I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually found the opposite to be true in my last couple of flips. Bigger ovens sound great, but how often do most folks really fill them up? I’ve seen a lot of people go for the full-size, then end up using it for pizza and the odd holiday roast, while their countertop convection gets daily action.
Cleanup’s a toss-up too—my last reno had a wall oven that was a pain to keep spotless, especially with all the nooks and crannies. The smaller convection ones are way easier to wipe down, at least in my experience.
Also, have you noticed how much faster convection cooks? I’m not saying skip the big oven if you’re always hosting, but for regular weeknight stuff, I’d argue the countertop convection pulls its weight. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather have something that heats up quick and doesn’t hog kitchen space.
- Totally get the countertop convection love—mine gets way more use than my big oven, especially for quick stuff like roasting veggies or reheating leftovers.
- That said, I do miss the space for baking multiple trays of cookies or prepping big meals for guests.
- Cleanup is a pain with wall ovens, agreed. The smaller ones are just easier to wipe down, no bending or awkward angles.
- Convection definitely speeds things up, but I’ve noticed it can dry out baked goods if I’m not careful.
- Guess it really comes down to how you cook most days... For me, the combo works, but if I had to pick one, I’d probably stick with the countertop.
I’m in the middle of my first kitchen reno and totally wrestling with this. I keep thinking about how you said,
That’s my main worry. I love the idea of a countertop convection for daily stuff, but I bake a lot around the holidays and can’t imagine cramming everything into a tiny oven. Cleanup is a huge plus though—my parents’ wall oven is a nightmare to clean. Still torn, but leaning countertop for now since it fits my day-to-day better.“I do miss the space for baking multiple trays of cookies or prepping big meals for guests.”
I get what you mean about the holiday baking crunch. I went with a countertop convection for daily stuff, but honestly,
sums up my holiday stress every year. Have you looked at those countertop models that fit a half-sheet pan? They’re not as roomy as a wall oven, but they’re way better than the old toaster ovens. Cleanup’s a breeze too—just pull out the crumb tray and wipe down. For me, it came down to how often I really needed the big space versus how much I hated scrubbing baked-on gunk.“can’t imagine cramming everything into a tiny oven”
I once tried to bake six dozen cookies in my old apartment oven—let’s just say, the “convection” setting was more like a suggestion than a feature. Ended up rotating trays every ten minutes and still had burnt bottoms. Countertop convection’s been a game changer for me, especially when I’m flipping houses and the kitchen’s mid-reno. Less scrubbing, more snacking... priorities, right?