An oven is an essential, but do you know which one is the best for you?
A convection oven is the standard in most Australian kitchens, but with healthy eating trends on the rise, the steam oven is quickly becoming a popular option.
A steam oven is exactly what it sounds like; an oven that cooks food using steam rather than dry heat. Steam ovens are able to cook food faster, and retain moisture well within what ever you are cooking. This means that your roast vegies or baked chicken will never dry out!
A steam oven has all the functionalities that a convection oven does, and is often paired with conventional options so that you can have the versatility you need for all of your cooking.
Advantages of a steam oven
- Healthier cooking: Steamed cooking means your food, especially any roast vegies, are able to retain more nutrients. Steam ovens also do not require as much use of fats or oils, meaning you reduce your fat intake as well!
- Reduces drying out: Because steam ovens work by cooking with steam, whatever food is in the oven will stay juicy, moist and delicious.
- Speedier cooking: Steam ovens balance both dry heat and steam when cooking something, it means your food will be cooked much faster than a traditional oven.
- Multi-functional: Steam ovens are regularly combined with conventional functions so that hybrid cooking options are available.
- Reduces risk of burning: Using steam to heat and cook means there’s less likelihood of your food becoming burnt or too crisp on outer sections.
- Modern appeal and aesthetic: Steam ovens are one of the newer types of oven, and are built with modern aesthetic in mind. Similar to induction cooktops, they often blend seamlessly into contemporary kitchen designs.
Best steam oven in Australia for 2024
Westinghouse 60cm pyrolytic steam oven, $1499, The Good Guys
This dark stainless steel oven adds a modern edge to your kitchen design, and that doesn’t even include the modern functions! With a 72 litre capacity and 10 different oven functions to choose from, you can airfry, steam, rapid heat or grill up dinner for the whole family. And of course, the PyroClean function means that you don’t have to worry about stains or grease – simply turn it on and wait for it to turn to ash. Then you can wipe out your oven with a cloth, and get ready to cook your next meal.
Key features:
- 80L gross capacity.
- EasyBake +Steam function.
- PyroClean oven is self cleaning and turns on to an extremely high temperature, turning grease and grime into ash.
- Telescopic runners make it easy to draw racks out and safely check on your dishes during cooking.
Available at:
- $1462 from Appliances Online
Smeg Linea compact steam 100 in midnight black, $4490, The Good Guys
With all of the steam options under the sun, this steam oven from Smeg is modern and magic when it comes to cooking. An integrated tank means that you don’t have to worry about unsightly external features, while the Vapour Clean cleaning program ensures that your oven will stay spick and span after cooking any kind of meal.
Key features:
- Can be used in 100% steam mode, combi steam mode or as a full multi-function oven.
- Water loading system is designed to enhance the aesthetics of the oven, thanks to an integrated 800 ml tank that does not alter the external design of the oven.
- Large 4.3″ screen interface illustrates the cooking function, temperature and timer functions.
- Vapour Clean is a special steam assisted cleaning program that helps to remove any build up of cooking debris inside the oven.
Available at:
- $4490 from Designer Appliances
NEFF 60cm built-in combi-steam oven, $3999, Appliances Online
71 litres of capacity means family-style cooking is as easy as pie with this steam oven from NEFF. The included benefits of a slide and hide door and a multipoint meat probe means that oven-cooking has become that much easier. Finally, the steam action combined with NEFF’s CircoTherm® technology means all of your food will be cooked quickly, evenly and to delicious perfection!
Key features:
- Slide&Hide Door can be fully retracted to slide under the oven cavity.
- CircoTherm® smart airflow system keeps heat moving throughout your oven, so you can place your trays on any level and still get even results.
- Meat probe helps make it easy to cook your meat with absolute precision.
- Whether you’re unsure how to long bake your cake or what temperature to roast a beef, automatic programmes has you covered.
Available at:
- $3999 from Bing Lee
Beko 60cm multi function steam assisted black oven, $1182, Appliances Online
The largest one of this bunch, this steam oven from Beko is a whopping 85 litres in gross capacity. Not only can you make a solid family meal, but you can easily cater for larger events and entertaining. With Aeroperfect uniform hot air distribution and the SteamAssist feature to add in moisture, your next roast will be the most juicy and evenly-cooked one ever!
Key features:
- Aeroperfect technology provides uniform hot air distribution throughout the oven and minimises temperature fluctuation.
- In the production of these ovens, in the parts of door décor plastic, display cover 5% fishing net waste & 65% industrial thread waste are used.
- 5 year warranty.
- SteamAssist feature, which adds moisture to the cooking process, ensuring the food is evenly cooked and retains its natural flavor.
- This large oven comes in a huge 85 litres gross capacity, so you can cook everything you need for your family & friends.
Available at:
Miele Vitroline Obsidian 60cm steam oven, $4999, Bing Lee
This Miele steam oven has got it all, including a Wi-Fi integration you can use to control your cooking functions and timers remotely. With DualSteam technology, automatic programming and 5 different cooking functions, this steam oven is definitely worth the investment!
Key features:
- 5 cooking functions.
- 40 litre capacity.
- DualSteam.
- SoftOpen & SoftClose.
- Automatic programmes.
- 3 Steam Cooking containers.
Available at:
- $4999 from The Good Guys
Cuisinart combo steam & convection oven in stainless steel, $299 (was $449), Myer
And finally, this countertop combo oven by Cuisinart is perfect for households that don’t have any space for a traditional stand-alone oven. With a hybrid model of both steam and convection functions available, this steam oven works well for any cooking scenario. And if you’re an amateur baker, this is a match made in heaven, with specialised bread proofing technology!
Key features:
- Specialised bread proofing technology.
- Unique Steam Bake & Steam Broil functions.
- Cooks up to 40% quicker than conventional ovens.
- Cooking with steam requires no oil – increased moisture retention, yielding healthier results.
- 1.4 Litre removable water reservoir.
- Accessories: wire rack, baking pan, broiling rack, crumb tray, & drip tray included.
Available at:
- $329 from The Good Guys
- $349 from Betta
- $369 from Bing Lee
What is the difference between a steam oven and a combi steam oven?
A steam oven cannot reach as high temperatures as a convection oven due to using steam over dry heat. A combi steam oven combines the advantages of both oven types into one, meaning you can have juicy, delicious roasts that are cooked at the right temperatures.
Is it worth having a steam oven?
The best benefit of cooking with steam is that they preserve nutrients, natural textures and flavours because of steam technology. This means that your food needs less oils and fats to cook, and will be cooked without any moisture reduction. It’s definitely worth having a steam oven if you love a more healthy roasting and baking option, and love the efficiency and speed that a steam oven provides.
Does a steam oven need a water supply?
While some upscale models will need direct connection to a water line, many steam ovens have the option of refilling a water tank after use.
Looking to save money on steam oven? Check out our coupon codes for The Good Guys, Appliances Online and more.
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