Steam ovens any good?

pinkpiglit

Sorry all, I suspect this isn't really the right board for my question but I wasn't sure where to put it!

Does anyone have a steam oven? We are hoping to have our kitchen refurbished this year and I'm trying to decide between Neff or Bosch (I think those are the best brands, but I'm open to other suggestions!) and whether we should potentially splurge on one of Neff's Variosteam ovens. However I have no idea if they are good or just a gimick.

I should add, I'm a keen cook so whatever oven we choose it'll be getting a LOT of use.

Lungboy

Neff and Bosch are the same company so their ovens are largely identical.

beaker141

I'm very mixed on ours - we've used a cheap electric multi tier steamer for years, so I got an AEG full size steam oven.

We still generally use the multi tier!

I find the steam oven took longer to steam the veg, and I didnt think the design was very technical.

Basically you pour water in the top and it sits in a dish at the bottom that has a heating element in and steams the water.

It can be used with 100%, 50% or 25% steam and has the usual fan oven functions too - but its not pyrolytic - so much harder to clean if you roast potatoes in it.

Having bought all AEG appliances for our kitchen - I wouldnt recommend them at all.

pinkpiglit

beaker141 wrote: »

I'm very mixed on ours - we've used a cheap electric multi tier steamer for years, so I got an AEG full size steam oven.

We still generally use the multi tier!

I find the steam oven took longer to steam the veg, and I didnt think the design was very technical.

Basically you pour water in the top and it sits in a dish at the bottom that has a heating element in and steams the water.

It can be used with 100%, 50% or 25% steam and has the usual fan oven functions too - but its not pyrolytic - so much harder to clean if you roast potatoes in it.

Having bought all AEG appliances for our kitchen - I wouldnt recommend them at all.

Thanks for your view. The steam ovens cost a good 30-50% more thannon-steam versions and I do wonder whether I would use thatfunction. Am leaning towards a standardoven – definitely pyrolytic as I can’t abide oven cleaning!

My mother used to have AEG appliances and found them ok. I've had Bosch in the past and they worked fine but I think this time round it'll be Neff as the aesthetics are nicer.

beaker141

I had a look at our local showroom on Saturday and the new neff stuff without any knobs on looks really good - equally the Bosch looks good too.

The AEG hasnt moved on yet from what I bought - which although fully electronic panel isnt yet the fancy colour tft stuff.

I think AEG used ot be good and german - now its just an electrolux brand.

SuzieSue

beaker141 wrote: »

and the new neff stuff without any knobs on looks really good - equally the Bosch looks good too.

.

There was a thread on here a few weeks back saying that the Neff touchscreen controls weren't great.

pinkpiglit

SuzieSue wrote: »

There was a thread on here a few weeks back saying that the Neff touchscreen controls weren't great.

Hmmm, I might try and dig that out. Shame because I agree they look nice!

SuzieSue

pinkpiglit wrote: »

Hmmm, I might try and dig that out. Shame because I agree they look nice!

This is it:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5212489

Davesnave

SuzieSue wrote: »

There was a thread on here a few weeks back saying that the Neff touchscreen controls weren't great.

Some certainly aren't great and some are OK. We have OK ones, but the original controls worked for many years and my philosophy is "if it ain't broke...."etc.

Neff are mostly fine.... and pretty. Miele are better, but there are things called 'budgets.'

beaker141

I've had loads of problems with touchscreen on AEG - the main oven and the full size steam oven, when you opened the door the heat/steam rose up and started pressing functions on the touch screen - usually channging the temperature either up or down, sometimes a lot !

About 6 engineer visits and finally they gave in and replaced with a new oven and touch wood - so far its been ok.

cddc

Have an AEG steam oven and has been good so far. Use the steam function mostly for roasts (chicken in particular is excellent) or baking and the results are great.

Have never seen the point of steaming vegetables in it, as others have said, if you already have a 3 tier steamer what is the point?

Never had any problems with the touch controls, though the way the menus work can be annoying. If you set up your most used programs as favourites this makes life a lot easier.