Whether you cook or lot or not much at all, you’d be hard-pressed to live in a home that doesn’t have a place for an oven, making the process of getting the best oven possible an incredibly important choice. We’ve thoroughly tested lots of ovens to help you make the right call, focussing on quality of cooking and value, whether you want a high-end oven with steam and temperature cooking or just a budget model with all of the standard options.
Here, we’ve focussed on regular ovens, although we do list some combi microwave ovens. If you want a standard microwave, then our guide to the best microwaves is where you need to head.
Each of the reviews tells you how well an oven cooked a variety of different foods, plus how evenly its heat is spread (important for consistent results) and how well the grill works. We also dive into the features that are available including smart apps, temperature probes, steam cooking and more. By judging how well an oven performs across all of its features, we can help you make the right choice for your needs.
Best oven at a glance
- Best overall: Whirlpool W11I OM1 4MS2 H – check price
- Best for high temperatures: AEG BPK948330M – check price
- Best combi microwave oven: Neff N90 C29MY7MY0 Microwave Oven
- Best value combi microwave oven: Hotpoint MP676IXH – check price
- Best budget oven: Hotpoint SI4S854CBL
- Best for flexibility: Samsung Bespoke Series 6 NV7B6685AAN/U4 Oven with Dual Cook – check price
- Best double oven: Belling BEL BI903MFCBLK – check price
- Best for temperature control: Neff N90 B69VY7MY0
- Best outdoor pizza oven: Gozney Arc
- Best indoor pizza oven: Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven CPZ120U
How we test
We put all of our ovens through standard tests to see how well they cook. Evenness of heat is very important, particularly when cooking sensitive items, such as Yorkshire puddings or cakes. To test this, we fill a baking tray with ceramic beads and heat the oven to 200°C. We then use a thermal camera to take an image of the beads, to see how heat is distributed, while an infrared heat gun is used to measure temperature at the front and back of the tray.
We use slices of bread spread across a shelf to measure how evenly an oven can grill and which areas, if any, it can’t reach.
We measure power usage while cooking a batch of oven chips. This is particularly important when testing ovens with special features, as we can tell you if they save you money, as well as if they’re any good.
When we have an oven with a temperature sensor, we cook a chicken breast and set the oven to 74°C, so we can see if the results are what they should be: perfectly cooked with no pink, yet not dried out.
Finally, we tell you how easy the oven is to use, and connect it to any smart apps to see if they add extra features and are worth using.
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Best overall
Whirlpool W11I OM1 4MS2 H
Best overall oven
- Huge range of acessories
- Excellent temperature control
- Brilliant interface
- Temperature probe
- Can’t just send programme settings from the app
Best for high temperatures
AEG BPK948330M
Best for high temperatures
- Temperature probe for precise cooking
- Even grilling
- Even temperature heating
- App not that useful
Best combi microwave oven
Neff N90 C29MY7MY0 Microwave Oven
Best combi microwave oven
- Powerful and flexible
- Pyrolytic cleaning
- Temperature probe cooking
- Expensive
Best value combi oven
Hotpoint MP676IXH
Best budget combi microwave oven
- Lots of cooking modes
- Huge number of accessories
- Cooks evenly
- Only space for one oven shelf
Best budget oven
Hotpoint SI4S854CBL
Best budget oven
- Steam option
- Excellent value
- Air fry mode and basket
- No bottom heat mode
Best for flexibility
Samsung Bespoke Series 6 NV7B6685AAN/U4 Oven with Dual Cook
Best for flexibility
- Can split the oven into two separate units
- Two sliding rails
- Lots of accessories
- Only one wire shelf in the box
Best double oven
Belling BEL BI903MFCBLK
Best double oven
- Great value
- Lots of cooking space
- Cooks evenly in both ovens
- Timer operates both ovens
- Bottom grill is uneven
Best for temperature control
Neff N90 T66YYY4C0
Best for temperature control
- Brilliant Flex Pad Flex control
- Precision temperature sensor
- Smart app
- Expensive
Best outdoor pizza oven
Gozney Arc
Best outdoor pizza oven
- Wide, easily accessible mouth
- Controllable temperature
- Easy to light
- Not easily portable
- No accessories included
- Pizza needs to be turned
Best indoor pizza oven
Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven CPZ120U
Best indoor pizza oven
- Bakes up to 400°C
- Multiple accessories
- Makes up to 30cm/12-inch pizzas
- Timer doesn’t stop cooking
- Large worktop footprint
- Parts not dishwasher-safe
Whirlpool W11I OM1 4MS2 H
Best overall oven
Pros
- Huge range of acessories
- Excellent temperature control
- Brilliant interface
- Temperature probe
Cons
- Can’t just send programme settings from the app
If you’re looking for a high-quality cooking experience with an oven that has loads of space and features, look no further than the Whirlpool W11I OM1 4MS2 H. Most importantly, it cooks brilliantly, with even heat distribution across the cavity. As measured by a tray full of ceramic beads, heat distribution was spot on, with only a 4°C variance from front to back of the oven. We also found that the grill was very even. From edge-to-edge, our toast was perfectly cooked.
Getting perfect results from other food is easy, too. With the provided temperature probe, this oven can cook meat and other dishes to exactly the right level, giving perfect results without drying food out.
It helps that this oven has a brilliant touch interface, powered by a bright LCD screen. It’s both easy to set the oven up manually, and to use the automated cooking routines to cook a specific dish. With every setting needing a couple of touches a most, the Whirlpool W11I OM1 4MS2 H makes it very easy to use its most powerful options.
There’s an app that works with this oven too, which gives remote control plus a way to keep an eye on how well food is cooking.
Inside, there’s 75-litres of space, and Whirlpool provides two wire shelves, a baking tray and a deep tray, plus two telescopic runners that make it easy to add or remove food from the oven.
The only thing that this oven doesn’t have is dedicated steam cooking, but given the quality of everything else, it remains our favourite oven, overall.
Full review: Whirlpool W11I OM1 4MS2 H review
Reviewer: David Ludlow
AEG BPK948330M
The best for high temperatures
Pros
- Temperature probe for precise cooking
- Even grilling
- Even temperature heating
Cons
- App not that useful
A feature-packed and powerful smart oven, the AEG BPK948330M is also capable of hitting a maximum temperature of 300°C. Sure, that’s not something you’d use every day, but when you need really crispy results fast, this is a handy extra feature to have.
This oven is controlled via a dial and LCD screen, which provides text explanations of each mode. There are all of the standard modes, plus specials for plate warming, dough proving, slow cooking and bread baking. It’s a shame that there’s no dedicated steam dispenser on this model.
We like the temperature probe, which makes it easy to get precise results. Cleverly, with all cooking modes, when the oven finishes its timer run, the oven drops down into keep warm mode, so your food doesn’t get cold.
You can do everything via the app, too, which is handy for exploring the cooking modes and for keeping an eye on what’s being cooked.
Cooking performance was excellent. Its frozen food mode made short work of hash browns with no warm-up required; the grill was exceptionally even, and heat is spread evenly through the cavity. With pyrolytic cleaning, using high temperatures to burn off residue, this is an oven that’s easy to keep clean.
Full review: AEG BPK948330M review
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Neff N90 C29MY7MY0 Microwave Oven
Best combi oven and microwave
Pros
- Powerful and flexible
- Pyrolytic cleaning
- Temperature probe cooking
Cons
- Expensive
Not only is the Neff N90 C29MY7MY0 a great combination oven, it also happens to be one of the best ovens we’ve tested, period. As a microwave oven, the Neff N90 is already designed to cover several bases but it goes a step beyond to become an all-in-one device that any cook can benefit from.
From a design standpoint, the Neff N90 is quite compact. With just about enough room for two wire shelves and a roasting pan, you will need to think carefully about the space that’s available when cooking multiple food items, but it does mean that the N90 can fit in smaller kitchens.
When it comes to using the microwave function, there are plenty of heat options to choose from and a handy ‘Information’ button that can tell you which temperature is best for which meals. Even though it’s a small feature, it is worth pointing out how handy it is to have a dedicated ‘Microwave’ button for quick access, as the feature tends to be hidden under several menus with other combi ovens we’ve tested.
There is touchscreen control however that makes it easy to select the cooking mode that you’re after, and it can even tell you the estimated cooking time onscreen. For more precise cooking, you’d be better served with using the included cooking probe which lets you cook meat items to perfection.
If you do want a bit of extra peace of mind when you’ve stepped away from your kitchen, you can keep tabs on how your meal is coming along thanks to the Home Connect App. Simply put, this is as robust an experience as we’ve yet to find on a microwave oven, with the only major downside being the high price of entry. If budgeting isn’t an issue however then this is definitely the model you’ll want to buy.
Full review: Neff N90 C29MY7MY0 Microwave Oven review
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Hotpoint MP676IXH
Best value combi microwave oven
Pros
- Lots of cooking modes
- Huge number of accessories
- Cooks evenly
Cons
- Only space for one oven shelf
Fitting into a smaller integrated oven slot, the Hotpoint MP676IXH is primarily a microwave, although it can run as a conventional oven at temperatures up to 200°C. As there’s a turntable at the bottom, there’s only room for one oven shelf; if you need more oven space with a microwave, you’ll need to buy a more expensive flat-bed model.
Hotpoint provides a lot of accessories with this model: a steamer, a plate cover, a wire stand and a crisp plate for making chips and the like with the Crisp Dynamic function. This cooking mode uses the microwave and grill to deliver crispy food fast. It worked all right, although we had to extend the cooking time to get the best results.
Defrosting and reheating items showed this microwave and its best, and it also perfectly toasted a slice of bread, showing that the grill is very even. We were impressed with the combination grill and microwave mode, which gave us a perfect jacket potato.
If you primarily want a built-in microwave that has a few extra options, this is a quality and well-priced choice.
Full review: Hotpoint MP676IXH review
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Hotpoint SI4S854CBL
Best budget oven
Pros
- Steam option
- Excellent value
- Air fry mode and basket
Cons
- No bottom heat mode
Although the Hotpoint SI4S854CBL is a budget-friendly oven, it’s packed with heaps of cooking modes and functions, housed in a sleek and modern design.
With 73-litres of cooking space, the Hotpoint SI4S854CBL is as large as you’d expect from a standalone integrated oven, making it perfect for cooking larger foods or multiple items across the five shelf supports.
Hotpoint includes two wire shelves plus a deep baking tray with a wire insert for the grill. There’s also a wire basket which allows for better airflow when air fry mode is enabled.
Using the SI4S854CBL is intuitive thanks to the clear LCD panel at the front. You can choose to use the oven either via its manual functions or the My Menu option. For the former, choose between select cooking modes including conventional, forced air, convection bake, grill, air fry and slow cook.
Or opt for the built-in My Menu mode to select the food type you want to cook and have the oven pick the best cooking options. This mode also cleverly highlights the ideal shelf position to use for your chosen meal.
There’s also a clever steam mode which can be used with a choice of two steam levels, depending on the food you’re making. Level one is best for bread and desserts, resulting in a crispy outside and soft inside, while level two is for meat, fish and vegetables.
To use steam, you simply need to fill the pull-out water tank found at the top right of the oven. After use, the oven will then cleverly tell you when it’s time to run the descaling setting, according to how hard the water is in your area.
Overall we found the SI4S854CBL had impressively even temperature distribution and offered near-perfect grilling, however we did find that air fry mode gave more even results than conventional oven cooking.
With an affordable RRP, the Hotpoint SI4S854CBL boasts heaps of features that you’d expect to find on a more expensive model. If you want a versatile oven that offers cooking flexibility without splashing too much cash, you’d be hard pressed to find a better option than the Hotpoint SI4S854CBL.
Full Review: Hotpoint SI4S854CBL
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Samsung Bespoke Series 6 NV7B6685AAN/U4 Oven with Dual Cook
Best for flexibility
Pros
- Can split the oven into two separate units
- Two sliding rails
- Lots of accessories
Cons
- Only one wire shelf in the box
It’s one large 76-litre oven when you need maximum capacity and two smaller ovens when you need to cook less or two items at once. All you have to do is slide in a divider, and the top and bottom become different ovens. It makes a big difference: we cooked oven chips in the main oven, and it used 0.5333kWh; use half the space and energy consumption dropped to 0.36kWh.
This oven has it all: every regular cooking mode, plus air frying and steam cooking, and Samsung even provides a steamer, which you can use for fish or vegetables. Our only minor complaint is that Samsung is a little stingy with regular accessories: there’s only one wire shelf and a baking tray in the box, along with two telescopic shelf attachments.
For precision cooking, there’s a temperature probe and air sous vide, which precisely controls temperature. Our test chicken breast came out at exactly the right temperature, retaining its moistness. We found that temperatures were even across the oven, and that the grill was perfectly even too.
As well as the brilliant interface, this oven works with SmartThings, which has more explanation of what each mode does, plus a set of recipes you can follow with the app, setting the oven to the optimal mode.
When you want maximum flexibility, this is the oven to buy.
Full review: Samsung Bespoke Series 6 NV7B6685AAN/U4 Oven with Dual Cook review
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Belling BEL BI903MFCBLK
Best double oven
Pros
- Great value
- Lots of cooking space
- Cooks evenly in both ovens
Cons
- Timer operates both ovens
- Bottom grill is uneven
Cheaper than some single ovens, this double oven has a 72-litre main cavity and a 38-litre top oven (this is not a microwave, as well). This oven has standard controls, with a selector dial used to pick a mode by selecting an icon (have the manual to hand when you start).
Both ovens have analogue temperature dials which run to a maximum of 250°C so you can cook pretty much any item in any cavity.
Using the top oven to cook oven chips, we measured 0.305kWh; the main oven used 0.464kWh for the same amount. Using the top oven for smaller amounts of food can be a good cost saver, particularly as its results were as good as the bottom oven’s.
We found that temperature was evenly distributed, although the back of the top oven was quite a bit hotter than the front, so adjust the selected temperature as you get used to how this oven cooks.
We found the top grill was pretty good, although it didn’t warm the corners of our outermost bits of bread at the front, so smaller dishes work better. The bottom grill was quite uneven in our tests.
It’s not the most feature-packed of ovens, but if you’ve got space for a double and want a good value option, this is the model to buy.
Full review: Belling BEL BI903MFCBLK review
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Neff N90 B69VY7MY0 Oven
Best for temperature control
Pros
- Every cooking function you could want
- Efficient
- Brilliant temperature control
- Slide and Hide door is genuinely brilliant
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a Twist Pad Flex
If you’re looking for an oven that boasts numerous smart features, has excellent temperature control which promises even cooking, and is easy to clean, then the Neff N90 B69VY7MY0 integrated oven is an ideal choice.
We found that the Neff N90 boasts impressively even cooking, making this one of the best ovens we tested for an almost-perfect cook. To test this, we set the oven to 200°C, filled a baking tray with ceramic beads and took the temperature of the tray. With this process, we found very little temperature variation, as the front of the tray measured 194.8°C and the back was 201.2°C.
There are also multiple general oven modes to choose from, including but not limited to top/bottom heat, fan, circo roasting, break-baking and plate warming. Most of the cooking modes are also compatible with the extra temperature probe.
The probe, which plugs into the side of the oven, allows you to set a target temperature and automatically stops the heat when food is detected at the perfect temperature. If you’ve been known to overcook your food, this is the perfect feature for you.
There’s also the incredibly useful steam mode, which adds moisture to the cooking process and can be included with most other cooking modes too. Continuous steam can be added for certain meals, or if you’re baking bread or rolls, while the Steam Jet mode operates more sparingly..
The Neff N90 is packed with smart features, including a touch-screen control panel and a compatible app. The app is useful as it clearly explains what each of the cooking modes should be used for, which makes cooking new recipes much easier. The app also sends a notification to your smartphone when the oven has reached its target temperature or the end of the cooking cycle.
Other features of this integrated oven include a useful slide and hide door, which makes loading and unloading much easier, and its 71-litre capacity, which means lots of larger foods can be cooked easily.
The Neff N60 is also easy to clean, thanks to the multiple cleaning modes and use of steam to help dislodge dirt.
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Full review: Neff N90 B69VY7MY0
Gozney Arc
The best outdoor pizza oven
Pros
- Wide, easily accessible mouth
- Controllable temperature
- Easy to light
Cons
- Not easily portable
- No accessories included
- Pizza needs to be turned
The Gozney Arc is an easy-to-use outdoor pizza oven that offers both new and seasoned pizza makers total control and consistent results.
Boasting the same water-resistant and UV-stable painted shell as the Dome, Gozney’s flagship pizza oven, the Arc promises to be equally as durable against outdoor damage.
Powered solely by propane or patio gas, the Arc has an automatic ignition and intuitive temperature control. The digital temperature display is especially well designed as it connects to sensors within the oven, presenting a colour-coded guide to inform you when it’s ready to start cooking.
Inside the oven, you’ll find just one burner with the flame designed to replicate a wood fire by fanning out and rolling across the oven’s domed ceiling.
If you’ve tried other pizza ovens, you’ll have likely experienced the frustration of the burner constantly blowing out during cooking, however this isn’t the case with the Arc. In fact, we found every time we ignited the oven, the burner not only lit instantly but stayed consistent throughout.
Included is a guide to optimum cooking temperatures, ranging from 320° for thin crust up to 480° for a softer, puffy crust. We found all pizzas, regardless of the crust type, needed to be turned halfway through for even cooking, with the thinner pizzas taking around 90 seconds altogether to cook and the thicker pizzas taking just under one minute.
Due to the Arc’s tall and wide opening, placing, retrieving and turning the pizza halfway through cooking is a breeze.
There are extra accessories available that are sold separately, such as a portable stand, cover and placement peel. Although the tools do make using the Arc easier, with the stand especially useful for storage, we found the appliance is still perfectly usable without the extra splurge.
Overall we were seriously impressed with the Gozney Arc. Simple to operate, clean and maintain, the Arc is the perfect addition for any garden party.
Full review: Gozney Arc
Reviewer: Rachel Ogden
Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven CPZ120U
The best indoor pizza oven
Pros
- Bakes up to 400°C
- Multiple accessories
- Makes up to 30cm/12-inch pizzas
Cons
- Timer doesn’t stop cooking
- Large worktop footprint
- Parts not dishwasher-safe
If you love the thought of homemade pizzas whenever you like but don’t have the space or budget for an outdoor pizza oven, then the Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven is the perfect compromise.
Of course there are some limitations, as food won’t cook as quickly and this model can only accommodate 12-inch pizzas, but it is still undoubtedly convenient and requires much less preparation than an outdoor oven.
Included with the Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven are all the tools you need to bake your pizza, including a peel, cutter and a deep-dish pan. Considering the Gozney Arc outdoor oven’s tools are sold separately, this is a great offering. However, it’s worth mentioning that none of these tools are dishwasher-safe.
The Indoor Pizza Oven is versatile too, as it’s not only about the same size as a microwave so you won’t need too much extra space to keep it, but it also includes a wire shelf which doubles up for cooking other foods, such as traybakes or cakes.
It works as a conventional oven, relying on fanned heat to raise the temperature inside, and we found it took around 15-17 minutes to heat up.
Cuisinart offers plenty of guidance on selecting the optimum temperature and, thanks to the pared-backed and intuitive controls, using the oven is seamless. There’s even an inside light which allows you to monitor the pizza’s progress without having to open the door and disturb the process.
We found cooking a pizza at the max temperature of 400° resulted in a reasonable rise and a firm browned crust, although it is not identical to the results of an outdoor oven which usually cooks at around 500°.
When cooking at a lower temperature of 300°, the result was less than favourable as although it was thoroughly cooked, it didn’t quite manage to rise.
Although it certainly doesn’t surpass the abilities of an outdoor pizza oven, the Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven still offers excellent results, provided you follow the guidance accordingly. It’s a versatile device too, which means you can use your device for other meals too.
Full review: Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven CPZ120U
Reviewer: Rachel Ogden
We also considered…
FAQs
All regular integrated ovens fit into the same physical space in a cupboard, but the internal space they offer is different. For a regular oven, 70-litres+ gives you enough space to handle bigger dinners, such as roast and trimmings. For a smaller integrated combi oven, 40-litres+ is ideal, either for cooking additional food while the main oven is in use, or for cooking smaller amounts of food and saving money on energy costs.
A regular combi microwave oven will have a turntable in the bottom, which rotates. This takes up space and will only work with round dishes or smaller rectangular ones. A flatbed microwave doesn’t have a turntable, so more of the internal cavity is usable. Flatbed models tend to make better overall ovens, but they do cost more.
Steam ovens are a great way to preserve moisture in food, while helping develop crisp food, such as baguettes. Water can be added to any oven cavity (in a spare baking tray), but an oven with a steam reservoir will control steam output and give better results.
Pyrolytic cleaning is very handy: the oven heats up to 450°C or higher, burning off residue and grease, so you just have to scrape out the charred remains. It’s a great way to keep an oven clean without any manual scrubbing.
An oven with a temperature probe is useful, as it can stop cooking when your food hits the right temperature. That makes precision cooking very easy. Look out for ovens with telescopic shelf mounts, which slide out: these make it easy to load and unload food without having to reach into the oven.
Comparison specs
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