Ovens, Assorted
-- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 9/1/2008 12:00:00 AM
Types: Operators can choose from many varieties of ovens but among them all, conventional or range, convection, conveyor and deck or stack ovens such as pizza ovens are among the most widely used. The conventional or range oven, named as such because it sits beneath a range top, is a workhorse in many kitchens. It is built to roast, bake and sometimes hold foods. Convection ovens, known for their speed and efficiency, use fans to circulate heated air around a cooking cavity, helping foods bake or roast as much as 35 percent faster than conventional ovens. This is because circulating hot air reduces the cooler boundary layer at the food’s surface, allowing quicker heat penetration. Conveyor ovens rely on a conveyor belt to transport foods through a cooking cavity where hot air may be blown onto products cooked by upper and lower heat sources. This method helps cook food more evenly and in a more continuous flow rather than in batches. A deck or stack oven includes multiple cavities, one on top of another, and the corresponding controls. A pizza oven is basically a stack oven set for higher-than-ordinary temperatures ranging between 300°F. and 800°F.Capacities/Footprints: Ovens offer quarter-size up to full-size units, with some offering single or multiple decks. Range ovens can accommodate standard-size sheet pans on one or more adjustable racks. A single convection oven can sit in a footprint as small as 10-sq.-ft. and can be double-stacked for increased productivity and space savings. Decks in a stack oven are generally 8” or 12” tall, depending on their function. Newer conveyor ovens offer larger 55” and 70” baking chambers.Energy Source(s): Range ovens run on gas or electric power. Most gas range ovens are built with a capacity of 40,000 Btu. Electric models utilize from 1,200 to 5,000 watts each hour. Foodservice operators can also order convection ovens in either a gas or electric format. Pizza ovens run on between 20,000 and 120,000 Btu per deck per hour for gas models or between 120V and 240V for electric models.Manufacturing Method: Range ovens, in general, feature double-wall, heavy-gauge construction. This works to distribute heat evenly. Insulation is critical to maintaining heat; most makers recommend at least 2” of rock-wool insulation. Convection ovens come in three standard sizes: full, which means cavity dimensions can accommodate a standard 18” x 26” sheet pan; bakery depth, which can hold a standard sheet pan in either direction; and half-size, whose cavity can hold a half-size sheet pan. The decks in deck ovens are made of ceramic or stainless steel, with the former known for having consistent heat distribution. Not surprisingly, insulation plays a greater role in stacked ovens. Hence, manufacturers commonly double the thickness of the insulation. Electric deck ovens have two sets of heating elements, one on the top for broiling and another on the bottom for baking. Each element has a separate heat switch. Each deck in a pizza oven, which is also referred to as a hearth, is comprised of two 1”-thick ceramic pieces or one 1” piece of steel. Pizza oven decks are also lower, in the 7” to 8” range. Some models can be stacked up to three high. Glass, stainless-steel and cast-iron doors are available.Standard Features: Synchronized doors that open together, are fully insulated and feature “cool to the touch” handles. Other features widely offered as standard include stainless-steel door seals; double-pane thermal glass windows; two-speed fans with high and low settings; interior lights; porcelain interiors with multi-position, removable rack guides; and rotary controls, including cool-down functions and continuous ring timers. Convection ovens sometimes offer broiling elements for cheesemelting and toasting. Some deck-oven makers offer steel decks available for baking, cooking and roasting and individually controlled sections for cooking various items at different temperatures. Pizza ovens may offer stone cordierite hearths, as well. Oven doors should open flush with a deck for easy loading and unloading of foods. Full-size convection ovens can come with single or double doors. Double-door ovens are available in independent (doors open separately) and dependent (both doors must be opened together) models. Door windows and interior lights are optional. Large, full-size doors mean easy access to cooking chambers, while a sizable cooking area can accommodate items such as large bread loaves and roasts. Programmable controls permit staffers to pick pre-set time and temperature settings. Rack timers allow cooks to load a range of items requiring different cook times simultaneously while ensuring that they will know when each must be removed. Half-size convection ovens accommodate up to four half-size sheet pans. Conveyor ovens come in countertop models, as well as freestanding varieties that can be stacked.New Features/Technology/Options: One manufacturer offers fast cooking technology for a conveyor oven that accelerates the rate of heat transfer, reducing pizza baking times from 10 percent to 30 percent. This new unit also provides quieter operation. Another model combines air impingement with high-intensity infrared heating elements, which is said to cook four times faster than convection ovens. A new bakery depth convection oven from one manufacturer offers a deeper 39” footprint. Staff can load pans in left-to-right or front-to-back positions, allowing for increased production. Another model includes a reversing air system and state-of-the-art controls that offer faster recovery and more even and accurate baking. One maker offers a pizza oven that occupies 40 percent to 50 percent less floor space than traditional ovens, without sacrificing production capacity. Recycled heated air moves through the perforated deck’s holes, baking pizzas in 5 to 6 minutes at 460°F. This creates an even crust and reduces energy costs by more than 50 percent compared to similar deck ovens. The list of relatively new options for conventional ovens is long, and includes heat-treated glass doors, adjustable casters, side-mounted controls, more accurate infinite-heat controls and insulated handles. Some manufacturers include two-speed motors with their control packages. This provides operators with the enhanced flexibility of a high-speed airflow when preparing normal items and a low-speed option for more delicate products. The amount of insulation can also be custom-ordered. Conveyor models offer two conveyor belts, one above another, in a single unit. These belts range in size from 31” to 112” long. Conveyor speed is adjustable on some models, ranging from 1 to 24 minutes cooking time.Key Kitchen Applications: Range ovens provide a large-volume, dry-heat cooking process. Deck ovens are usually found in operations in which space is limited and production needs are great.Purchasing Guidelines: Given the many different types of ovens available, the most important factor in specifying this type of equipment is helping to determine which type of unit is most suitable for a particular operation’s needs. Operators seeking an oven primarily to execute baking applications, for example, should be strongly advised to select models that can add moisture/humidity during a cooking cycle.Maintenance Requirements: Gas and electric deck ovens each come with flue vents in the rear that must be maintained. With convection ovens, maintenance challenges can come from solid-state, touch-pad controls, since employees may use too-long fingernails or even sharp implements to punch numbers into the keyboard, which is a problem. Caustic cleaners such as scouring powders should not be used to clean the inside of a convection oven. Such cleaners are tough to remove, and their buildup will eventually damage an oven. Instead, staff should use a mild detergent on the exterior. Caustics can't do any damage on the outside, of course, but can mar an oven’s appearance.Food Safety & Sanitation Essentials: Operators should look for convection ovens that are easier to clean because of their many crevices and high-volume use. Some ovens have easy-to-remove shelves and shelf supports that require no tools for adjustments. Remove shelves daily for cleaning with warm water and a mild detergent. The types of products prepared in an oven will help determine how often the doors need to be cleaned. For example, foods that tend to splatter and spill over, such as fruit pies, tomato sauces and roasted meats, naturally require more attention than cookies, for example. To eliminate lingering odors, staff should set a unit at 500°F. and allow it to bake with no products inside for 30 to 45 minutes. It is recommended that convection ovens be preheated 50° higher than the recipe call for, since a degree is lost for every second the oven door is open.
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As a electric pizza oven manufacturer, do I need a certification from UL of
NSF for me to sell my product?
Dondi Onate - 12/18/2009 2:04:00 PM PST
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