If you're buying a new cooker you should be aware of the relative pros and cons of both freestanding and built-in models in order to make an informed decision about what best meets your needs.
A built-in oven is embedded into your worktops or the walls of your kitchen, whereas a free standing product will sit on its own feet.
The benefits of built-in cookers Part of the popularity of ovens that can be fixed into existing kitchen work surfaces is that they give the impression of a belonging to a smart and modern environment.
They are particularly popular in fitted kitchens for this reason.
In many homes the kitchen is the focal point of daily life, where family members get together to eat and relax.
Because of this, people are beginning to care more and more about the aesthetics of these rooms.
A built-in oven looks elegant and can compliment a range of decors; they look particularly at home in a kitchen which has lots of other mod cons.
There are also plenty of practical benefits to investing in a slot-in cooker.
Firstly, they can be installed anywhere.
Freestanding models require you to have a certain amount of free space; however, a built-in oven can be mounted into an existing (or specially designed) kitchen unit.
This also gives you more freedom to adjust the height of your oven, which can mean an end to constantly bending over to take food in or out.
It also lets you position your oven out of the reach of young children, which makes them a popular option with growing families.
Furthermore, in-built cookers often have lots of the latest features and functions.
Timers can be set to let you know when your food is ready and alarms can be programmed so you don't forget to take it out.
Some models make experimenting with your meals easy by letting you enter the weight and type of food you're cooking, and then automatically set the oven to an appropriate temperature.
They can even turn themselves off once the food is cooked, which saves energy.
Drawbacks to built-in ovens The main reason people opt against buying a built-in oven is because they tend to take up slightly more space than other models, because the hob needn't go on top of the oven.
Some people like the option of having a hob on an island in the middle of the room, but this increases the amount of worktop space required.
The installation process is often more complex and deciding to replace a cooker that is embedded into your existing kitchen units involves a lot more upheaval.
The majority of built-in ovens run off an electric power supply so if you're a fan of gas cooking you might struggle to find a model you like.
A built-in oven is embedded into your worktops or the walls of your kitchen, whereas a free standing product will sit on its own feet.
The benefits of built-in cookers Part of the popularity of ovens that can be fixed into existing kitchen work surfaces is that they give the impression of a belonging to a smart and modern environment.
They are particularly popular in fitted kitchens for this reason.
In many homes the kitchen is the focal point of daily life, where family members get together to eat and relax.
Because of this, people are beginning to care more and more about the aesthetics of these rooms.
A built-in oven looks elegant and can compliment a range of decors; they look particularly at home in a kitchen which has lots of other mod cons.
There are also plenty of practical benefits to investing in a slot-in cooker.
Firstly, they can be installed anywhere.
Freestanding models require you to have a certain amount of free space; however, a built-in oven can be mounted into an existing (or specially designed) kitchen unit.
This also gives you more freedom to adjust the height of your oven, which can mean an end to constantly bending over to take food in or out.
It also lets you position your oven out of the reach of young children, which makes them a popular option with growing families.
Furthermore, in-built cookers often have lots of the latest features and functions.
Timers can be set to let you know when your food is ready and alarms can be programmed so you don't forget to take it out.
Some models make experimenting with your meals easy by letting you enter the weight and type of food you're cooking, and then automatically set the oven to an appropriate temperature.
They can even turn themselves off once the food is cooked, which saves energy.
Drawbacks to built-in ovens The main reason people opt against buying a built-in oven is because they tend to take up slightly more space than other models, because the hob needn't go on top of the oven.
Some people like the option of having a hob on an island in the middle of the room, but this increases the amount of worktop space required.
The installation process is often more complex and deciding to replace a cooker that is embedded into your existing kitchen units involves a lot more upheaval.
The majority of built-in ovens run off an electric power supply so if you're a fan of gas cooking you might struggle to find a model you like.
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