How does a Steam Oven Work?

Meile Steam Oven


Domestic steam ovens were introduced to th Uk in the early 1990's bringing around a revoloution in kitchen design and the use of appliances in the kitchen.

Used in professional restaurant kitchens long before, the domestic steam oven was adapted to provide a healthy means to cook for people in their kitchen at home. During the following 10 years, premium kitchen appliance brands added steam ovens to their consumer offer, but they were still viewed as specialist appliances.

Lately, steam ovens have become less of a niche choice and one that often competes with microwaves as an alternative second oven. In many kitchen designs Kitchen Solutions Kent fit a regular single oven, a steam oven and a combination microwave, oven and grill

This kitchen trend continues with new generations of multifunction ovens that incorporate steam technology. For us as kitchen designers and fitters, steam ovens form part of a compact kitchen appliance collection of similarly-sized ovens, and because 450mm is the most popular size for a dedicated steam oven, they can be fitted above a standard single oven or as part of a compact group.

Two 450mm ovens - a steam oven and a microwave combination oven will fit into a standard double-oven cavity.

Normally , steam ovens require no plumbing, meaning installers and kitchen designers to incorporate the appliance anywhere in the kitchen layout without the need for the appliance to be attached to mains water.

The effectiveness of a steam oven is greater than steaming steamer on the hob. Steam ovens retain vitamins and mineral salts in the food. You can steam separate food types together with no flavour contamination, so vegetables and puddings can be steamed together simultaneously in one appliance making steam ovens convenient and economic.

Research indicates that up to 90% of foods placed in a microwave oven can be cooked, defrosted or reheated in a steam oven, and unlike using a microwave, moisture is always retained.

In some kitchen designs space is at a premium. With that in mind, kitchen appliance manufacturers have begun to introduce multifunction ovens with steam functions, thereby offering the best of all worlds in a single appliance.

The steam cooking function works by using accessories with telescopic runners, a full-width stainless steel steam tray with glass lid that is filled with up to 400ml of water and then placed in the oven cavity.

Steam ovens look to be increasing in popularity steadily over th next few years