Should You Buy A Countertop Steam Oven? | Equipment Review
Steam ovens are restaurants’ best-kept secret. Does the smaller consumer version deserve a space in your kitchen?
Read our full review:
Buy our winner (Anova Precision Oven):
ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America’s Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.
If you like us, follow us:
I've been looking at the Anova oven for some time. It's the size I want, and has the features I want. However, it's reviews on Amazon point to a problem with their customer service when problems occur. They seem overwhelmed with issues that aren't being resolved. I'm still diligently looking for something that has a strong reputation for reliability over time, and an equally strong customer support staff for fast, efficient resolution of issues when they do arise.
I love my Anova Precision Oven. I’ve had it for two years now and I use it more than my Joule sous vide stick and more than my full size oven. It connects with my phone with no problems. I use it to finish off meats after I have smoked and wrap them. I air fry wings and chicken nuggets. I bake keto breads. I steam roast pork tenderloins, chicken, and ribeye roasts using sous vide mode then finish with a broil or bake mode. I love it.
Would love to see a review of the balmuda steam oven
Just use a regular oven and put a pan of hot water on another rack
10 months ago you reviewed the anova oven and stated that it took forever to cook anything, and much of it came out rubbery or overcooked. what's changed?
The Anova oven makes every other oven look like a cave man’s tool. I LOVE MY ANOVA!
What? You trashed the ANOVA on a previous review just 8 months ago! Which is it?
I bought my Anova Precision Oven when it first came out. I never have a WIFi connectivity problem. Love it.
The rating of this steam oven on the Anova website is 3.9 (576 reviews). That says a lot since nowadays a 4.3 rating is considered mediocre.
I'd like to see a Chinese cook test these steam ovens, after all, the Chinese founded and developed steam cooking. Chinese families does the most steaming and would be the largest consumers of steam ovens. Most of us don't bake french baguettes at home lol.
I just want to know if this works with dim-sum!
I didn’t know there were steam ovens. Don’t keep up with the latest stuff I guess.
Based on this review I wouldn't buy a steam oven.
A $1037 on amazon. I don't think so
Is it easier to clean because of the steam?
I had an Anova and liked it very much. The only reason I don’t have it anymore is I moved and didn’t take it with me. I found the phone app worked ok.
I would love to know wow these compare against the Tovala oven, or how you find the Tovala Pro oven performs for its usage outside of the meals provided by them?
Thanks
There is a learning curve on the Anova, and the wifi needs an old phone or tablet to set up, but I love mine! I use it more than my regular oven or microwave. Once you get the app working, it's a dream.
I have the APO. Never had a problem with the app…Maybe got a bad batch?
But does it do Steamed Hams?
Could you test out microwave convection ovens? I know you've done toaster ovens and microwaves, but I mean the kind that is supposed to function as a microwave and an oven. It would be good for people with incredibly tiny kitchens, like campervans. I want to be able to use my regular frozen meals, and still bake things like pizzas or cookies.
This is my first time hearing of this animal, the steam oven. Thanks for the tips! …In case I ever buy a steam oven.
Sick of countertop appliances!
We used them in restaurants
Can y’all review pans with removable handles?
Multiple commenters are saying the connectivity issues the testers had are probably because the oven requires 2.4 GHz wifi for connectivity.
I understand that devices use 2.4 GHz because that signal travels further than 5 GHz. This is why many devices (like Amazon Echos, smart plugs, etc.) use and require 2.4 GHz wifi.
But there is a problem if the oven must use 2.4 GHz because when a microwave oven is in use, it interferes with the 2.4 GHz wifi signal:
"Both—your Wi-Fi modem and your microwave oven—are operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. However, only Wi-Fi devices transmit data, whereas microwaves emit signals in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM band. The small amounts of radiation that leak from your microwave end up interfering with Wi-Fi signals."
I've seen my 2.4 GHz wifi drop when I am using the microwave.
So, this oven is in the room with a device (microwave) that will prevent connectivity to the oven when the microwave is running.
I wish devices could use the strongest signal whether the signal is 2.4 or 5 GHz. That would solve a lot of problems.
I have no problem connecting with my Anova Oven. I use the function all the time. I do use an Android based phone.
Please, I don't have space on my countet for more small appliances.
I've used the ANOVA a few times over the past two weeks. A lot of the functionality of the oven is locked behind downloading the app. The icon's and settings are not intuitive without looking at the manual, especially setting target temperatures using the temperature probe. The app is great on iPhone, but I had connection problems that took a long time to figure out on my Android. It's probably another case of the app developers focusing on apple during design and then doing a poor job porting to android.
A spray bottle does the same thing and waste no counter space
It takes 3:53 to say no? Nobody needs one of these in their home.