You’re definitely not alone there. I’ve flipped a few houses and honestly, the old ovens are sometimes the secret weapon in a kitchen. They might look beat up, but something about them just works. I get what you mean about “smart” ovens—mine once locked itself mid-bake because it thought the door was open (it wasn’t). Ended up with a half-baked lasagna and a lot of swearing.
There’s something comforting about the quirks of an older oven. You learn its hot spots, you know exactly where to put your cookies so they brown just right. With new models, it feels like you’re fighting with settings or waiting for an app to update before you can even preheat.
Not saying convection doesn’t have its perks—sometimes it’s great for roasting—but for everyday baking, there’s nothing wrong with sticking to what works. If grandma’s oven is still turning out perfect cookies, that’s all the proof you need. Sometimes simple really is better.
I hear you on the old ovens—mine came with the house and it’s not pretty, but it gets the job done. I’ve looked at convection models, but honestly, the price tags make me pause. Here’s how I see it: if you’re on a budget, is it really worth upgrading for convection, or do you just stick with what you’ve got and learn its quirks? Anyone actually save money or time with a newer oven, or is it just hype?
Honestly, you’re not wrong to hesitate. I’ve installed a ton of convection ovens, and while they do cook more evenly and sometimes a bit faster, the difference isn’t always night and day—especially if you already know your old oven’s quirks. Unless you’re baking a lot or need super consistent results, sticking with what you’ve got isn’t a bad call. The energy savings are there, but it takes years to really notice on your bill. If your current oven’s reliable, I’d say ride it out until it gives you real trouble.
I get where you’re coming from, but I actually noticed a pretty big difference after switching to convection. I do a lot of roasting—veggies, chicken, that sort of thing—and the even browning is way more consistent. My old oven always had hot spots, so I was constantly rotating pans. With convection, I barely think about it. The energy savings are slow, yeah, but for me the time and hassle saved made it worth it. Maybe it depends on what you cook most?
That’s interesting—I had a similar experience when I redid my kitchen last year. I was skeptical about convection at first, but after a few rounds of roasted sweet potatoes, I was sold. The color was just more even, and I didn’t have to babysit the tray. I do wonder if it’s partly the layout of newer ovens too? My old one was ancient and probably not helping matters. Still, for baking cookies, I sometimes miss the old-school way... they seemed chewier somehow.
