The Steam Oven

Redefining modern cooking, steam ovens operate using steam, a departure from the conventional hot air method. This technique ensures your dishes retain moisture and makes reheating leftovers more efficient than microwaves, preserving flavor and texture. Many culinary enthusiasts either swap out their traditional convection oven for a steam version or opt to have both, allowing for a wider variety of cooking techniques.

Several leading brands have taken innovation further, introducing convection and steam oven hybrid. These combination ovens provide the best of both worlds, ensuring dishes are cooked perfectly whether you need the even heat of convection or the moisture-retaining properties of steam.

Steam ovens require a consistent source of water to produce steam, and the method of supplying this water varies depending on the design and brand of the oven. There are primarily two systems in use:

Manual Water Reservoir

Many steam ovens have a built-in reservoir that the user manually fills with water. Depending on the cooking duration and temperature, you should refill this reservoir during longer cooking sessions. The benefit of this system is that the oven doesn’t need to be situated near a water line, offering more flexibility in installation locations.

Direct Water Connection

Higher-end steam ovens might be designed to connect directly to a water line, much like an ice-making refrigerator or a built-in coffee machine. This ensures a continuous water supply, eliminating the need for manual refills.

In both cases, it's crucial to use clean, preferably filtered water to prevent mineral buildup inside the oven, which could affect its performance and lifespan. Periodic maintenance and descaling, especially for models with manual reservoirs, can help keep the oven in optimal condition.