When thinking about purchasing new appliances, the oven is the first concern for a customer who loves to bake or cook. The pricing for an oven can vary depending on different sizes, features, and brands. Most importantly, we want to find out what the customer likes to cook or bake, and ask the appropriate questions to determine what fits their everyday needs best. The more information we receive from the customer, the easier it will be to determine what pricing we can give them.
What to Consider First
Usually the first question is going to be what size oven is needed. There are three different sizes ranging from 24”, 27”, and 30” in width. The size will be decided either by the customer already having a specific size and wanting to replace it, or if during a remodel they know the cabinetry specifications. They may need a single oven, double oven, or a microwave oven combination depending on height specification. Another specific detail needed would be if the units were gas or electric. A gas oven will typically slim the customer’s options depending on brands. Most ovens are electric now because of their efficiency and ability to have a more exact temperature and bake time. A common request would be stainless steel, but there are other options when it comes to color. Most brands offer black stainless which are a newer sample, and also black, white and bisque. Few brands offer a variety of custom colorization but they are available.
What Brand do I Choose?
It does make a difference on which brand is chosen. The higher the price, the better the brand name. The elite would be Wolf, Thermador, Viking, and JennAir, just to name a few. Typically, we will see a high price tag on these brands ranging from roughly $2,500 for a single oven to roughly $8,500 for a double oven. These brands offer professional aesthetics to the customer’s kitchen. They will also give more functionality than the box store brands like dual convection and true convection on select models. Although they are very expensive, they give the residential kitchen a commercial feel and look, in hopes the customer will want to experiment with their culinary skills. If the customer is standoffish about pricing there are many other options that can be proposed! Some more commonly purchased wall ovens are Whirlpool, KitcehnAid, GE, and Samsung. These are in the more affordable bracket and will still complete culinary tasks as needed. These ovens range from roughly $800 for a single oven to roughly $3,000 for a double oven. These brands will give a more traditional look to a residential kitchen but still be an improvement to what was 20 years ago.
Conventional or Convection?
Many customers ask what the difference is between conventional and convection is, and does it make that much of a difference? Actually, it makes a vast difference on how the food is cooked, as there are different types of convection. As we all know, conventional ovens have the heating element (usually exposed) and it heats up the interior until temperature is reached and we time it until finished. Convection is a fan located in the rear wall of the oven, which will push heated air throughout the cavity to give a more surrounded, thorough, bake. The drier environment yields crispy skin and caramelizes exteriors much better than a conventional could. Some higher shelf brands offer dual convection that places two fans in the cavity and ensures complete surrounding of the baked goods giving it no opportunity for cold spots. Another difference in convection is European convection vs. American convection. The difference is simply a third heating element with true convection surrounding the fan to not only circulate heat, but to direct instant heat to the objective at hand. These convenient features will come with a higher price tag, but will also put a smile on a customers face when they see the final results of a beautiful pan of evenly baked cookies or a perfectly browned turkey.
Technologically Advanced Appliances
Since we are getting into “The Jetsons” phase of society, people are often looking for technology adaptable appliances. Some brands offer WiFi capabilities that will make them able to preheat from their devices. Another perk to things of this nature is their ability to service easier so techs will not be tearing the oven apart before diagnosing the problem. Some appliances can connect to each other. For instance, GE has an over the range microwave that turns on the light and vent if the range burners are turned on. Another look at the similarities are the control panels and options. Some brands like Wolf and JennAir have highly animated screens and high quantity of options for baking. Brands like Whirlpool and GE will give a simpler option output and a non-extravagant panel look. The more options and animation, the higher the price may go.
The Evolution of the Self-Cleaning Oven
Self-cleaning has come a long way in the history of wall ovens. They would heat up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit and leave a pile of ash in the bottom of the oven cavity. Many consumers were experiencing failure to their ovens during this cleaning process because the element would get too hot and break itself. A few years ago, select brands came out with what’s now called a “steam clean” feature. This feature allows the consumer to put a cup of water in the bottom of the oven cavity and bake it at 250 degrees Fahrenheit and it does not leave ashes. The water heating onto the walls of the oven break down the grease and make it easier to wipe off leaving the customer with peace of mind that their oven will not break. A unit with this feature will typically increase the pricing of a wall oven.
Some people would say it is difficult finding the right wall oven, so we try to make it as simple as possible. Pricing is always going to change due to economic changes and the improvement of technology. Nonetheless, we find ourselves diligent in giving the customer their best experience from start to finish. What matters most is the rapport that is built and the fact that we continuously get the customer exactly what they want and need for their everyday lives. The right questions from a sales associate will always lead to a solution where the consumer is comfortable with their purchase.