Basic information like this is something that is easily google-able. I’d be more inclined to trust an appliance website than some people on an internet message board. People here are nice but they don’t know everything and often times aren’t correct. Start at the Yale appliances blog, id trust them more than most people here.

I've found that people on this forum are very knowledgeable and helpful.

I've gained a wealth of knowledge from this forum.

Opinions, obviously, differ and you have to do your own research but this forum is a good starting place.

A lot will depend on what and how much you regularly cook.......How many people do you typically cook meals for? Do you entertain a lot? Do you currently use your oven for mostly baking, roasting, broiling, something else?

I gave up my microwave probably 10 or 12 years ago, but I have a countertop oven that I use for almost everything except baking and low-and-slow roasting. That's where I heat up my food (I never heat up beverages), and often where I cook small pieces of meat or fish for dinner. They pre-heat faster and give off less heat into the room. I used to use a Breville Smart Oven (fabulous!), but replaced it with a combination steam countertop oven. I like using the bake-and-steam combo for reheating (no need to cover the dish) and for steaming other foods (like fish, vegetables, or duck).

If you are looking for an upgrade from a microwave consider the Advantium oven. I have conventional ovens so I can’t speak to their function, but they were all the rage five years ago on this forum. Now the combi-steam oven is the hot upgrade. If I want steam in my oven I put water in a pan on a lower shelf, but the Advantium cooks with heat and light that produces microwaves. Use the search box above to look for reviews by houzzers that own it. You can search for threads on the combi-steam oven as well.

“from some random housewife in Wisconsin”

Sexist and making broad assumptions and showing biases too. BTW, you’re 100% wrong about me, but thanks for showing us who you are.

Back to the question posted, since you primarily use the microwave to reheat food and beverages I think a replacement should be either an Advantium or other speed oven which allows microwave only for reheating beverages-you don't want a coffee mug handle as hot as the coffee-as well as combined micro and thermal heat for ideal reheated food. Some say the 240 volt Advantium is the better choice for maximum speed when using thermal heat and if you are using it as replacement for a regular convection oven. So a speed oven and regular convection oven gives you versatility and large oven when needed and you could skip the regular microwave.

I’ve met many housewives from Wisconsin whose opinions I would take in a heartbeat over appliances salespeople or bloggers. Living in Wisconsin, I have a higher sample size than some...

if I was going to redo my kitchen, I wouldn't buy a stand alone MW in any way shape or form. It really is only used for reheating food or coffee. Assuming that you buy a standard 30 inch wall oven, then the next choice is only two options.

Can't live without a MW - get a combination convection/MW Speed oven. a few different companies make them.

best choice is a combination steam/convection aka CSO. Better and more cooking options.

Microwaves do have their place. Namely for people not looking to spend 2 grand on means to reheat food or on a secondary oven.

Jar, Yale has some useful information like repair rates, although a small sample, but some things are just incorrect. Some of the posts they have seem like someone told them to write an article for work but the person doesn’t cook and doesn’t really understand the appliances.

I guess you take your chances no matter where you get your information. Here there are a mix of people. Not all opinions agree.

Actual cooks who tell how the oven works for them in different things they are cooking is one of the most valuble things you can have, if you are buying appliances to actually cook. Over time we have had people who actually repair appliances, dealers, chefs, engineers and one person especially who is an expert in ventilation. Pro by the name often means nothing though.

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Chiefly, the best thing is to answer a few question like Toronto asked. What might be great for me might not work out at all for you.

Ovens are a puzzle box.

Most ovens have convection now but it should be an optional feature, although someone recently said they had a GE that you could not turn off the fan. They never came back with the model so we could see.

Convection moves air which accelerates heat transfer. It may cook some things faster but it superficially dries wherever the air current hits what you are cooking, making it brown faster. The problem is that airflow can cause uneven browning. Manufacturers try to fix that by using baffles, reversing fans or dual fans. They may use slower fan speeds in some modes. According to marketing, you need “true” or European” convection which is just a third element in the back by the fan. This can actually make the problem worse because it creates a blow torch effect.

Convection gets sold as “evening the heat“ and it does mix up the air but not all brands even the heat. Having said that I like to have it to turn on when I need it. It is a learning curve and a lot depends on the recipes you have and what you are cooking.

A combination steam oven Vs just a stem oven gives you the ability to automatically control humidity.

it usually has programs to provide exactly the best humidity for each part of baking or roasting. Many programs don’t use any steam and may function just as a convection oven. The only downside is that they may be smaller. I would get one but need my big ovenS.

One of the Gaggenau manuals talks about what amount of humidity is need for each thing that you cook.

I will defer to others about speed ovens as I don’t cook with my MW. I keep it by the refrigerator for reheats.

"Microwaves do have their place. Namely for people not looking to spend 2 grand on means to reheat food or on a secondary oven."

Or, you know, you could spend $200 on a good quality countertop oven, and use it to warm your food.

Toronto Veterinarian - agree 100%! Though I actually spent $110 on a Sharp countertop MW, and couldn't be more pleased. It does the job. It's in my pantry out of sight. I did look at the microwave drawers, which are expensive, and they are cool, but I didn't want the soft-open and soft-close and have to wait for that; I need to slam that MW door when I am done haha.

Sorry this discussion got a bit sidetracked as I had the same question Chiefy. Have read that with a steam convection oven you don't need a microwave and am wondering if anyone has any experience with this and if so which you'd recommend. Would love to have just one oven now that it's mostly the two of us . . . Thanks.

“from some random housewife in Wisconsin”

Are you for real? No one could be that out of step in 2020.

This is a sad thread. Why do people attack each other rather than trying to answer the question.

And sorry to the OP, I unfortunately dont have info for you. Sadly, these ovens tend to be beyond my budget, except for the convection oven that I rarely use, though it has been useful a few times.

I am in process of purchasing a convection MW, which also grills. https://www.canadianappliance.ca/product/KitchenAid_KMCC5015GSS_Countertop_Microwaves_KitchenAid_KMCC5015GSS.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5Ziy7LDk6gIVUcDICh3hQQtgEAQYAyABEgK7S_D_BwE

Would love the Advantium, but way too expensive.

Very helpful

Well I definitely wasn’t expecting the sideways turn this thread took.

Thank you to those that stayed on track. we are a family of 4 with 2 rapidly growing boys. I cook daily, but nothing fancy. I don‘t bake much currently due to an atrocious lack of counter space, but I’d like to do more. Cheesecakes are my go to dessert. I do host Christmas and go all out, but I’m trying to balance the “1-day” vs “every day” for this remodel while avoiding “houzz creep” on the budget. At the same time, when I first started thinking of this remodel (10 years ago-eek!) I wouldn’t have known about induction if it weren’t for (then) GardenWeb. So I know there are some good features in currently upper-end appliances that I should be considering. That’s where my struggle is coming from. I *can* switch from a range to separate cooktop/ovens and I *can* invest/splurge however you want to call it in newer technology, but there Is still a budget to keep in mind and I don’t want to waste it.

I’ve been a long time reader here and last year completed a kitchen renovation on a 50 year old kitchen that was 10 years in the planning. I got lots of good info from Houzz long time contributors that informed my plans. In relation to ovens, I do bake and cook quite regularly. In researching ovens, my biggest issue was the interior size and the spacing of the racks.

For family and holiday dinners, it is quite common for me to be cooking for 2 to 3 dozen people as we have a large extended family, yet it’s only 2 of us most of the time since our last DS moved out. For Christmas, I usually bake upwards of 30 dozen cookies for gifts and entertaining and last year I baked 500 cookies for the sweet table at my DS’s wedding. All this is to say that whatever you choose, look at what you cook, the size of the pans/baking sheets etc that you use and make sure whichever models you are considering work for you. As I narrowed down my search, some of the most highly rated models wouldn’t hold my large roasting pan or the racks were so tight together when adjusted for my casserole dish that I couldn’t use the multiple racks effectively to cook multiple dishes.

Ultimately, the oven I choose met most of my needs. I wanted induction, but I couldn’t find a decently sized oven with a highly rated induction range. I looked at separate ranges and ovens, but it came back to the oven size as that was my key need due to how we live.

So my non-professional advice is to first determine how you will use your oven from day to day use to entertaining and holidays. Then look at how and what you cook. Then look at the ovens that meet those needs, from size to features. Then research the heck out of the models that meet your needs and let you cook how you want to cook. There are lots of ovens with lots of features that you pay lots of money for. Don’t get caught up in the hype of having all the latest and greatest. I like my convection for baking. I don’t like it for roasting as it dries out my roasts etc. so I made sure my oven has a separate function for roasting. I didn’t do much bread making in the past, but during the quarantine, I tried a few different bread and buns and used the proofing cycle on my oven. It wasn’t a feature I had to have, but it came on the model I choose and I have to admit that it has been useful. So all this to say that whatever you choose, it has to work for you.

"What is your overall budget and what is your appliance budget. Are you more interested in performance, looks, or the name brand badge on the front of the appliance?"

This is the circular reference I'm in right now. Based on a similar project our neighbors did, we'll hit 6 figures, but that also includes replacing all the windows in the house, flooring throughout the first floor, new deck, etc that's not necessarily part of the "kitchen" budget. I haven't yet set an appliance budget, because I'm trying to figure out what's "reasonable". I'm generally low-maintenance. I want "solid" appliances, but I don't need or want fancy. I'm definitely not focused on the name and in general I'd say I don't care about looks, but i am having a hard time adjusting to the look of no knobs for induction, but at the same time I'm not going to overspend just to get the look of a knob. We plan on staying in this house "forever" so I don't care about resale, it's for me.

Here is my soon to be acquired induction cooktop With knobs. https://www.lowes.ca/product/electric-cooktops/frigidaire-gallery-30-in-5-element-electric-cooktop-stainless-steel-330695692

Love Stone Homes, the product you linked above is not an induction unit. The description says "5-Element Smooth surface (radiant) Electric Cooktop" ... radiant meaning regular elements that get hot.

The Frigidaire induction cooktop is well regarded here. Hopefully @wdccruise will stop by with some recommendations - always practical and values function over form.

But this is a thread about oven types. You’ve heard about all of them: conventional, microwave, convection, Advantium (convection+microwave), combi-steam, and of course my personal favorite, the toaster oven. Are you looking for specific appliance recommendations? Do you want wall ovens or a range? How can we be helpful?

I am also looking for appliance advice. I'm sorry someone sidetracked your post, It was done to me as well. I also want induction with knobs and your choices are limited. Here's what I found. Least expensive is the Frigidaire which does get some nice reviews. https://www.google.com/shopping/product/12179441356174310231?lsf=seller:23221,store:12560070850758678315&prds=oid:11321806831637685436&q=frigidaire+36+inch+induction+cooktop&hl=en&ei=ticbX4SkFKnBytMPqpmx2A4&lsft=gclid:Cj0KCQjwjer4BRCZARIsABK4QeXkqEFIwnVugT7Rkih1IjZ8JH064abyCs1xEsVNibZRLaW87D7zXWcaAucGEALw_wcB -- I wanted something a little more high end, so next up is the Blue Star - It is fairly new to the market but Blue Star ranges get overall great feedback. I saw it in person and it was very nice looking and appeared well made. https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/BSP36INDCKT.html - Bertazonni makes one but servicing can be difficult - The most expensive is by Viking - again Viking reviews on this forum are not good. I'm pretty sure I will be getting the Blue Star. I personally like having double ovens and a separate cooktop. Drawers under the cooktop are great for your pot and pan storage and it's amazing how often I actually use the two ovens. Even though my 2 kids are out of the house now, I love having the 2 ovens and sometimes even use them for DH and myself. I can't give you any information on the new offerings of steam, etc. as I don't have them. My ovens are convection, but I don't even use that often. Perhaps I should. My understanding is that Bosch makes a nice set of ovens that are moderately priced and have good reviews. I wanted something a little more classic looking but that's just me. https://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/HBN8651UC.html - Bosch also makes great dishwashers. Good luck to you.

Just my 2 cents... we are a crazy family I guess, we microwave a lot in the mornings and afternoons and cook from scratch every evening.

I got the Advantium oven for a steal and love it. I would happily pay full retail for it. I would say you are spending 2 grand to seriously improve the quality of reheated food, which is a bargain for our family.

I find steam ovens to be mostly unnecessary for my needs, but others may disagree.

@eam44 I'm not at the point that I need specific appliance recommendations. I guess what I don't understand yet (and I know I need to do more research) is:

a steam oven is really good for xxx

convection is really good for y

I still need a toaster oven for z

nothing is good for beverages, so I still need a microwave for that?

Leaning towards a wall oven or two. But I know I don't really need 2, so then is the spot for the second better off just being a microwave, but then should I go with the Advantium?

@bry911 this is the type of feedback i need! :) Curious what "needs" do you think the steam oven solves that didn't apply to you? (knowing why someone DIDN"T choose an appliance is going to help me as much as knowing why someone DOES choose one)

@dadoes. My apologies for wrong link. Hope this is correct. https://www.lowes.ca/product/induction-cooktops/frigidaire-professional-36-in-5-element-smooth-surface-induction-cooktop-stainless-steel-30413804

@bry. How I wish the advantium was cheaper up north. At 4,900 plus 13% tax, definitely not a bargain.

By the way, I love the induction stove top in my new house. Had never heard of that technology which is why I've been exploring some of these new oven types. Off to research Advantium . . . Thanks.

@Ellen - Just watched a couple videos on the Advantium. I don't think it's for me. Cooks with halogen lights, convection, microwaves etc. Seems kind of scary.

Which part is scary, resistance heat, fan, or microwave? I will grant you that microwaves are a bit like witchcraft, but the there is little real difference between a light bulb and a heating element (easy bake oven anyone?).

Convection is just an oven version of blowing the heat from the furnace to the rooms in your house.

@Design Girl, I cooked with one at a friend’s beach house. It really speeds up cooking and gives you the best of all of those technologies. I get why they are so beloved. That said, I do just fine without one.

For people who often cook for a crowd and also work it would be a godsend.

Halogen lights are akin to those warming units at fastfood outfits. Convection is blowing hot air around the oven cavity. Microwaves have been in-use for cooking since the 1950s. Nothing scary about any of it. :-)

Air fryers are prit'much mini convection ovens.

We sometimes entertain where we can have over 30 people at a time. So we have two convection microwaves, double oven and a warming drawer in our house. It just depends on your lifestyle.

I meant to also say that we chose a convection microwave to double as an oven when needed for entertaining, but also to just reheat stuff (mainly my son uses the microwave option).

I have a combi steam and a separate convection. The reheat function on the combi steam is far better than a microwave in terms of food quality, but of course, it isn't nearly as fast. We have a small, cube-shaped microwave that we keep in the pantry cabinet when we need something fast. Otherwise, we use the combi steam.

I use my steam oven more than anything else. The added component of steam adds so much to many recipes. Reheating, making. corn, vegetables is great. Baking is also enhanced. Chicken and fish dishes are softer and juicier.

Here is a tangential answer. Before redoing my kitchen, I bought a few countertop appliances to get through the planning/renovating period as my range i had wasn't working great. After trying the countertop steam oven (. I had the brand Tovala which works off an app on the phone and has scannable items, making to really easy to use,) I found I would not need a built in. (I landed up getting one anyway as it was a discontinued model at a give away price.) A countertop air fryer was also very convenient and produced great results. It might be too small for a family of 4. But the low relative price of countertop appliances, the speed , not heating up the kitchen and the ease of changing them out all were appealing. it also gave me an opportunity to test out what would work for me.

Cluttering up countertops with appliances is not appealing but i had the opportunity in my design to incorporate appliance garages which would leave counter space free.