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Ovens to avoid buying

Need to know

An oven is arguably the most important appliance in your kitchen, and often the most expensive, so you'll want to make sure you choose a top scorer.

We test and review a wide range of wall ovens to help you avoid buyer's remorse and nab yourself an appliance that will go the distance (and hopefully help you nail that perfect sponge or ultimate roast dinner with ease).

These three low-performing models from Everdure, Beko and Bosch failed to impress our expert testers, so we suggest you do your research before you buy.

Choosing an oven

"To get the best out of any oven you need to become familiar with it," says CHOICE's kitchen expert Fiona Mair. "An oven with a low performance score in our testing may just require a little more trial and error to get better results.

"When you are purchasing an oven, think about what you like to bake and what functions you will need to achieve the best results.

"Most ovens are multi-functional, so choose one that has the functions that will best suit your needs. Don't just look at the brand name or its price, as you may be disappointed."

Hot oven buying tips

According to Fiona, most ovens cook well, but it's the ease of use that separates the average from the outstanding. She recommends checking the controls, shelf design and internal surfaces instore before committing to a purchase.

"Make sure the controls are clearly labelled and easy to understand," she says. "Try pulling the shelves and trays in and out to see if they run smoothly and that there are stoppers to prevent spills.

Make sure the controls are clearly labelled and easy to understand

"Finally, check the visibility through the door and look for awkward gaps in the door or internal surfaces that will be tricky to clean."

Ovens to avoid buying

Also, look for an oven that has the accessories you need. Fiona recommends at least two shelves, a baking tray that slides into the shelf supports, and a grill rack.

Lowest scoring ovens in our tests

Everdure OBEGS601: cheap for a reason.

Everdure OBEGS601

This Everdure oven may be cheap (in fact, it's the cheapest we tested), but you'll pay a higher price on performance and safety. It scored the lowest in our tests and received a scalding review by our testers."Unfortunately, this model is very basic and limited in functions which restricts what you can cook, and reflects in its performance," says Fiona."Yes it is relatively cheap, however it scores just 60% in our 'Ease of Use' tests and also compromises on safety: the shelf tilts with a heavy load and there is no shield in front of the grill element. It also has no stoppers that prevent the shelves from being pulled out accidentally."Fiona says that a lower price tag on an ovens can indicate the model has limited features and potential safety issues. A few other models under $1000 perform better in our testing, so we recommend checking reviews before you buy. Read the full Everdure OBEGS601 review.

Bosch HBF133BS0A: disappointing for the price.

Bosch HBF133BS0A

The lowest-scoring oven in our test, the Bosch HBF133BS0A didn't exactly wow our experts – but it's not a dud either. We just think there are better ovens for the price.

It did get excellent scores for low-temperature baking, so it'll turn out lovely meringues. But its high-temperature cooking score was less than stellar at 50%, which means pizza without the crispy base (truly a culinary crime).

The Bosch oven has catalytic liners, but only on the back wall, which means you'll still need to scrape and scrub the ceiling, walls and floor of the oven to keep it clean – which kind of defeats the purpose of having catalytic liners. (Not sure what catalytic liners are? We explain all.)

It's not really a pleasure to operate either, with our experts noting that the controls were only OK to use, the manual temperature dial may not be accurate, and the function symbols are small.

It doesn't have telescopic runners, and the shelves move out loosely, plus the door can slam shut when almost closed – all things that can add up to a ruined roast or a crummy cake.

Read the full Bosch HBF133BS0A review.

Beko BBO60S1PB: on the messy side.

Beko BBO60S1PB

Scoring a lukewarm 66% for ease of use, this Beko BBO60S1PB oven won't set your world on fire – but it might burn your soufflé. It performed well when baking at low temperatures and roasting, but was less than impressive at grilling and baking over multiple shelves.

The shelves have a raised bar at the front that can make it tricky to slide heavy dishes in and out, and its telescopic runners can be fiddly to remove and clean. Plus the oven door and glass has a gap that's perfect for trapping condensation and spills. All of these add up to an oven that's likely to be full of spills, splatters and baked-on bits.

Two redeeming features of the oven are its visibility (you can easily see the food cooking inside, but also all the mess), and its pyrolytic function – yes, it does clean itself – although a self-cleaning feature might just be a necessity for an oven so prone to mess-making.

Read the full Beko BBO60S1PB review.

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