10 best built-in ovens for baking, roasting, grilling and self-cleaning

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We’ve been reviewing products for over 100 years at the Good Housekeeping Institute, continuously refining our rigorous testing protocols as household appliances have advanced over the decades, ensuring we’re always at the forefront of the latest innovations in the kitchen. Blossom Boothroyd, our homes testing manager, oversees all our reviews and analyses every result to ensure we’re using products exactly as you do at home.

After testing is completed, all the data and notes are passed to our senior homes and lifestyle writer, Megan Geall, who turns it into easy-to-read reviews. She ensures you have all the information you need to make an informed purchase. Megan looks after all the Good Housekeeping Institute’s homes and gardens reviews and spends a lot of time talking to industry experts, attending product launches and learning everything there is to know about household appliances.

What are the different types of oven?

Buying an oven is a big investment, so it’s crucial to know which makes, models, features, and cooking functions are worth looking at before making that all-important purchase. Here’s our handy breakdown.

Single ovens

These all-in-one ovens can slot under the counter or sit at eye-level. Compact models tend to measure 45cm in height while regular single ovens are about 60cm.

Pros:

• A great choice if you’re tight on space
• Ample room if you mostly cook for one or two people

Take note:

• You can’t use the oven and grill function at the same time
• May not provide enough capacity if you’re cooking for bigger households

Double ovens

You can choose between two types of double oven: built-in models, which measure about 90cm in height and sit at eye level; or slightly smaller built-under models, which are about 70cm tall and sit underneath the counter.

Pros:

• Better for family cooking as you can prepare multiple dishes at once
• The option to use different functions in each oven at the same time makes them more versatile

Take note:

• In some models, the second oven can be small and better suited to grilling rather than cooking
• There are fewer new models on the market as they are becoming less popular – opting for two solo ovens is a good alternative

Smart ovens

The latest innovations in cooking tech, a smart oven can be controlled remotely as they connect to your phone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Pros:

• Reduces the time spent in the kitchen as you can adjust settings or tell it to pre-heat from another room at home
• You can save your cooking preferences or use pre-set cooking functions, so the hassle of selecting the right setting and temperature is out of your hands

Take note:

• Often more expensive
• The technology may be confusing at first (although they can still be used manually if you prefer)

How to choose the best oven

Built-in ovens can come with an overwhelming number of features, so consider what’s essential for you. For day-to-day cooking, you’ll need a fan-assisted model with a full grill, partial grill, fan grill, and upper and lower heat. But if you’re an aspiring home chef or love throwing dinner parties, you might want to invest in some of these additional snazzy features...

Extra modes: Some ovens have a dough proving function and pizza setting, which create the right conditions for perfectly risen dough and deliciously cheesy pizzas.

A ‘keep warm’ setting: Perfect for hosting, this keeps the temperature low enough so the food won’t dry out, but warm enough so any late dinner guests will still get a hot meal.

Steam functionality: It can take longer than traditional cooking, but a steam setting allows you to prepare everything from vegetables to fish without using oil. It means your ingredients retain their nutrients and flavour too.

An integrated microwave: Ovens with an integrated microwave let you go from baking to reheating at the touch of a button – perfect if you’re tight on space. Alternatively, if you want to keep your appliances separate, we've also rounded up the best microwaves for speedy cooking.

A self-cleaning setting: Investing in an oven with a self-clean function means you can keep it gleaming without having to lift a finger. We’ve outlined the different self-cleaning options below.

What is the best self-cleaning oven function?

When it comes to cleaning, we’re all probably a little guilty of paying less attention to the inside of our ovens than the rest of our kitchen. However, grease and burnt food can build up and absorb the heat, making your oven less efficient.

That’s why investing in an oven with a self-cleaning function could be a game-changer. There are three types on the market: pyrolytic, catalytic liners and steam-cleaning, and some even boast a combination. Here are the benefits of each type.

Pyrolytic

The most popular self-cleaning function, this is an automatic programme that combines pressure and high temperatures to convert grease and food residue into ash.

Pros:

• The ash can be easily swept away when the process is finished
• The oven doors should remain cool during use and will automatically lock when pyrolytic cleaning is activated, only unlocking when the internal temperature is back to a safe level

Take note:

• Depending on the programme, this process lasts between one to three hours

Catalytic liners

These liners transform the oven into a self-cleaning machine when set at high temperatures.

Pros:

• The liners absorb and breakdown grease, food and dirt
• Depending on the model, you may also have to service the liners by running the oven on its highest heat setting, but generally only for an hour

Take note:

• These ovens should never be cleaned manually, and the liners may need replacing during the cooker’s lifetime

Steam-cleaning functions

These clean using water from a removable tank or an included tray to loosen dirt and grease.

Pros:

• It’s quick, often taking under an hour
• Steam cleaning requires lower temperatures, making it the more energy efficient option

Take note:

• The lack of heat means they aren’t always as effective at removing hardened food

What is the best way to clean my oven?

If your oven doesn’t have one of the self-cleaning functions above, you’ll need to don your rubber gloves and tackle the grease and grime the old-fashioned way. Our household advice editor, Katie Mortram, suggests tackling the shelves with 250g of soda crystals dissolved in hot water and using a ceramic hob scraper on the door.

Finally, for inside the oven, turn to our best oven cleaner, which left the bases of our test kitchen ovens shiny and spotless with minimal scrubbing.

Do built-in ovens just plug in?

Installing a built-in oven is relatively straightforward, as they’re designed to fit inside your kitchen cabinets, but it will require more than simply slotting it into place and plugging in. Many electric ovens are just too powerful to plug straight into a wall socket. Check with the manufacturer for guidance.

You’ll need to ensure the oven is the correct size for the cavity you intend to use and that you'll have enough space to fully open the door. You should also check it's near the power supply you wish to use, be it gas or electricity, and that you have enough space around the power supply for proper installation.

Lastly, you’ll require a platform strong enough to support the oven’s weight and with enough clearance to meet the safety guidelines of the manufacturer.

For peace of mind and your own safety, we recommend your oven is installed by an electrical engineer or Gas Safe registered engineer, depending on the power supply.

What is the best oven size?

Most family-sized ovens are 60cm wide and offer cooking capacity of 70 to 75L. This offers enough space for family meals and should be plenty for your Sunday roast.

We’ve also tested larger 77L ovens, which will suit bigger households and offer breathing room when it comes to hosting, as well as the smaller Samsung Series 7 Compact Oven at 50L – ideal for one to two people.

Which oven accessories do I need?

When you purchase a new oven, they are usually equipped with a range of accessories for your convenience. These are among the most common.

Oven tray: Also referred to as a universal pan or baking tray, these are multi-purpose and used for an array of dishes. It can also be used to catch fat drippings if grilling directly on a wire shelf. Most ovens provide you with at least one oven tray, though some models come with two or more.

Wire rack: Useful for grilling, these can also be used for ovenware, cake tins and other ovenproof dishes. New ovens typically provide you with at least two wire racks.

Wire shelves: All ovens are equipped with removable wire shelf supports to insert interchangeably among the different shelf positions.

Telescopic runners: These make pulling out wire shelves and pushing them back in again easier. With some models, you can move the runners to the shelf position you require, while others are fixed and cannot be removed.

Temperature/meat probe: Some ovens might also come with a temperature probe, which records the core temperature of meat when cooking.

The verdict: Which is the best oven?

Our experts’ winning oven is Miele’s H2861 Stainless Steel Oven, which boasts app connectivity, an air fryer function, and a 71-litre capacity. It does come with a premium price tag but would make an excellent family oven if you have the budget. The Hisense BSA66346PDBGUK is a cheaper alternative which still boasts those premium smart features.

For those looking for a more affordable buy, our best oven under £200 is the Russell Hobbs RHFEO7004B 70L Oven – or for £100 more, the Beko Pro AeroPerfect AirFry Electric Oven (our best value pick) offers great performance for the price.