Enjoy cooking and baking for family and friends with the convenience and style of a built-in wall oven.
Wall ovens are an increasingly popular alternative to ranges.
Thinking about one for your kitchen?
Read our short guide to learn about what you should consider when buying a wall oven.
Table of Contents
Planning Your Space
Your choice of a wall oven may be driven by the amount of space you have available.
This is especially true if you are replacing an existing unit where you need a new wall oven to fit into an existing cutout.
If you’re replacing an existing unit, it’s important you know about the Fit System Limited Guarantee from Whirlpool.
If you are replacing an existing wall oven with a Whirlpool wall oven of the same width and configuration, the Fit System includes parts to ensure a clean fit into your current cabinetry cutout. Whirlpool will also pay up to $300 towards cabinet modification.
Size
Wall ovens are most commonly 27 inches and 30 inches wide.
The different widths are designed to fit cabinetry of the same width or smaller.
Always be sure to consult your use and care guide to ensure you select a wall oven that fits your space.
Space conscious homeowners may be interested in some lines that feature 24-inch with wall ovens for smaller kitchens.
Oven height varies based on the configuration and brand. Single wall ovens are generally about 29 inches high, double wall ovens are 51 inches high and combinations are 42 inches high. Depth for all units is roughly 23 inches.
Always check a manufacturer’s specifications for precise measurements as they may vary by products.
Configurations
If you aren’t looking to fill an existing cutout you have some choices to make around the configuration and size of wall oven you prefer.
Single wall ovens offer one oven and a single control panel. Single wall ovens can be installed in a wall cabinet or even under a counter.
Double wall ovens offer two ovens and a single control panel. The separate upper and lower ovens gives you the flexibility to cook several dishes simultaneously at different temperatures.
This capability plus the extra capacity make double wall ovens your go-to choice if you have a large family or love to entertain.
Combination wall ovens come in a stacked suite including a microwave on top and an oven below. Often the microwave can also be used as an extra convection oven.
Combination wall ovens are a great choice if you want to get your microwave off the counter.
Installation
The other important thing to consider when choosing a wall oven is how you would like it installed.
Generally there are two options: flush installation, where the face of the wall oven is flush with the facade of the kitchen cabinetry, and installation where it protrudes past the facade of the cabinetry by up to one inch.
Be sure to consult the installation guide to ensure the wall oven you choose can achieve the look you want.
In order to achieve a flush installation most wall ovens require deeper than standard cabinetry and a flush installation kit which is available from the appliance manufacturer.
Whirlpool wall ovens can be installed in both options when you use the flush installation kit.
Heating Systems
Similar to ranges there are two types of heating systems available in wall ovens: thermal and convection.
Thermal ovens also known as conventional ovens are generally less expensive and include a baking element at the bottom and a broil element at the top of the oven cavity.
Convection ovens offer both thermal and convection heat. You can decide to use either one depending on what you’re cooking, baking or broiling.
Convection ovens use internal fans to help distribute hot air evenly within an oven. Their benefits include reduced cooking time and result in more uniform baking results.
Most Whirlpool wall ovens feature true convection heating systems, which includes the addition of a third element plus a fan that distributes hot air evenly over, under and around food so meals are cooked evenly.
Features
Wall ovens and ranges can often share similar features like bake, broil roast, convection baking, convection broiling, convection roasting, meat probes, timers and a delayed start function.
Wi-Fi connectivity is becoming more popular in wall ovens, allowing owners to remotely control their appliances through the manufacturer’s app.
Some of Whirlpool’s wall ovens offer features to make your life easier. Some are connected, offering the ability to remotely control and monitor the cooking process through the Whirlpool app.
Many also include the ability to save your favorite multi-step recipes.
Cleaning
Similar to ranges there are three types of cleaning systems available in wall ovens.
Manual or standard clean ovens require physical cleaning by hand and may require the use of cleaning agents to remove tough stains.
The second is self-clean ovens. Here the oven door is locked and the cavity is heated to approximately 800 degrees Fahrenheit or 400 degrees Celsius, incinerating any spills or food.
This process can take two to six hours. After it cools it is necessary to wipe out any remaining food particles.
Self clean is generally more time consuming than a manual clean, but does not involve as much scrubbing as the heat helps to loosen the stains.
Finally steam clean is available in some models. Here low heat and water are used to create steam to help release residue in the oven cavity.
Any leftover residue and water must be cleaned manually which can be a bit messy. However typically less scrubbing is required as this steam helps release the stains.
The benefit of steam clean versus self-clean is that the oven is generally at a lower temperature and the process is shorter.
Many of whirlpool’s wall ovens offer both steam clean and self-clean, offering owners a choice on how they would like to clean.
Always check and follow your appliance and product using care instructions before beginning any task as it should be your primary source of information.
Color & Design
Finally wall ovens are available in a number of colors and designs to complement your kitchen and personal taste.
Many are available in black, white, stainless steel and black stainless steel. Designs range from traditional to modern.
Whirlpool wall ovens are available in two different handle styles and a variety of colors, including fingerprint resistant stainless steel.
With so much choice, there’s something available for everyone’s design preference.
We hope you found this buying guide helpful as you plan your purchase.