Where do you stand w/ dbl oven?

9 years ago

I will be switching to a double wall oven with this remodel. Where do you normally stand when opening up your wall oven?

directly in front of it? (when door is open and down, you are reaching over it)

off to the side of it? (when door is open and down, you are to the side - reaching in)

Are both positions workable/comfortable?

In my layout - which is definitely the best for the function etc, I cannot stand in front of the oven with the door down. Or maybe I can, but it'd be tight. I'm wondering what the natural position is - in front, or off to the side.

I am considering the new bosch with the side opening doors - it'd work great in this situation and it would aid with my occasionally bad back. But is it "necessary?" (I like it, but trying to see if I can tighten my budget.)

Basically I'm thinking of either the electrolux - about $2900 or the side swing Bosch - $4500. Unfortunately that's a fairly large spread, so I really want to justify the addition $$$ in my mind.

Thanks for your input.

(Cross posting to appliances as well)

Comments (13)

Fori
9 years ago
In front. Find a demo and test it. A side opening model would be ergonomically the best for just about anyone.
Texas_Gem
9 years ago
For my top oven, I stand to the side, for my bottom one I stand in front.
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palimpsest
9 years ago
In front.

You could potentially injure your back pulling things in and out from the side, especially a heavy roasting pan.

I agree about the side opening ovens from a postural standpoint, I am thinking about one of the Bosch ovens in my next kitchen. My concern with that is potentially burning my elbow on the side the door swings too? I am always adequately clothed enough that if I touch the top edge of the oven door leaning over it, it's not a big deal, but I wonder about my bare arm touching the inside center of the oven door that opens to the side.
Cloud Swift
9 years ago
Because I'm 5' 1" and have a short reach, I often stand to the side - especially with the upper oven. It has never bothered my back. If there is a big roasting pan, once the shelf is pulled out, I may step in front to grab both side of it or I may turn it on the shelf to get both sides while still standing at the side.

Even though I usually reach in from the side when using the top oven, I wouldn't want to be unable to stand in front.

Palimpsest, I have burned my arm a few times because reaching in over the door is awkward for me. I'm thinking of replacing our Miela with a side opening Bosch to make it easier to use. Or maybe a Gaggenau but their double oven is too high so it would be the steam oven over their convection oven and it's a lot more money.

We visited show rooms that had the side opening models. The doors open wide enough (well over 90 degrees - at least 135) that touching the inside of the door when using the oven isn't likely.

We also looked at the French door Viking, but because our non-counter depth fridge is next to the ovens, it wouldn't work. The fridge wouldn't allow the doors to open wide enough.

Lawjedi, you might look at the side opening or French door models to see if one of them would help.
Errant_gw
9 years ago
If it requires two hands, I stand in front.
diymom79
9 years ago
I'm short also, so it makes it hard for me to stand in front without feeling like I'm going to get burned. And I feel awkward from the side. If you can afford it I would go with the side opening ovens.
Fori
9 years ago
Something to consider...some ovens have super awesome racks that slide out really well. For some reason I'm thinking E'lux was one but I don't know.

I'm short. I usually pull the rack out before tackling the food. They all come out, but a really good one would make it a lot easier to access from the side. (And if you have a bad back, from the front as well.)
muskokascp
9 years ago
I have side opening doors - they are a dream to use and no one has ever burned an elbow. Your natural tendency is to open them up good and wide so there's never really a concern about touching the door.
dodge59
9 years ago
Elux (Electrolux) does have the racks that smoothly glide wayyyyyy out, (at least my 2006 Icon model does).

Gary
Lynne-in-PA
9 years ago
Because I'm right-handed, I generally stand on the left side to pull out the racks on the top oven with my right hand. I've never stood on the right side. For the bottom oven I stand in front.
lawjedi
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you everyone. I went back to my plans and double checked... I CAN stand in the front with the door open -- with about 3 inches to spare. (Obviously not ideal.)

It looks like the side swing doors are the better bet... I'm gathering the rest of the kitchen quotes in the next week, so I'm hoping for a bit of leeway in the budget.

I'm starting a new thread in appliances about the steam oven. Yep, definitely another budget buster... but now is definitely the time to make the change if I ever would. It is very intriguing to me & I am the type to enjoy the experimental cooking styles. If I did the bosch steam, I'd just do a single oven under it.
barbja
9 years ago
I saw a set of those side-swing Bosch ovens at an appliance store yesterday. Although Bosch doesn't make the most trendy looking appliances, those ovens were so cool! The doors shut with a very satisfying 'clunk'. I think I'd get one of those if I were in the market for a regular oven, but I'm switching over to steam.
tracie.erin
9 years ago
I stand in front for the bottom one if it's heavy - if it's really light, I can do from the side. The top one is too tall for me to stand in front and be able to reach, so I stand to the side and don't cook heavier things in it - or I call my 6'2" DH :) If I'm really in a jam, I will get one of our rickety counter stools and kneel on that, but it's really not safe.