Comparison Gorenje GGI 5A21 WH white vs Hansa FCGW510550 white

The type of oven installed in the cooker. Gas and electric ovens have almost all the same features as burners of the same type (see "Burner type"). For example, gas ovens heat up faster, and are cheaper to operate but are difficult to connect. Electric ovens are safer and more versatile but require high-quality wiring and can be more expensive in terms of energy costs.

— Gas. Gas ovens are superior to electric ovens in terms of heating speed, but this heating is not as uniform. It is especially noticeable in inexpensive models. As a result, ovens of this type are poorly suited for cooking delicate dishes sensitive to precise temperature control. In addition, some specific features (such as convection) are not compatible with a gas heater.

— Electric. An electric oven takes longer to warm up than a gas oven, but it has better heating uniformity. In addition, such an oven can have convection, grill and other features that expand its capabilities and make life easier. As a result, this option is recommended to sophisticated cooks and enthusiasts dealing with complex recipes.

Note that gas burners are often combined with an electric oven. This option is considered optimal in terms of convenience and practicality, so it is very popular. But the opposite situation — an electric hob with a gas oven — does not occur at all.

It is the volume of the oven provided in the stove. It s the maximum volume of products that can be placed in it without compromising work efficiency. Accordingly, a larger oven is useful for large volumes of cooking; on the other hand, such a capacity will significantly affect the price and dimensions of the stove.

If you buy a regular household stove with 4 burners and do not plan to cook a lot in the oven, you can not pay much attention to this parameter. The capacity of the oven is usually enough for most simple tasks like cooking a pie or baking chicken. But for more serious tasks, a larger oven may be required. Detailed recommendations on volumes can be found in special sources.

If there is an additional chamber (see below), this paragraph usually indicates only the volume of the main oven.

The highest temperature that the oven can reach during normal operation. The minimum value in modern models is 230 °C. However, even this low temperature is considered sufficient for most simple dishes. The average indicator can be called 240 – 250 °C. Such heating is provided by most modern ovens. And the most advanced models can heat up to 300 °C or more. Such capabilities will be useful for some specific recipes that require high temperatures.

— Thermostat — a device for adjusting and maintaining the required temperature in the oven. The presence of a thermostat relieves the user of the need to look after the cooking process. Instead, it is enough to set the thermostat to the desired temperature, and the stove will automatically maintain it.

— Timer. Countdown device: the user sets a certain time, after which an audible signal sounds. The specific functionality of the timer can be different — from the simplest rotary knob with an adjustment accuracy of +/-3 minutes to an electronic unit with a display that can count the time to the second and even turn off the stove at the end of the countdown (see "Auto switch-off"). However, this feature greatly simplifies the life of the user. It is more convenient to set the timer and wait for the signal than to keep track of time by the clock.

— Convection. The convection function provides additional hot air circulation and evenly distributes heat throughout the entire volume of the oven. It is useful for baking.

— Rotisserie fork. It is used for cooking several dishes, particularly shish kebab: products are strung on a rotisserie fork and rotated on it. It ensures consistent heating and baking. Often, the rotisserie fork is combined with a grill (see below), although this is not necessary. Also, this device can be...equipped with a drive from an electric motor for automatic rotation.

— Grill(electric or gas). In this case, the grill is an open heater installed in the oven chamber and designed to cook food due to thermal radiation; it can be used alone or in combination with other oven modes. The grill allows you to fry various foods effectively: for example, you can use it cooking meat with a characteristic crust, brown croutons, fry vegetables, etc. It is healthier than traditional frying.
As for the types of grills, electric grills are the most popular nowadays — they are simple in design, provide even heating, allow you to accurately adjust the mode and use many additional functions (up to automatic cooking programs). Such grills can be found even in gas ovens. But gas devices are used much less frequently: they are considered more economical but more complex in design and less convenient to adjust than electric ones.

— Steam cooking. The ability to use the oven for steam cooking. Cooking is carried out in the main chamber of the oven, and the steam comes from a special reservoir into which water is poured in advance. This method is considered more healthy than traditional cooking or, moreover, frying; often, it turns out to be optimal for people with dietary restrictions.

— Oven lighting. It is a lamp for lighting the interior of the oven. By turning on such a lamp, you can see the oven insides without opening it and without releasing heat. Yes, even with the lid open, the oven lighting can come in handy — for example, when removing products from a baking sheet (patties, pieces of cookies, etc.) or when cleaning the oven. Note that for the lighting to work, a mains connection is required, even if we are talking about a gas stove.

It is the number of cooking modes provided in the design of the oven. This item shows the typical cooking modes — for example, “heating”, “heating + convection”, etc. Accordingly, this parameter is highly dependent on additional equipment. However, even in similar models, the number of modes may be different. In general, the more there are, the more opportunities for cooking, and the easier it will be to choose the optimal mode for a specific situation.

It is the material from which the burner grates of the stove are made. This parameter is relevant only for gas burners — electric hobs do not have grates.

— Steel grates. The most common type of grates is steel grates coated with a special heat-resistant enamel. They are quite practical, reliable, have a relatively small weight and neat appearance, and at the same time are inexpensive, due to which they are often found in entry-level and middle-level models. The main disadvantage of steel grates can be called the difficulty in cleaning from adhering contaminants — too intensive cleaning can damage the enamel. In addition, they are less durable than cast iron ones, and under heavy dishes containers, they can deform — as a result, the dishes will not stand stably on the stove, and the grate will most likely have to be replaced.

— Cast iron grates. Cast iron grates is much heavier than steel ones. Moreover, they often look more massive and rough. On the other hand, they are more reliable, durable and stable, can cope even with heavy weights and keep their working shape much longer. In addition, cast iron is easier to clean: although dirt comes off worse than enamel, in extreme situations it is quite possible to use abrasive products without fear of damaging the surface.

The type of gas control provided in a stove with a gas hob and/or oven.

Gas control is a safety system for gas stoves that turns off the gas supply when the flame goes out. Such a system can be used only in the stove, only in the oven, or both. The latter option, from a safety point of view, is considered perfect for gas stoves. However, gas control is more important for an oven — it is more difficult to control the presence of a flame in it. But in the hob, this function is not so critical, especially if the stove is constantly under supervision during cooking.

The type of auto-ignition provided in the stove.

Auto-ignition systems are used only for gas burners and ovens. They work based on an electric spark, from which the gas ignites, and greatly simplifies the ignition of the stove, eliminating the need for matches, lighters and other sources of fire. Auto ignition can be provided for a hob(hob), for an oven, or both. In all these cases, it is assumed that the ignition is activated automatically when the knob is turned. There is also another option for electric ignition — a special button. Such systems are somewhat simpler and cheaper, while they usually cover all gas heaters available in the stove (therefore, the location is not indicated for push-button electric ignition).

Anyway, the stove requires mains for this function to work.

A display on the stove control panel. Usually, it is a very simple one-colour display : 3-4 digits plus a few additional characters (for example, a thermometer icon and a clock icon). However, even on such a display, almost all important information related to the stove operation can be displayed: heating temperature, clock, timer settings, and other relevant data. Thus, the display significantly simplifies the management of the stove and makes it more convenient.

For technical reasons, this function is mainly used in electric stoves; there are also gas models with displays, but they are extremely few.