last year I replaced my 14 year old Viking Range with a Thermador 48" Pro Grande Dual Fuel Range when we remodeled our kitchen. I would give my eye teeth to have my Viking back. After 3 months the entire electronics had to be replaced after using the broiler for 15 minutes. Last week, 50 weeks later, the same thing.
I bought Thermador because there was a package incentive and I was intrigued with the steam oven. After reading the instructions for the steam oven, I could never be bothered. One had to know the hardness level of their water to calibrate the oven. Not that this would have been particularly difficult, I just never took the time. The recommendation that " after cooking with a steam producing mode, remember to remove and empty the water tank, dry the seal of the tank lid and the slot. Using the sponge provided with your range…wipe out the oven,and remove any remaining water so that the evaporator dish in the bottom of the oven is dry," seemed like a lot of trouble for how I would use the oven. I will add that I am an accomplished home cook. I entertain often, and am comfortable preparing 4 course dinners for 12 or 16 by myself, though I never bake.
Though I can’t blame Thermador, the fan blowing for 30-45 minutes after the oven is turned off drives me up a tree. Apparently it is a function to protect the electronics, which seem to need all the help they can get.
Thanks, laketime and 1moremom! I looked at Gardenweb, but goodness, it is now part of Houzz - ? What a mess. Watch out for planted reviews! ouch.
I am not a baker, although I can bake fantastic goodies (by choice, we are going low sugar and carb). Yup, the dead oven is dead due to the panel drying out… It was a fantastic oven though, and it lasted 15 years (and would have lasted some more if it weren’t for the accidental breaking of the cover part by my sweet kitty!)
Thank you for letting me know that Thermador may not be as reliable as it is advertised! We are leaning towards Miele. I saw the oven in action at a different showroom and was impressed how quiet and hassle free it looked. It might be different once we install it I have to look at the user manual a bit more careful.
It is apparently quite a versatile oven - has steam, convection, and other modes of cooking. Mr. will not be using the appliance - LOL. He wants to “simplify” my life. We eat steamed veggies, fish, and occasionally I used to make large meat or veggie filled dumplings (Turkish? Central Asian?). Cooking those for a large crowd requires a huge steam pot with multiple racks and takes 40-50 min.
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