How to Choose a Commercial Convection Oven: Tray Sizes, Power and Features
A benchtop convection oven is one of the hardest-working pieces of equipment in a café or bakery. It bakes pastries, muffins and bread, reheats pies and roasts vegetables, often all in the same morning. This guide explains the choices that matter most, so you can pick an oven that fits your menu, your trays and your power supply.
How a convection oven works
A convection oven uses one or more fans to circulate hot air around the cooking chamber. Moving air transfers heat faster and more evenly than still air, so you can bake several trays at once with consistent results from top to bottom. Ovens with two fans, or fans that reverse direction during the cook, spread the heat even more evenly across wide trays.
Step 1: Choose your tray size
The most important decision is which tray size the oven takes, because it needs to match the trays and pans you already use.
600 × 400mm bakery trays
Best for: bakeries, patisseries and cafés baking in-house
The standard size for bread, pastries and cakes, so trays can go straight from proofer to oven to display.
GN 1/1 pans
Best for: restaurants, caterers and takeaways
Gastronorm pans fit bain maries, prep fridges and hot displays, so food can be cooked and served in the same pan.
Smaller trays
Best for: cafés, kiosks and tight spaces
Compact ovens with GN 2/3 or around 435 × 350mm trays fit narrow benches and still bake three or four trays at once.
Step 2: Check your power supply
Many benchtop convection ovens plug into a standard power point, but not all power points are the same. Some ovens need a 15A outlet, which has a wider earth pin than a normal 10A plug.
- 10A ovens like the ConvectMax YXD-1DI and ConvectMax YXD-6A plug into a standard outlet.
- 15A ovens like the Tecnodom TDE-4CD/15, Tecnodom TDE-3B and ConvectMax YXD-8A/15E need a 15A outlet. If you don't have one, an electrician can usually install one.
Step 3: Digital or manual controls?
Manual controls
Simple knobs for temperature and time. Easy to use, quick to learn and nothing to program. A good fit if you bake a handful of familiar items.
Digital controls
Precise settings and, on some models, recipe memory. The Tecnodom TDE-4CD/15 stores nine recipes, so any staff member gets the same result at the touch of a button.
Step 4: Do you need steam?
A burst of steam at the start of baking helps bread rise and gives it a crisp, glossy crust. It's also useful for keeping roasts moist. If you bake bread or rolls regularly, a steam-assisted oven like the ConvectMax YXD-8A/15E with press-button steam is worth considering. For pastries, muffins and reheating, a standard convection oven is all you need.
Our range at a glance
- ConvectMax YXD-1DI: affordable 4 tray oven with twin reversing fans, 10A
- Tecnodom Nerino TD-3NE: ultra-compact 3 × GN 2/3 oven, 15A
- Tecnodom TDE-4CD/15: digital 4 tray oven with 9 recipe memory, 15A
- Tecnodom TDE-4CGN: 4 × GN 1/1 oven for kitchens using gastronorm pans, 15A
- ConvectMax YXD-6A: 4 × GN 1/1 oven with grill and cook-and-hold, 10A
- Tecnodom TDE-3B: 3 × 600 × 400mm bakery trays with tall 105mm spacing, 15A
- ConvectMax YXD-8A/15E: heavy duty 4 × 600 × 400mm oven with steam, 15A
Before you buy
- Measure your bench: check the width, depth and height, and that the bench can take the weight.
- Leave room to breathe: allow space around the oven for ventilation, and check with your council whether your site needs an exhaust canopy.
- Check tray spacing: taller items like loaves and muffins need more space between trays.
- Consider a stand: a stand with tray runners, like the YXD-6A-S, frees up bench space and stores trays ready to bake.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a convection oven and a combi oven?
A convection oven cooks with fan-forced hot air, sometimes with a steam boost. A combi oven combines convection with full steam cooking and precise humidity control, so it can steam, roast and bake in one unit. Combi ovens are more versatile but cost much more. See our ovens range for both.
Can I plug a commercial convection oven into a normal power point?
Some, yes. 10A ovens plug into a standard outlet. 15A ovens need a 15A outlet, which an electrician can install.
How many trays do I need?
Think about your busiest baking session. Three or four trays suits most cafés. Bakeries and busy kitchens may want a larger oven or two ovens side by side.
Do convection ovens cook faster?
Yes. Because moving air transfers heat more efficiently, convection ovens usually cook faster and more evenly than ovens without a fan, and you may be able to bake at a slightly lower temperature.
Find the right oven for your kitchen
Browse our full range of commercial convection ovens, with delivery Australia-wide. Not sure which suits you? Email us at sales@supplymykitchen.com.au with what you bake, the trays you use and your power supply, and we'll help you choose.