Oven
An oven is a special compartment intended for heating, drying or baking. It is commonly used for cooking and pottery purposes, though an oven used in pottery is more popularly known as a kiln. A higher capacity oven used for industrial processes is often referred to as a furnace.
The first ovens were used by early people of the Indus Valley Civilization in as early as 3200 B.C. These ovens were installed in mud brick houses during those times. Historians of the culinary arts recognise the Greeks for their practice of baking bread as a form of art.
Different types of oven
Ovens come in different types, depending on the material from which they are made, the manner through which they produce heat, their form and their specific purpose (i.e. cooking, baking, toasting, making pots).
Dutch oven
A Dutch oven is usually made of aluminum or cast iron placed directly over fire or heat. It can either be an outdoor variety, which usually has a tight fitting cover and three short legs, or an indoor variety, which has a flat bottom and is typically used over a stove. A Dutch oven is commonly used for steaming, frying, roasting, stewing and baking.
Solar oven
A solar oven, on the other hand, uses heat from the sun. Pretty much like a greenhouse, its glass lid traps solar heat in the oven and keeps oven temperature rising rapidly. A solar oven saves other sources of heat energy such as coal, fire, wood, and gas, though it can require higher care and maintenance.
Brick oven
A brick oven, usually used in cooking pizza, bread, pies, tarts and even stews, gives food a distinctive taste and odor. Food is placed directly on the hot bricks inside the oven to cook.
Range oven
Range oven sets are sets of oven appliances often composed of two fully sized ovens and a separate grill. Range ovens are ideal for cooking several different types of food at the same time.
Multifunction oven
Multifunction oven types are ovens that can be used in various cooking methods such as conventional cooking, grilling, baking and fan-assisted cooking.
Domestic oven
Domestic ovens can be powered by gas or electricity. Typically, domestic ovens come in single varieties combined with a grill, though there are also double ovens that allow more cooking capacity.
Pizza oven
Pizza ovens are specially intended for making pizza. Often making use of wood and used only for commercial purposes, pizza ovens already come in domestic models for private use at home.
Mini oven
A mini oven is a counter top oven, which has a relatively smaller capacity. It often comes with double hot plates on top and a grill.
Oven toaster
An oven toaster is also a small capacity oven, commonly used for tasting heating, and grilling different types of food such as pizza, burgers and meat.
