Mini / countertop oven

Blue_Doggy

Very many thanks to all who’ve replied for your useful comments and advice. AndyCF, MovingForwards, Carrot007, grunnie, gairlochgal, Farway .

AndyCF

Blue_Doggy wrote: »

Very many thanks to all who’ve replied for your useful comments and advice. AndyCF, MovingForwards, Carrot007, grunnie, gairlochgal, Farway .

Hopefully you have gained a little bit of info from various posts.

One slight point that may not apply. When about 15 years ago now we brought a new cheap gas cooker, the oven only came with one shelf, it is just "how they were" , it was not missing one. There was quite enough space for two. Can only assume it was a cost saving thing by not including two.

The point on the above is I asked at the retailer about a new shelf and was referred to their 'spares' dept. From memory they wanted something daft like £30 for a 'replacement shelf' , a hunt online from a certain place ( won't put it here, ask if needed ) actually turned up a new one, genuine part too, for under £10! , so by all means ask the retailer but check elsewhere too.

All I'm saying I suppose is, if the oven does have enough space for two shelves or such and only comes with one, don't let this bit put you off , having said that seems unlikely you'd need two shelves or such in a 'microwave size' oven but it is worth bearing in mind perhaps.

Anyway enjoy your shiny new purchase as/when you're able to get around to obtaining it.

PasturesNew

I's all I've used for the last five years. Bought mine from Lidl, about £30.

You do need to poke around a few to choose the right one; I just bought the one that I spotted soonest that cost about £30.

I've cooked all sorts of simple meals in mine, from toad in the hole to ready-made chilled pies, pizzas (10" sometimes have to trim two edges off), roast spuds.

I've avoided cooking anything that "spits" in it as I'd never be able to reach round the exposed elements to clean it.

Mine weighs the same as a regular toaster.

Mine has a lightweight aluminium tray (that stains easily) and one shelf. It'd take two shelves if I found/bought a 2nd one as there are two height slots.

AndyCF

The clean-out factor is a an excellent point, something I'd overlooked, I thin sometimes the manufacturers/designers overlook this too perhaps as splatters are going to happen.

Although fractionally off topic those 'mug tree' design microwave-bacon holders look really nice but I can imagine the possible mess ( ! ) , I've not used one though. I know someone with the sloping 'gridded tray' thing but I've never asked them what it is like. Easy enough to just manage with some care and two plates!

Back to cleaning: Pulling a tray out or suchlike is OK but it should not require any tools (screwdriver or spanner) at all to pull out what is needed for a clean, in other words you should be able to get at everything. This is probably a good reason to see the item before question 'in person' too, so you can look inside to quickly decide if there are going to be any really annoying nooks/crannies that might be difficult to get at!

Those thumbwheel screws could be used probably. My 'gas oven' is a bit like that the bottom plate does come out its not fixed in but getting to the 'bits under' is an exercise in itself, partly why its not been used for a bit.

Regarding spares : if you add an 'e' to the beginning of that single word and a co uk to the end you might not be too far out. Its where I got my shelf from anyway and if memory serves a replacement 'front' for one drawer on the ancient (now long gone) freezer.

MovingForwards

I used to cover spitty foods with foil, wrapped round the meat, over the sides of the oven bowl and tucked under the base of it. Saved a lot of concerns with cleaning it up afterwards!

It had one shelf, a tray and a gripper thing to pull the tray out. If I cooked a full chicken I would put the shelf on the lowest possible holder things down the side.

As much as I dislike normal full-size electric cookers, I couldn't fault the mini one I had. Everything cooked, nothing burnt and as it was work surface height it was so much easier to use, check food cooking and not have to bend when pulling food out.

I also had a separate table top twin hob, which I picked up brand new from Argos.

I am thinking about buying one when I get my own place, if the former owner hasn't left an oven. Means I don't have to rush to buy a cooker I want and can shop around, wait for delivery etc and still eat

EmberJayde

I have one that came with two hotplates on top for hobs. Normal suzed trays flat out dont fit, it came with one shelf, and one tray that fits into the slots at the side like a shelf. It also has a rotisserie function I have yet to use. I’ve found that cakes sometimes burn on the bottom due to how close the elements are to the shelf (two elements front and back at both top and bottom) but I seem to have conquered that learning curve. There isnt much space between both shelves but it just about does, though I’d never be able to cook a full roast in there. Desperate to try bread in there but nervous about the cake burning issue coming back. May have to try this week and update you all!

Overall, its handy for just me, but a squeeze when my partner comes to stay too. I’d definitely recommend a seperate hob if you need one as the hot plates things is quite useless. Either red hot or not on, not great when you want to simmer something, and takes ages to heat.