Kitchen Myths: Where Does The Oven Fit?

Thinking of a new kitchen? It's important to pay attention to the correct layout of the appliances, especially the oven.

If you are planning or designing a new kitchen, you should pay a lot of attention to the appliances and their placement. Especially the built-in oven as it can have a big impact on your cooking space and cooking experience.

Every kitchen should be a versatile and practical space as cooking, eating, drinking, cleaning, and socializing all occur in the kitchen. The one thing most designers do first is to draw a rough sketch of the floorplan of the space taking particular note of the windows, doors, arches, and openings. Why? Because certain appliances need to be placed against a wall rather than a window and you need to make sure you have enough room to open their doors, and that they don’t impede the flow or layout of the entire kitchen design.

The kitchen triangle

Then there’s the so-called work triangle – a connection between the three main work areas in the cooking space – the fridge, the cooker (stove and oven), and the sink. While the sink and the fridge are a bit easier to place as they are more versatile in this regard, more attention should be paid to the oven – especially a built-in one.

“Ovens are often located under or next to cooktops”, explains our Gorenje expert for ovens, adding: “Since the range cooker is often the standout feature of the cooking space, it usually has a place central to the rest of the room. The oven just complements it, but it has to do so with style and practicality.”

Choose the oven that fits your needs

An oven has to fit your needs. How frequently you intend to use it, what you intend to use it for and what you expect from it. The Gorenje oven range is wide from the most basic modern ovens to ovens with self cleaning features and steam programmes that bring restaurant style meals right into your home. Discover the Gorenje oven range here.

Thinking of a new kitchen? It's important to pay attention to the correct layout of the appliances, especially the oven.

Basics first

First thing first. Ensure you have enough wall or cabinet space to house the size of oven you are aiming to install. In case your oven is utilizing natural gas, consider where your gas outlet is. Since the job of the oven is to heat food – often for a prolonged time – do not install it near objects that don’t like heat – the refrigerator comes to mind first. Luckily, the exterior of the oven generates heat of about 90 to 100 degrees Celsius, which is relatively low in comparison to the interior of the oven. Nevertheless, when planning the oven placement you need to make sure that the wall coverings, counters, and cabinets around the oven can withstand the above-mentioned temperature.

“The question I get asked the most is the following: is it safe to build an oven into a wood cabinet?” says our oven guru, answering: “Sure, I am an advocate of building an oven into a wood cabinet. It is a great way to save space in any kitchen, creates a nice clean look, and can be very practical since the above cabinets provide the space for the cookware you need at hand.”

Standards matter and make your choice easy

To put it bluntly, a built-in oven opening is a simple box supported by a construction frame. Most built-in ovens come prepared for the standard 60 or 90 cm openings which make the installation easier. This way oven is inserted inside the specially created gap regardless of the brand of the fitted kitchen unit. In addition to the mentioned two standard sizes, you can also find smaller ovens that will fit a 45 cm gap as they are designed to meet the needs of those with limited kitchen space.

Plan your electric connections beforehand

Then there’s electricity to take into account. When installing the oven the first item of business should be attaching the plug to the power cable. It is recommended that you install a vertically squashed plug in the spot to have more space behind it. Our experts advise to also check and make sure that it has a resistance in watts that is adequate for the maximum absorption of the oven (this data can be found in the manual or on a plate on the frame of the oven).

Adequate ventilation is also very welcome with every kind of oven, therefore try to install the oven into the cavity in a way that provides enough airflow.

Ergonomics matter too

Every oven installation has its pros and cons. For example, under-bench ovens avoid taking up work and prep space but can be more strenuous if one has to continually bend over to collect your cooked food.

Wall ovens are popular as they can be stacked above or next to each other (if you decide to have more than one). They will however cause you to lose storage space but provide a far more ergonomically friendly solution. And as far as ergonomics and practicality go – one place that is often overlooked in a kitchen are corners – they can be a great spot and worth considering for oven installation as some extra space will make a tall unit feel less bulky and adds a nice detail in the corner.

The installation of the oven mostly depends on the intended use. If you use it less often, it can also be a bit out of the way.

Make memories: built-in ovens

HomeMade shape The characteristic rounded shape is one of the most beneficial features of Gorenje ovens. Inspired by traditional wood-burning ovens, it enables hot air to move around freely. Since the food is heated evenly and from all sides, it is always perfectly done: crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.Read more
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