Ovens are kitchen appliances that chefs use to bake and heat food. But what is the main difference between a commercial oven and a regular oven? Firstly, commercial ovens are used in a business environment. For example, restaurants, cafeterias, and bakeries frequently utilize these ovens. Australia has over 44,679 actively working cafeterias and restaurants, most of which require commercial kitchen ovens to cook, bake, heat and store their food. Those starting a business in the food industry must purchase these ovens to optimize quantity, space and efficiency.
Features of Commercial Ovens That Set Them Apart
Commercial or industrial ovens are more powerful than their regular counterparts. The former can work continuously throughout the day, whereas the latter works best twice or thrice a day. The industrial ovens are comparably larger than the other ovens. The design of these ovens is that they prepare or heat food much faster than regular ovens. They can handle the wear and tear without harming the equipment. Large-scale kitchens use commercial ovens to broil, bake, roast and cook large and small items in higher quantities and fulfil large-scale orders.
Exploring the Types of Commercial Kitchen Ovens
Standard ovens
The simplest type of commercial oven is the standard oven. It is also called a radiant oven. It can cook anything and everything in a commercial kitchen. It is the least expensive type compared to others in that range and is very easy to maintain. However, it can cook the food unevenly and slowly because of the uncertain emission of the radiant heat it emits. This issue occurs when the oven heat is not set correctly.
Convention oven
This type is very similar to the previous one, apart from the air circulation feature. A convection oven has fans built within the body that helps the warm air to circulate throughout its space, making the food cook faster. It uses lower temperatures than the standard ovens to cook the food, making it an efficient choice. This oven has high reliability and versatility, making it the most used oven in commercial kitchens.
Conveyor oven
It has its way of cooking known as ‘impingement’. As the title suggests, the food passes through a conveyor belt throughout the oven. It is perfect for pizza businesses or any restaurant that requires the continuous finishing of different items. Because of the fast heat transfer, it is challenging to prepare small and delicate food items.
Cook and hold ovens
They have multiple features. Commercial kitchens use them as slow cookers and storage spaces to preserve the prepared food. The ovens keep the food warm until they are ready to serve the customers. They prevent shrinkage of food because of the low temperature. Therefore, they are the perfect choice to roast meat or vegetables and bake bread. These ovens comparatively keep the food fresher than the other ovens.
Deck ovens
The bottom of these ovens has a lining deck or a heavy stone shelf. Once the stone gets heated, the chefs place the food directly to cook. As pizza shops and bakeries prepare a large amount of food at a time, it is best suitable for them. Preparing the food on stones is a traditional method of cooking that other ovens cannot accomplish, which makes these ovens stand out.
Cheese Melter
It is a small countertop oven purely present to melt the cheese. As these ovens do not have immense power compared to others, kitchens do not use them to prepare actual food. The purpose of this oven is to swiftly melt cheese, caramelize, or brown the food that is prepared.