Although different oven types may cook food in their own ways, most ovens generally rely on two separate metal heating elements to prepare food. Depending on where the rack is positioned and which settings are selected, an oven can brown or crisp a dish or bake it gently.
To choose the most suitable option for your kitchen, compare the capacities of single and double wall ovens.
A convection oven may also include a third heating element at the rear, which helps spread hot air around the food so it cooks more quickly. Inside the oven cavity, an integrated fan circulates heated air evenly across multiple racks. Convection features are available on select gas and electric ovens, although these two oven types still differ in several respects.
Gas ovens rely on burners fueled by propane or natural gas to heat food. These burners create flames both on the stovetop of a kitchen range and within the oven cavity, enabling baking, roasting, broiling, and other cooking methods. Because the open flame is easy to adjust, gas ovens generally preheat more quickly than traditional electric ovens. For guidance on using a gas stove, including the oven, consult the available tips.
Standard electric ovens offer the advantage of being the type of oven most recipes assume. They cook food using metal heating elements powered by an electric current, and these elements can either broil food from above or provide heat from below. In addition, electric ovens typically brown and crisp foods with a somewhat drier heat compared with gas ovens.
A range’s cooking surface—referred to as the cooktop or stovetop—sits above the oven cavity. Although an induction cooktop may look much like a traditional cooktop, several notable differences distinguish them. Beneath an induction cooktop, a copper coil uses electromagnetic energy. When induction-compatible cookware is placed on the surface, this setup produces heat for cooking.
Because induction cooking is a cooktop function, the oven cavity continues to operate as an electric oven.
In certain ovens, steam also provides a convenient way to clean the interior. A steam oven works by boiling water and then releasing the resulting steam into the oven cavity. This cooking method is effective and can be just as quick as using a traditional oven.
In an electric oven, the bake and broil elements are warmed by an electrical current. In a gas oven, heat is produced by a gas-fueled element positioned at the bottom of the appliance. To learn more about other oven elements, or for guidance specific to your model, refer to your oven’s use and care guide.
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