Thanks! Just so I understand, which of these things will a speed oven replace:

1. Microwave - duh, yes.

2. Toaster Oven?

3. Second wall oven for baking? I see that these units have a "convection" feature, but does that mean I can just drop my cookies in at the same time/temp as I would in a regular wall oven? I checked the miele manual and it says the convection works for cookies and quick batters - but that sounds strangely limiting. I don't want to invest in one of these to the extent that every time I want to use it, my recipes get all f-ed up and take a ton of experimenting with every recipe to get it right :)

I have a Miele speed oven. I use it as my primary oven 90 percent of the time. There is pretty much nothing that I can't do in there if it fits. Don't worry about what the manual says--it is positively awful. Also, I'm not convinced that the speed is that speedy (five-pound chicken takes one hour), but it is really handy, beautiful and can be installed under the counter.

I think the one thing a speed oven won't replace is the convenience of a toaster oven. It will do the work of one but not as easily. We had a toaster oven before our remodel and used it mainly for toasting, but it was great for that. Large pieces of bread, flatbread etc... toasted super quickly. A speed oven will certainly do that but it will take a bit to heat up. We have a Miele speed oven now and love it. Like nyc we use it as our primary oven and use it every day. It's fantastic. We use it for roasting veggies, making cookies, quick breads, broiling and baking fish or chicken. And no, the convection doesn't mean you need to change your cooking temp and time by much. Basically you can use the same temp you'd always use but cook it for less time. Not substantially less, but less. So if something normally takes 45 min, check it beginning at 30. It won't be done but you won't overcook it and you'll quickly get the hang of how long things need. It's easy I promise. Or you can drop the temp 20-25 degrees and cook for the same amount of time. I find cookies baked at the same temp cook maybe a minute faster. And yes, the manual is terrible. But the oven is superb. I have the most basic model and we can't believe we went so long without this oven.

Malabacat is talking about the one limiting factor vs a toaster oven, which will be speed. You will be able to toast and do all the things you can but since the elements are far more powerful and the cavity is larger it will take a bit more time to do the same thing.

Also what was said about convection is correct. Drop the temp 25 degrees and the time will be the same for an existing recipe. Many cookbooks have convection versions as well to compensate the time. With a little practice you may find yourself cooking things faster in the convection mode. The broiler is the same as an oven broiler. This thing is a full spec oven in every way except capacity. The preheat times are extremely short and it can do everything an oven can.

We have double convection wall ovens and get a ton of use out of both - I personally wouldn't remodel without them. The microwave on the other hand, not so much - just occasional melting, reheating, and warming. We are replacing our counter and floor soon and we'll probably replace the old counter top micro with a Convection Microwave (Samsung MC12J8035CT) to attempt to get more use out of the space. If it lives up to it's billing the unit should give us a good micro, a small oven, and some odd air-fryer functionality. Don't know if that would serve your purposes - they also make a cabinet trim.

I recently saw somewhere that a regular 24" oven is being made. Want to say it's Miele but not sure. Perhaps Joe H will know?

But it sounds to me like a regular 30" oven and a smaller Miele speed oven would do what you want. Then get a small Breville countertop oven for toasting and all the tiny chores.

I didn't get double ovens -- just one. I put the old stove in the basement as a backup in case I needed another oven for a holiday. I've used it once in 12 years.

We use the microwave a lot. I have 2 of them -- 1 in the kitchen and one in the pantry. That's daily for reheating pretty much everything.

Had put off any type of countertop oven as I don't like much on the counters. After consultation on the kitchens forum with near universal raves, I bought a Breville compact. It has been fantastic for everything from toast to an Amy's frozen pizza. I now often reheat in it vs the microwave. It also has a plate warming surface on top.

So sounds like a full size oven + a speed oven/smaller convection/microwave which NYBluedevil uses as you describe you would + a compact Breville (or other) would serve the needs described.

I see many kitchens with appliance overload. Some love appliances and want the options. But sounds like you're trying to streamline and combine functions. I think that's smart.

I am also trying to decide about ovens for a new kitchen.

How about a single convection oven (maybe a Bosch or a KitchenAid) + a Sharp convection/microwave (about $500) above it in a double-oven cab? Is a Bosch speed oven much more robust or useful than a convection/micro? The only difference that is obvious to me is the lack of broil functionality....what am I not accounting for? I don't think I really care at all about the pre-programmed combi-cook modes.

I have the Miele Speed M touch oven and use it daily as a second oven (also have a combi/steam) or a microwave. The only thing it does not to is toast both sides at once. It has replaced my counter top toaster oven which I put in my pantry and use it only for toasting. I have used the combi mode once for baking a potato. Worked fine. I find the broiler useful and as nycbluedevil_gw stated it does basically everything a regular oven and microwave can do. You can bake with or without convection. It has upper and lower heating elements unlike a convection/micro.

Miele has made 24" ovens for many years. Other companies have as well. They aren't planning on making an oven the size of a speed oven to my knowledge. Don't know how much of a market there would be for that.

http://www.mieleusa.com/Product/Details/1203

I don't know that its large enough for most american buyers preference, but its certainly big enough for 90% of cooking needs.

A counter top convection microwave is more microwave than oven. It will microwave perfectly fine, but is very limited in terms of cooking. Since its strictly convection with no heating elements browning is difficult to achieve. Plus build quality of a $400 convection microwave is similar to a $99 microwave...ie not nearly as good as something like a built in unit from miele or bosch.

hmm. I found this quote from 2009, from a GW user called homepro0

1http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2268365/help-how-well-do-speed-ovens-broil?n=6

"I can broil with my Sharp R930CS. It does have a heating element in the ceiling of the microwave. The Miele also has a dedicated upper heating element not a light bulb like the Advantium. I don't know how well these would work for steaks and the like if they are really thick. "

Does anybody know anything more about this upper heating element? My local big appliance store does not carry the Sharp in it's showroom.

I feel that in the end I will be pushed into buying the ridiculously overpriced Bosch Benchmark speed oven/convection combo...am trying to resist....

YMM,

That was me. I had a Sharp R930CS. I no longer own the unit and have a Miele speed cook. Looking at Sharps website, it looks like the heating element is at the bottom. The controls still look the same and it has the Compubroil feature that I used quite often. The convection feature browned chicken and pastries easily. The Sharp was great and worked well for me. It is a different class of machine from the Miele. The temperature stability of the Miele speed cook is something the Sharp could not match. If you opened the door, it took quite a while to restabilize. Also realize you are comparing a 110v machine to a 220/240v machine.

Good luck with your search!

We rarely have a need for a microwave, but after doing without for three years I knew I wanted one. We opted for the Bosch speed oven, and use it much more than I thought I would. Use is about 30% speed cooking, 20% microwave, and 50% of the time we use it as a small convection oven. However, the oven that has fully won me over is the steam oven. It is wonderful, and after some glitches with the control board it is working flawlessly (Bosch has been top notch for repair and service). It does everything that a regular microwave does except pop corn. Food reheated in a steam oven doesn't even compare to food reheated in a microwave.

I've used all three (speed, steam, full size convection) at the same time on quite a few occasions and love having them all. However, if I had to pick just one of the smaller ones to go with my full size it would be the steam. I'd put a tiny microwave in the pantry for that rare need. Good luck with your new ovens!

thanks to all for sharing experiences. I'm still a few weeks away from having to commit. I'm just shocked at how expensive these speed (and I guess steam) ovens are, but it does sound like a Bosch speed oven/regular oven combo is the best compromise between $$/functionality for me. I think for me it's key advantage over the KA micro/convect is the separate controls (so if one conks out you can replace it without replacing the entire unit? I think.) And considering homepro01's argumentabout how much more of a 'real' oven it is, as compared with the Sharp.....it almost makes it sound like it's worth that $1000 premium!

How about the Original Poster, H202. Any decisions?

I'm sort of leaning the same way, YMM. We used a lot of Bosch in the other two kitchens we reno'd, and have been very very happy (induction cooktop, wall ovens, dishwasher) so i'm drawn towards the oven/speed combo. But i also flinch at the price and wonder i would be just as happy having a regular double oven and finding a closet somewhere to hide my small mini microwave. It appears i need to keep my toaster oven in any event. So the main benefit to going with the speed oven is ditching my microwave. We're not ready to make a decision, but i will be thinking about this a lot.

That r930cs has been discontinued for some years now. You don't have to get the benchmark one. The standard bosch version will work just fine.

http://www.sharpusa.com/ForHome/HomeAppliances/Microwaves/Models/R930CS.aspx --doesn't seem discontinued. Available from the usual online appliance dealers (ajmadison, appliances connection, newegg, target, walmart) for about $500.