considering an oven for the galley

[MarioG]

I've been looking for an oven that would fit under our glass top range. I do not need a large oven but rather a smaller one. Currently the cabinet under the range top stores some pots and pans so I consider it wasted space. I could just as easily store the pots and pans in the oven when not in use. I've shopped the major appliance stores but the ones there are large, home size units.

Does anyone have or know of other styles or brands I should look at?

Mario

 

[GJH]

How small are you looking for, a variety of companies make 24" ovens for example. Or you could go a convection oven..

 

[Angela]

Home Depot has several 24" wall ovens from which you can choose. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...langId=-1&storeId=10051#/?c=1&1z107d3=1z107d3

You should be able to install a wall oven under your cooktop. Worst case scenario, you may have to raise your cooktop just a tad if the oven won't fit in your existing cabinetry from a height perspective. I would not bother with one of those microwave/convection oven combos unless you're not much into cooking/baking. They don't bake well, from cook's perspective, and you lose the ability to broil. I would never give up the ability to broil. I use that a lot.

 

[Pascal]

Mario,

In a small galley like the 53/58 I find it hard to beat the convenience of a microwave/convection combo. I know Angela disagrees on that and yes these oven do not broil... But they bake very well, with virtually no difference from a regular oven...I bake quite a bit... Bread, cakes, pies, etc... I works just fine

For most things, if you need the top surface to be browned, there is a convention roast setting which will brown the top when doing gratins, etc...

Would I prefer a regular oven ? probably but everything is a compromise on a boat and bottom line is that on most boats the galley doesn't have much storage.

And we ve never had a charter guest complaining about the food or deserts we serve... And you see (and hear) how busy we are

On my 53' I installed the same GE model that we have on Charmer. it fits well above the cook top and has a built in fan venting outside. On my early 53 I had a small cabinet above the old hood, they were small and high, virtually useless. I eliminated that.

 

[Fanfare]

My boat came with a GE electric range which worked fine until I "upgraded" by buying a new identical model. Big mistake as the quality went from high to zip in the new one, now made for low income apartments. Replaced the range with a cooktop and self-cleaning oven from Kitchenaid. Needed a little carpentry but now looks original. Cooktop is fine, but the oven was such a pain that I can't recommend it. Had a manufacturing defect, the company's response after several failed fixes was "Better buy a long-term service contract." Really makes you want to buy another!

This oven has no exposed coil on the bottom. Easier to clean (but not needed in a self-cleaning oven!) but terrible to heat up--takes about 20 minutes. Also, with many new ovens broiling is accomplished with the oven door shut. Open the door a notch, the upper element goes off. This complicates broiling which I am used to doing with the oven door opened to its first stop notch.

We cook a lot on board. More free time, few good restaurants in the Bahamas. Get a good oven. It's worth it.

 

[Keith]

I too agree with Pascal. We have a GE microwave/convection oven and use it for regular baking projects. Our Thanksgiving turkey comes our golden brown, breads, pies, etc. all bake nicely. Our GE oven fits above our Gas stove and is also the exhaust system and vents to the outside. The only complaint we have is the exhaust is kind of weak. Also, we are live-aboards so use all of our appliances like you would use those in a house. All have held up well.

Keith
Lady J
1966 50' yacht fisherman

 

[TopHattandTails]

As part of our boats rehab, when the galley countertops were replaced with tile, we went with a GE Profile 4 butter cooktop and a separate GE Profile ovon beneath. Last time I used either was to see if they worked -6years ago (manuals are still in the oven). The microwave, toaster, and cell phone for reservations/ delivery get used heavily!

 

[Angela]

I'm going to agree with Pascal that we disagree on the microwave/convection combo unit. I've baked with both and I just hate that combo thing from a results standpoint. True, I doubt he's ever had a guest on the 70-footer he runs return something that was made in the combo oven, but I think for someone to complain to that extent, it would have to be really, really bad to begin with. But I still say they don't bake the same.

I set out today to replicate a Boston Butt pork roast that has been smoked for 12 hours, but I wanted it in "boat time" (about an hour) instead, especially since we don't have a smoker onboard. I got out my pressure cooker (a boat's best friend from a galley perspective), seasoned a pork roast, and cooked it with a special juice in the bottom of the cooker for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Tender as could be. Then, I put it in the oven under the broiler to put some "bark" on it...just like the smoker does. Can't do that in a microwave/convection combo oven.

Besides...when you need to melt a little butter and your oven is in use or too hot for non-oven proof dishes or steam some broccoli...what are you going to use? The old stovetop and a pot? The combo puts your microwave out of business when you're using the oven or when it's too hot for plastic. Oh, and don't push the wrong button when you think you're going to microwave. A friend of mine did that and had a melted plastic mess to clean up.

When I re-do my galley later this year, I'm going with a 24" Fagor oven that has the side-opening door since the oven will be at chest level rather than down on the floor. That Fagor has 3 elements with a super-fast preheat feature.

....and induction cooktop to boot!