Personally, I would rather have two ovens than 1 oven and a warming drawer. My my opinion is based on not being a big microwave user, I don't even have one in the kitchen (it's in the pantry).

My DH and I went back and forth about this. I was against the double oven because we are tight on space, but he really wanted one. Then when I read on here how many people are so happy then went with double oven I thought it was probably a good idea.

There were several times we had wanted to make two different items and they needed to be done at two different temperatures. So we ended up getting the Kitchenaid Architect II double oven with upper convection. Hope I will love it once it is installed.

If an oven can be set to 150  it can serve as a warming oven. Are there any double ovens that can be set that low? If not  why????

I need a double oven and I want a warming oven  but if my double ovens can go low enough, that would work! Right? Anyone disagree?

Jeri,
Agree! Our oven had a "keep warm" function. We went with a single 30 inch oven because originally, it was going to be placed in a wall that is above the basement stairs, and the slanting ceiling of that staircase cut off the bottom of my wall space where the oven goes. If we got a double oven, the control panel would have to be above our heads.

Of course, my current design has moved the oven over to be next to the area where the stairs make a slanting bottom below the oven. (Cookbook shelves will go above the slanting stairwell ceiling.) So now we could have a double. DH said no, he is happy with a single. We have each lived over 50 years with one oven at a time, so we don't really need two now.

I am getting a speed oven which can be used as a MW and second oven. I have rarely needed second oven. But often, I have wished for more counter space. I have rarely wished for a warming oven/drawer. I tend to serve immediately after I cook. I don't like food that is NOT piping hot. As soon as food sits, it starts to degrade, even if in an warming drawer. If the food is too hot to eat right away, ie lasgna, you don't need a warming drawer. You just need to let it cool. Therefore, it was my conclusion that I would rather work on increasing the counter space than getting the second oven...

I have had double electric wall ovens for 10 years and haven't used the second (bottom) oven more than 5 times. In my new kitchen (which started this past week) I will have a gas range with a gas oven and an electric wall oven / microwave combination.

A warming drawer doesn't seem important to me since I rarely need to keep food warm before serving. I will probably never use the gas range oven but I wanted the look of the commercial range kitchen. If it were not for that, I would not want or need two ovens.

Double ovens are good for large families or someone who bakes a lot but it's just my husband and me, and I am a cook not a baker. 95% of our meal is prepared on the cooktop.

I initially wanted a double wall oven, but it just didn't work in our layout. So, we ended up with the 36" American Range (single oven). We also have the Breville Smart Oven, which we got initially as a replacement for our cheapie toaster oven. Honestly, I use the Breville for cooking more than the range oven. It's big enough to hold most casserole dishes and the best part is it preheats in literally two minutes. So, for me, two full sized ovens aren't really necessary....

I had two ovens before our renovation...rarely used the second one. Due to space and budget in my new kitchen, I have one Wolfe wall oven and a built-in microwave. For the occasional BIG dinner party, I need to plan ahead a little (e.g., make dessert the day before...which I like to do anyway). I have a warming shelf with heat lamps in my range hood. For me, it was a good compromise.

I second what skyedog said. For me, I kinda keep track of number of times I used ONE oven, let alone two and found that I used my oven about once every 2 weeks. I rarely have the need to cook for two things with 2 different temp at the same time. In those rare time, I just need to plan ahead. That answers the question of one or two ovens. On the other hand, everyday I wish for 2 dishwashers.

I'd think through your needs like skyedog mentioned. It totally depends on your cooking/baking needs, and space, and budget. I have double convection ovens and a warming drawer! but I'm the host for all holidays for our large extended families, and often host gatherings at least every other week. the double oven thing is quite nice if the menus you create require cooking at very different temps, or cooking and baking at the same time. I can do all the muffins, cookies, etc for the school bake sales and bday parties at one time!!! The warming drawer is useful for us because my husband works long hours. I pop his dinner plate in the warming drawer so that he can enjoy the meal I spent all that good time on. microwaves just recook everything and to use the large oven just to warm would seem wasteful for just a plate of food. we also love the warming drawer for our weekend bfasts - the pancakes or waffles get stacked in there so we can actually eat it all as a family. and the warming drawer allows you to adjust for moisture so the foods don't get dried out.

I fully admit that I am not a good cook, so 2 ovens and a warming drawer would really help me. IÂve never had a warming drawer but there have been *many* times that I wish I had.

I purchased the Breville Smart Oven to be my second oven and it has been Great! So much so that when we remodel, I really hate losing it to a larger oven. But it does sit on the counter which I also donÂt like.

Perhaps one of those all in one (speed, micro, convection) would work for me, though I really canÂt see myself using the speed option. Being a poor cook  I need all the time I can get! :-)

I'm another one who went from 2 wall ovens to a range with one oven and a warming drawer, and we are a family of 5. For me, I also rarely used the bottom oven. Plus, my wall ovens were only 24" - way too small for me. Since my kitchen is small, I would have had to keep to 24" ovens if I replaced them, so I opted to get a 30" range with a much bigger 5 cu ft oven & I am enjoying the extra counter space so much. I know at Thanksgiving I'll be wishing for that second oven, but for once a year, I think I made the right choice.

I miss my double wall oven like there's no tomorrow.

I have a very small kitchen, and only had room for one oven (which goes down to 80F if necessary . . .). I really thought I wanted a second oven, but knew there wasn't room. So, we kept the old oven, and it's set up in the basement. I figured I could always use that when I needed another.

In two years, I've used it once, and only because I'd set the other oven on the self-cleaning programme - and we cook every single day, and only use the microwave for heating up coffee . . .

All I'm saying is if you haven't had a second oven, you may not miss it. You have to work out what matters most to you and the way your family eat.

When remodeling I took a look at the extra expense of double ovens versus how many times I thought I would need one. The area we live in seems to be using double ovens as more of a resale issue than a practical issue. Since resale isn't one of our concerns, I went with what made the most sense for me.

I decided that my biggest issue when cooking a large meal was having a way to time the meal so that everything is warm and ready to serve at the same time, including the bread.

I decided that I could live with a range with a warming drawer that warmed up to 350, allowing me to actually use it as a light-duty oven occasionally. I've never regretted it in 2 years.

And the extra $$ I saved I spent on replacing the yucky sliding door with a beautiful french door with sidelights that open. It wasn't in our plan, but I got it in the trade-off!

countrygirl, since you are asking the question, it sounds like you want to be sure you won't regret doing what you really want to do which is to have more counter space.

skyedog had the right questions to ask yourself. What is right for one person, may not be ideal for another. As long as you are not worried about resale (and putting in whatever configuration is selling in your area), I would make the kitchen for how you cook.

I never asked myself if I "needed" double ovens for my remodel. The desire for double ovens was one of the major motivators for our remodel. I like to be able to bake pies or bread or cookies at the same time as a dinner course. However, I did ask myself if I really needed a warming drawer, and my answer was no for my kitchen. I figured I could use one of my ovens to keep things warm, if I really needed to.

my double wall oven was installed in March. I thought long and hard about getting a double. I wanted induction and at the time I was looking, I did not like any of the induction ranges. I may have thought differently with what is available now . . .

So it came down to needing a wall oven. DH and I talked and talked, he wanted me to get the double as the price wasn't that much more than a single. I figured I'd only use it a few times a year - made it 30 years with only one oven (and a big electric roaster).

And to my surpirse, I use both ovens all the time. I love to bake and I work full time (gone about 60 hours a week) so when I have time to bake, having two ovens is great.

I also make bread and can have the dough rising in the lower oven while preheating the upper oven - DH can whip up a batch of cookies while a chicken is roasting in the other oven.

After only a few months, I would sure miss that second oven if I had to go back to only one.

BTW - mine goes as low as 90 deg F so I can use it as a warming drawer also.

Everyone is different, but I have found that there must have been a lot of times where I simply did not bake something when I had the urge as the oven was either in use or I knew I would not have time to complete the item before I needed the oven for dinner. Now I rarely have that problem - though I have had both ovens going and DH has asked where he should bake dinner - opps!

Cathy

The only time I missed my double ovens is when I was hosting holiday dinners for 35+ people. Since we had our old, fully functioning, harvest gold double ovens sitting in the garage, DH set them up in our basement (basement/pantry door is off kitchen) for those times. Now I have three available ovens and a Sharp high speed oven/microwave built in oven. The basement ovens work well in summer too as it's always cool down there and I don't have to heat up my kitchen.

If you don't have a handy basement, maybe a garage set up?

This is really interesting, to hear people's reasoning and what works for them.

I've always wanted two ovens, ideally a 48" range instead of cooktop/wall ovens due to venting and space/layout considerations. Then this week, I started really thinking about how I cook. Because of gas-leak issues with my current range, I've been cooking everything on the stove top for the last 18 months, supplemented very occasionally with a small toaster oven....and I'm doing just fine.

Probably once a year - some holiday I'd host or a larger-than-normal dinner party - I'd wish for a second oven, but in the past I've done big parties with a 24" apartment-sized range and a lot of preplanning. And what I find myself wanting more of when I'm cooking for a crowd is refrigerator space and counterspace, not oven space.

So my greedy little heart wants two ovens, but my practical brain says one. I'm guessing budget and splurge/save calculations will ultimately make the decision for me.

Well, I very rarely use both at the same time, but during the holidays or baking, I flat out NEED them. In the long run - over the life span of my oven (or myself), is'nt it worth the extra money to get what you want? Or do you want to regret it for the next decade or possibly two? Get it - the worst thing that happens is you use it for storage of cookie sheets, trays, pyrex, etc. Long term - over years, it is probably not going to be much more money.

I agree with kellykath!! I love my 2 ovens and don't see how I ever made it with one. With 2 ovens there's no need for a warming drawer.

Thanks for ALL the feedback! Its always great to hear what people use their double ovens for if they do or if they regret not having one. I currently have a double oven in my commercial range but the range itself is dangerous and not meant for households and so am replacing with a range top and wall oven (s). I have only used my double ovens 2 times in the last two years, so I don't imagine I would use it much more often, and honestly could have probably planned ahead and not even needed them both. I do anticipate using my warming drawers since I have small children and often cook early for them and my husband and I eat later. I guess I know what I need to do (just do the combination unit with convection microwave, oven and warming drawer) but am just worried I will regret it! It is not a money issue but a space issue. The kitchen is large space wise but there is very little wall space and so I am running out of room for my appliances and still need lots of space for storage.

Thanks again for all the feedback! It is truly helpful! And please more input is welcome!

I always thought it would be nice to have a double oven, mainly for those holiday meals where there are just too many things you want to bake in the oven. In trying to keep the cost of the kitchen remodel reasonable, I told myself I really couldn't afford to spend more on a double oven. I had planned on a single wall oven. Then while researching ovens and prices, I discovered that I could get a double oven in the brand/style I wanted, from an ebay seller, for less than the price of a comparable single model anywhere else. I was so excited and made my first ever purchase on ebay. Then of course I had to rethink my cabinet layout, but I am so glad I was able to squeeze in the double oven. My kitchen reno really hasn't begun yet so I can't comment on how often I will use both ovens. But I certainly can think of many times when multiple items were being cooked and they required different temperatures. This will be so nice to have two ovens.

I am in the middle of remodelling my kitchen and I have purchased a double oven for the first time. I entertain a lot and am constantly struggling to do everything with only one oven. I gave up a little of my precious counterspace to accomodate the double oven - that is how important it was for me to be able to work this into my layout. I was also able to fit in a warming drawer under the ovens. Of course, nothing is installed yet so I can't tell you if all of this was a good idea.

I kind of wish I had double ovens, but I really needed the storage more. One thing that I do kind of wish I had was 2 dishwashers.

I just had to chime in on this. I love having two ovens. We refinished our kitchen last year, so I've had some time to live with my configuration. I chose to have a gas range and a below counter electric wall oven so I wouldn't lose counter space to a full double wall oven. Both my ovens (Electrolux) have a "keep warm" setting and "bread proofing" setting. I use the range primarily for cooking dinners, casseroles, lasagnas, etc. And I use the wall oven for baking desserts and breads. I may use them simultaneously a few times a month but at holiday time, I feel they are indispensible and I am SO glad I have them both. I would say that planning an extra oven for just a holiday dinner might not be worth it, but if you're a baker, I think you will be glad you have two ovens.

My first blog, but had to join just to participate! Having the same angst and need to make a decision soon. We're completely redoing and enlarging our kitchen and this is the first part of the project that's really difficult for me.
I looked at the Thermador micro/warmer combo, but I had really planned for the double. I also looked at the GE Profile vs Monogram double. I'm getting so many conflicting reports on service.
Does the cooktop have to match the oven, dishwasher etc? I know the fridge can be seperate. Seems like better deals are available when you work a package under one company.
I joined consumer review, but they didn't even review Thermador. I'm used to gas broilers and having a little stress over changing to electric so I can have the double oven.
This project is a huge investment and I don't want to get the appliance part wrong.
I'm really looking for anyones experience with different models.

I have the GE profile double oven - it takes up the same space as a normal range with bottom drawer or warming drawer, but acts as a second oven. Generally speaking, I'm happy with it. If you really want two ovens but don't have space - this oven or a smilar style might be an option for you. I wrote a review on the oven in a previous post once, perhaps you can search for it. One note, if looking at other brands - open the doors and notice the width of the second ovens. Not all are as large as the GE. Good Luck.

I had the same dilema. DH said he thought I did, I do a lot of baking (which neither of us needs!) We went shopping yesterday, and I tried them all as if I were using them in the corner where the MW/Oven is now. I must be 'challenged' since I couldn't really reach the racks comfortably without getting 'burned'?! How do you reach over the hot oven door to pull things out of the upper oven without getting burned? I can't reach from the side as the ovens would be in the corner. So for now, I am back to the convection MW/Oven combo.

I have double ovens and love them (yes you can use one on low for warming). I also have 2 microwaves. Now honestly, I am not a big cook, but when I have a party I have sometimes been using all of these at the same time and it is really great. I wish I had 2 dishwashers...LOL.

I doubt there are many here that really "need" 2 ovens. What we're talking about is convenience, not need. For those that entertain or bake often, or host big family dinners, 2 ovens are more convenient.

country girl: it sounds as if you're more concerned about missing the 2nd oven if you don't put one in than if you do put one in and don't use it. Having said that, plus your comment, "It is not a money issue but a space issue", then I would lean toward getting 2 ovens. Notice that I'm referring to it as a 2 ovens and not necessarily a double oven. An option is to have your MW, oven, and warming drawer in a stack and put the 2nd oven somewhere under a counter. It will cost more to do it that way, but it will ease the wall space limitations.

I remodeled my kitchen last year and WANTED 2 ovens because I bake almost daily. I found a double oven for a sweet price but because of layout issues, and limited wall space (due to 2 windows, 2 exterior doors, an open layout to the DR & LR, a hutch & hood flanked by glass cabinets, etc) I switched things up and put one oven under the induction cooktop and the 2nd oven below the MW in a different area of the kitchen, designated as the baking center.

I've used both ovens at the same time 4 or 5 times over the past year, BUT I find myself using one oven for certain things and the other for other things, not because of their location but more because I prefer one (greatly) over the other. (which brings up another point - if you buy one oven that is obviously a better quality than the 2nd one, you almost guarantee that you won't use the 2nd oven often; or if you get a double oven I recommend that both be convection vs. top convection and bottom conventional)

Personally, I love having the ovens at different areas in the kitchen. Since both are convection, and I use all 3 racks in each for cookies, there is no way I can keep after both ovens when baking cookies. For my cookie baking fest in December, there were 7 of us working in the kitchen at one time and having the ovens at separate locations gave us plenty of room to work.

I'm sure I'd be fine with only 1 oven, as I was for 26 yrs., but I don't regret for 1 second having the 2nd oven.

Your idea of a convection MW, oven & WD sounds plausible too.

(one last thing - I read someone's comment on another thread that they dislike under the counter ovens because they are so low, but that depends on the brand of the oven and/or the induction cooktop)

GOOD LUCK on your decision and your kitchen remodel.

If you don't have the space for wall ovens, consider the newer 2-oven ranges. The upper oven under the burners is small and will probably be used the most i.e. broiling, baking small quanities of food, while the lower oven is full size. Several manufacturers now make them. Check out the Sears website to have a look.

I lived in Europe for over 20 years (from the late 60s to late-80s and this style range was pretty much the norm in stove design.

I have conventional double wall ovens and wish I had, the space for 2 single ovens side by side.

Do yourself a big favor and find a way for a second oven.

I have one wide one in my stand alone dual fuel range and a second wall oven in the baking area in my pantry. They don't have to be joined at the hip but even if you don't use them both all the time (some of us use them a lot) when the holidays come you will absolutely need them.

I don't have a warming drawer and have never wished I did.

I was going to say the same thing as ashebooks--have you considered a double-oven range, thus increasing your usable wall/countertop space?

Several mfrs have them, some w/ smaller oven on top, others w/ smaller oven on the bottom. Other options include w/ or w/out the part that extends onto the backsplash wall (sorry, there's a better term for this, but it's past my bedtime and my thinking is a bit fuzzy!). They are available in gas or electric configurations, as well.... GE, Kenmore, Maytag, Electrolux, et al have them. If you're interested, check out sears.com and/or ajmadison.com to see some different models.

I'm laughing at myself for admitting this to you all, but we are moving in a couple of weeks and I will have, count 'em!, FOUR ovens!!! No, I'm not crazy. We redid our kitchen two short years ago and I am the proud owner of a lacanche cluny range. We stopped into a new build open house in our town and fell in love with the house, which was almost completed. The new kitchen is similarly laid out to the one I designed but had a cooktop and double wall ovens already installed. Part of our deal was that the builder would change out some cabinets and install my range for the cooktop, however he didn't want to switch the ovens (GE Profile). I'll admit that during the holidays when my 4 grown kids come home with S.O.s we are a house abuzz with cooks. I knew that we could use a third for those times...but a fourth? oh well.

As far as having a warming drawer instead of a second oven....I'd always choose the second oven & do what us old-timer cooks have done for years. Preheat the oven to 250 & then turn it off. Pop whatever you want to keep warm in there but don't open the oven until you need it. It'll stay warm for quite a while that way & then you have the option of having the second oven if you need it. I often do that with dinner plates as I start cooking. Also, double ovens help increase your resale value...people just expect them now.

If you need the functionality of two ovens...whether it's b/c of different temperatures, the volume, or the types of food AND you use your MW for meal prep or cooking, then...
Getting a Convection MW in place of a second oven doesn't help...if you need the MW, you don't have a second oven; if you need the second oven, then you don't have a MW
Using the second oven as a warming drawer won't help b/c if you're using it as a WD then you don't have a second oven. What it will do, though, is allow you to bake/roast in it and then use it as a WD for the food you just cooked in it while the first oven is still going.

We do have a WD + double oven + MW. Yes, both ovens have a "Warm" option and my MW Drawer has a "Keep Warm" option. I use the WD more than an oven as a warmer b/c it's a smaller volume to heat and uses less energy. It also has options for Crisp or Moist.
However, if I have an oven already heated b/c I've just used it, I'll turn it on "Warm" and use it as a WD...assuming I don't need that oven for another item.
Other than for stews, the MW's "Keep Warm" function doesn't work very well b/c it overcooks the food it's keeping warm.

How often do I use them all at once? Several times a week, actually. I have Celiac Disease so I do a lot of baking, etc. and often I'm making something that I can eat similar to what everyone else is eating but I need different oven temps. Meanwhile, I'm cooking veggies in the MW and using the WD to keep the various items I've finished warm.

I also do a lot of baking for events (like the 6 batches of brownies + 3 batches of cupcakes Saturday morning for our neighborhood's Block Party that afternoon) and find that having two ovens makes the job go so much faster...it allows more than one of us to be baking at the same time as well as allows us to bake more than one type of item at the same time.

So, in the end, it depends on your needs.

BTW...I tried a wall oven mounted under the counter prior to purchasing my appliances and found that it was even lower than the oven in a range/stove. So, before you plan for an under counter oven, go somewhere and try it out. OTOH, the top oven of a double oven set is probably too high for most people...unless you put the bottom oven just over the toe kick. I think the ideal setup is two single ovens mounted in raised cabinets...i.e., mounted so that the cabinets are 6" to 12" higher than the standard.

Oh, and about the location of your WD...when polled here a couple of years ago, overwhelmingly it was found that if you had your WD near or under your cooktop, it was used. However, if it was mounted far from the cooktop or too low, it was rarely, if ever, used. The latter included WDs mounted under ovens in an oven stack. So my suggestion to you is to not put it in an oven stack; instead, mount it next to or very, very close to your cooktop.

Yes you do....if you cook like me :-).

I put in double ovens not sure how I would use them, but I have a big space so I figured why not.

I use them so much more than I ever could have guessed. Just the other night I had chicken in one and sweet potato fries in the other. I've often been baking bread or desert in one with dinner in the other. We have baked 4 pizzas at one time, 2 in each oven.

I say go for it.

I often use 2 ovens when making dinner for a family of 5. Many times I'm broiling meat in one while baking rolls or sides dishes in the other. I looked for a built in option that would give me one full size oven and the second one smaller (like you find on some ranges) but I couldn't find that in a built in. As stated earlier to conserve space you may be better off getting a range that has the 1.5 ovens. Personally I can't see the need for a warming drawer. For the few times I imagine I would use it, I can set one of the ovens on warm, but that's just me. I'm putting 2 huge deep drawers under my cooktop to store cookware, and the wall ovens next to that. I still have storage above and below the double ovens too. Personally I don't like the oven underneath my cooktop, especially if I'm using both at the same time. Of course that's what you get in a range. That's why I prefer separate built ins. I'm making a microwave shelf in one of the upper cabinets so I can finally get the MW off my counter - really looking forward to gaining that counter space.

I guess it all depends on if you think youÂll use it. IÂm not a baker and only use my whirlpool Velos micro/convection 2nd oven a few times a year during holidaysÂbut I do need it then. ItÂs in an uncool but convenient location for me above the range in my small kitchen. My kitchen aid slide-in range has a warming drawer on the bottom but I never use that either. IÂm more of a killer sauce maker and a great soup stew maker. Really, I just need burners and more countertop and a small 2nd micro in my little pantryÂoh, and new cabinets that are not made of cardboard. We are all different on our needs; will you use a 2nd oven? If not save your money and put it towards a nice European vacation, thatÂs what I did. Life is short!

I did the Thermador oven and warming drawer but opted to put a microwave on the counter, as I'm really short and that worked best for me. I LOVE the warming drawer and use it almost every day. My husband comes home late, so his dinner goes in there if he's not home when it's ready. Also use it to keep one dish warm while the other is still cooking. The Thermador oven works great, but it does take a long time to heat up. If I had cooked something in the oven and then wanted to use it as a warming drawer it might still be too hot. I don't have a large family to cook holiday dinners for, so never had a need for two ovens, not even at Thanksgiving.

I went with one oven and one Advantium oven. It's been perfect. The Advantium can microwave, grill, speedcook, convection back, proof dough and warm. We use it about 90% of the time. In fact I only use the regular oven if I need to use two ovens at once or if I need to two 3 racks of convection or probe roasting. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Advantium. Well worth the money.

Brittu...do you also have a separate MW? As I mentioned above, the problem with an Advantium, etc. is that if you need both a second oven and a MW, you're out of luck b/c you can only use it for one of them at a time.

I have two microwave/convection combo ovens -one in my kitchen and one in my basement, and I have to say that I rarely use the convection option. It is just too complicated. I currently have one regular oven in my kitchen and am constantly wishing I had a second, since I come from a big extended traditional family that gets together regularly for weekends. I am also a big baker and would love to reduce the baking time of my many batches of cookies by half! We are in the middle of remodelling our kitchen and I have purchased a double oven and a warming drawer. I am also throwing out the microwave/convection oven and replacing it with one of those drawer microwaves. None have been installed, but I can hardly wait. My thought is that IF you have the room...do it. You'll more than get your money back at resale and in the meantime you will never have a conflict waiting for an oven to free up.

We have double ovens, one steam, one convection/fan. I LOVE having two ovens, though probably two convection ovens would have worked just as well for us rather than having one steam.