Commercial Oven Buying Guide: Convection, Combi, Deck and More
Buying Guide · Ovens
Choose a Commercial Oven Around What You Bake, Roast and Finish
An oven earns its place by the food that goes in it. A convection oven, a combi, a deck oven and a high-speed oven each solve a different problem, and the wrong one is hard to work around once it is installed.
Use this guide to match the oven type to the menu, size it by the pans you need to cook at once, and check the building before you buy. Our specialists can help with anything that depends on your menu or your utilities.
Start With the Food, Not the Model
List what the oven has to cook: roasted proteins, baked goods, pizza, finished plates, reheated items. Then note how many pans or trays need to be in the oven at the same moment during your busiest service. That number sizes the oven.
Fuel, electrical service, water and ventilation vary by building, and they can narrow your choices before you compare a single model. Confirm them early.
Best-Fit Operations
This guide is written for kitchens that bake, roast or finish food in a commercial oven every day.
Match the Oven to the Menu
Most kitchens need one flexible oven first, and a specialist oven only if the menu depends on it.
Find the row closest to your kitchen. It is a typical starting point, not a specification. Your menu mix, volume at peak and floor plan decide the final choice.
How to use this table
- Pick the row nearest your menu.
- Read the matching oven type below.
- Check the building with the pre-order checklist.
| Operation | Usual starting point | Often added | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurant | Full-size convection oven | Range with oven base; combi for high volume | Pans cooking at once during the dinner rush |
| Bakery | Convection or rack oven, plus a proofer | Deck oven for artisan bread | Pan and rack size; steam for crust |
| Pizza shop | Deck or conveyor pizza oven | Convection oven for sides and desserts | Deck size, temperature range and ventilation |
| Café | Countertop convection or high-speed oven | Holding cabinet for baked goods | Counter space and electrical circuits |
| Hotel and banquet | Combi ovens and convection ovens | Holding and transport cabinets | Batch size and holding time between cooking and service |
| Healthcare and education | Combi or convection ovens | Rethermalization carts | Volume per meal service; cleaning and food safety routines |
Not seeing your format? Talk to a specialist and share your menu.
Which Type of Oven?
Each type is built for a different job. Choose the one the menu depends on.
A convection oven uses a fan to move hot air, which cooks faster and more evenly than a standard oven. A combi oven adds steam and can switch between steam, hot air and a combination of both. A deck oven bakes on a stone or steel deck, and a high-speed oven combines heat sources to finish small items quickly.
If you are unsure, start with the food: crisp and browned, moist and tender, or fast and finished.
Quick guide
- Convection: roasting, baking, finishing.
- Combi: steam plus hot air, high volume, programs.
- Deck: pizza, flatbreads and artisan bread.
- High-speed: fast finishing in a small footprint.
Shop Commercial Ovens
Convection, combi, deck and more.
Steamers
Moist-heat cooking for vegetables, rice and seafood.
Holding and Proofing
Hold finished food or proof dough.
Commercial Ranges
Burners over an oven base.
| Type | Best for | Strengths | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convection oven | Roasting, baking, finishing, reheating | Flexible, even results, widely used | No steam on most models; limited programming |
| Combi oven | High-volume roasting, steam, programmed cooking | Steam, hot air or both in one unit; saves floor space | Higher cost; needs water and a drain; cleaning and descaling routines |
| Deck oven | Pizza, flatbreads, artisan breads | Stone or steel deck gives a crisp bottom crust | Specialist item; heavier, and often needs more space and ventilation |
| Rack oven | Bakery volume, loaded racks of pans | Cooks a full rack at once | Large footprint; needs a rack, floor space and ventilation |
| Conveyor oven | Steady throughput of one type of product | Consistent cook times without tending | Fixed cook path; less flexible for mixed menus |
| High-speed oven | Fast finishing of small items | Small footprint; very quick cook times | Limited capacity; chosen for specific menu items |
Convection oven or combi oven?
If you roast, bake and finish dishes, a convection oven covers most of it for less money and fewer utility connections. A combi earns its place when steam, programmed cooking or high volume are central to the menu, because it also needs water and a drain. If the menu depends on it, ask a specialist before you decide.
Do I need a deck oven for pizza?
Deck ovens are the traditional choice for pizza and artisan bread because the deck holds heat and bakes the bottom crust. Conveyor ovens suit a steady flow of similar pizzas. The right choice depends on your style, volume and the space you can give up. Our Pizza Shop Cooking Equipment Buying Guide covers pizza lines in more detail.
How Much Oven Do You Need?
Size the oven by the pans you need to cook at once, not by the width of the room.
Ovens are usually described by the pans they hold. Full-size sheet pans are about 18 x 26 in and half-size sheet pans are about 18 x 13 in, so a half-size oven holds half-size pans, and a full-size oven can hold full-size pans. Combi ovens are often listed by pan count too, such as the number of full-size or hotel pans they take.
Think about peak, not average. If four trays of food need to be in the oven at the same time at your busiest hour, an oven that holds three will slow service no matter how well it cooks.
Sizing questions
- How many pans cook at the same time at peak?
- What size are the pans you use today?
- Can the oven be loaded and unloaded without blocking the line?
| Size | Typical use | Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Countertop or half-size | Cafés, small kitchens, finishing and secondary baking | Smaller loads; check shelf count and which pans fit |
| Full-size, single deck | The usual choice for a full restaurant line | Check pans held, floor space and door swing |
| Double deck or stacked | More capacity in the same footprint when volume is high | Taller; check clearance under the hood |
| Combi, by pan count | High-volume or programmed menus | Match the pan count to peak batch size; confirm water and drain |
| Rack oven | Bakery volume | Rack size, floor space and ventilation |
Capacity and layouts vary by model. Always read the exact pan count and dimensions on the product page.
Before You Order: Utilities, Ventilation and Installation
Most oven surprises come from the building, not the oven.
Walk this list with your contractor, gas fitter, electrician and ventilation supplier before you place an order. Requirements depend on your location and local authority, so treat this as a list of questions, not a rulebook.
Ask early
- What fuel and electrical service does the space have?
- Does the oven need a hood, a flue or a drain?
- Who installs and commissions it?
| Check | What to confirm | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel or power | Natural gas or propane for gas models. Voltage, phase and circuit capacity for electric models. | Licensed gas fitter or electrician |
| Ventilation | Whether the oven needs to sit under a hood or have a flue or vent connection, and what the hood must cover | Ventilation contractor and local authority |
| Water and drain | Combi and steam ovens usually need a water supply, a drain and sometimes water treatment | Plumber and the manufacturer documents |
| Clearances | Distance to walls, combustibles and neighbouring equipment, as stated on the product page and manual | Contractor and manufacturer documents |
| Floor and layout | Level floor, door swing, space to load and unload, and a safe place to set down hot pans | Kitchen designer or contractor |
| Delivery access | Door and hallway widths, lift access and where the oven is uncrated | Your site contact |
| Installation and start-up | Who connects, tests and commissions the oven, and what the warranty requires | Contractor and Russell Hendrix |
Working through an opening? The Opening Journey covers utilities and installation in order.
The Real Cost of Owning an Oven
The price on the product page is only the first cost.
Two ovens with similar prices can cost very different amounts to run, clean and keep working. Compare these factors when two options are close.
Compare when options are close
- Energy use and heat output.
- Daily and weekly cleaning time.
- Service, parts and warranty.
| Factor | What to compare | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Rated gas input or electric load, and how quickly it preheats | Ovens run for hours every day, so small differences add up |
| Cleaning | Removable racks, smooth interiors, and for combis any automatic cleaning cycle and the products it uses | Cleaning labour and consumables are a regular cost |
| Water treatment | For combi and steam ovens, water quality, filtration and descaling | Hard water can shorten the life of a steam oven if it is not treated |
| Service and parts | Warranty length, parts availability and who can service it near you | Downtime on a core oven stops production |
| Installation | Gas, electrical, water, drain and ventilation work | These can outweigh a difference in the oven price |
| Fit to the menu | Whether the oven is sized for your real volume | Too small slows service; too large wastes fuel and space |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Most oven regrets are about planning, not about brands.
Choosing a type before the menu
Pick the oven for the food it must cook, not for the feature list.
Sizing for a quiet day
Size for the busiest service, when every tray is in the oven.
Forgetting water and drain
A combi that arrives without a water supply and drain cannot be used.
Leaving ventilation to last
The hood and flue decide what can be installed and where.
Ignoring pan size
An oven that does not fit your pans wastes the capacity you paid for.
Skipping the cleaning plan
A hard-to-clean oven gets cleaned less, and performs worse.
Forgetting delivery access
Check doors, lifts and turns before a large oven arrives.
Skipping staff training
New ovens perform best when the team knows how to load, run and clean them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions we hear most about commercial ovens.
Do ovens need a hood?
It depends on the type of oven, its fuel and your local requirements. Gas ovens need proper venting, and some ovens that produce grease or steam are expected to sit under a hood. Confirm with your ventilation contractor and local authority before you order.
What does half-size and full-size mean?
These usually refer to the sheet pans the oven is built to hold. Full-size sheet pans are about 18 x 26 in and half-size sheet pans are about 18 x 13 in. Check the exact pan fit on the product page.
Is a combi oven worth it?
It can be, when steam, programmed cooking or high-volume roasting are central to the menu. For roasting, baking and finishing alone, a convection oven usually does the job with fewer utility needs. A specialist can help you decide.
Can I run a gas oven on propane?
Some gas ovens can be converted with a kit and some cannot. Conversion is normally done by a qualified person. Check the product page and ask a specialist before you order if you may need to convert.
How often should an oven be cleaned?
Daily wipe-downs and regular deeper cleans keep an oven performing and safer to run. Follow the manufacturer instructions for your model, especially for combi ovens with automatic cleaning cycles.
Can Russell Hendrix source ovens that are not listed online?
Yes. A specialist can identify, source and quote ovens that are not in the online assortment, including combi, deck, rack and conveyor ovens.
When to Involve a Specialist
Some oven decisions should be made with the whole kitchen in view.
A specialist can review your menu, your pan sizes and your utilities, and help you choose between oven types.
Bring in Sales when
- The menu needs steam, programmed cooking or high volume.
- You are not sure whether you need a convection, combi or deck oven.
- Gas, electrical, water or ventilation capacity is uncertain.
- The size or type you need is not listed online.
Go Deeper
Guides that go deeper on the kitchens these ovens sit in.
Choose the Oven, Then Check the Building
The strongest oven decisions connect the menu, the pans, the layout and the building's utilities before any purchase is final.
Planning a whole kitchen? The Opening Journey walks through the concept, menu, space, workflow and equipment list in order.
