Kitchen ranges have long been the go-to cooking appliance in most kitchens. But with the growing popularity of large, luxury, professional style kitchens, that’s starting to change. Now, purchasing separate ovens and cooktops is not only a viable option, but also an increasingly common one. Large, double wall mounted ovens offer a higher cooking capacity and a much more intuitive kitchen layout compared to the conventional combined range unit. If you’re considering a large scale kitchen remodel and find your current range a little lacking, wall mounted ovens might be just the solution you’re looking for.
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Wall mounted ovens come in both single and double oven models, and are mounted into your cabinets. Generally speaking, this means that they’re a little bit more accessible and visible – you won’t have to bend down to put a pie in the oven, and you can easily check the progress of whatever happens to be cooking, because it will be around eye level. A single wall mounted oven takes up only slightly more space than a built in microwave, and many models can actually be paired with permanent microwaves to create one larger unit.
Double oven models are only slightly shorter than refrigerators, but are generally installed at about the same height with a storage drawer underneath. Having two ovens allows you to cook multiple dishes at different temperatures simultaneously, and typically in much less space than you’d need for a double range. Very large kitchen ranges can be upwards of twice the width of a standard wall mounted oven, and while they offer multiple ovens, they often aren’t both full sized. These ranges also come packaged with a double-wide cooktop, too, which you might not actually need, depending on your cooking style.
It’s worth noting that this is definitely an option that you should only undertake as part of a larger remodel. Eliminating a kitchen range will leave a big bare spot with unsightly hookups that will need to be addressed, and the oven itself will need to be built into its own cabinet. Before committing to the swap, take time to consider location – not just how the move will affect your work triangle, but also how it will impact your cupboard space. Wall mounted ovens usually start at about head height, which means sacrificing primo eye-level cupboard space, while a double oven can easily take up almost as much space as a small pantry. By contrast, removing a range and replacing it with counters will free up lower cabinet space, but having to install a freestanding cooktop means it won’t do much for your overall counter space.
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When it comes to installation, actually mounting a wall mounted oven is very DIY friendly as long as you have a level, a good drill, and a friend to help you lift it into place. But like a dishwasher or built in refrigerator, a wall mounted oven will need a support frame built inside your cabinets – and unlike the other two appliances, the oven will need a strong enough base to hold it up off the floor, too. The enclosure for the oven will likely need to be built from scratch, which along with the need to replace the old range with new cabinets means this is a project best paired with a full overhaul of all the kitchen’s cabinetry.
And then there’s the issue of the cooktop. Purchasing your cooktop and ovens separately means you have a much greater degree of freedom in choosing the type of fuel you want for each, and is an especially nice alternative to dual fuel ranges, which are significantly more expensive than standard single fuel models. But while a wall mounted oven will give you the reliable, even heating of electric power, having to purchase – and install – a gas, electric, or induction cooktop separately will almost certainly raise the total cost of the project.
Even so, in an odd shaped kitchen, buying a wall mounted oven and cooktop individually may actually be worthwhile for the freedom it gives you to rearrange your kitchen – and your work triangle. While traditionally the cooktop and range are always in one space, having a wall mounted oven means you can install the cooktop almost anywhere – in the kitchen island, near the sink, across from the sink, or just about anywhere in your counter tops that’s easy to use, easy to access, and promotes intuitive movement through the kitchen.
But what do you think? Are you more interested in the space saving ability of a wall mounted oven, the added convenience of having a second oven, or something else? Let me know in the comments!
