Double Oven // The Decision

A few weeks ago I fell in love. To be clear, I fell in love with an oven. It had french doors and I couldn't imagine my life without it ever again. All of a sudden it was like everything that was ever "wrong" about my experiences with ovens was resolved by simply cutting the door in half.

The oven / range decision really has three factors:
(1) how much do I need for cooking purposes
(2) what helps me
(3) what am I attracted to

There are other implications of course - like kitchen arrangement, cost, and product offerings. But I've tried to isolate this down to what would make my life better and what can I imagine standing in front of loving crafting my next seasonal tomato dish or poorly melting chocolate.



The Factors
What do I need
Perhaps needs here are split between oven and stove. I'm not a 5 star chef - nor am I trying to be. I like to cook but kind of max out when something requires 3 pots or more. For oven stuff, I have never cooked a Thanksgiving meal but I know that when it happens you really need both ovens. One for the protein (e.g. turkey) and one for everything else. But do you really need TWO FULL ovens? Or, can you get by with say... one and a half?
End result? Need = 1.5 ovens, 4 spacious burners and the ability to have a grill plate

What helps me
So, I'm not a tall person. I'm about 5' 5". I also currently don't have someone around to help open doors, carry heavy things, and help me to avoid burning my arms / fingers / etc. This is going to sound dramatic but when I'm putting dishes and pans in the oven, it's a constant balancing act - especially if it's a heavy cast iron pot or skillet.
End result? Need = easy to reach

What am I attracted to
Well this is a whole other ballgame. I've already documented my love of the french door ovens. It's clear. I would say that I'm least interested in regular stacked ovens and a range. It just doesn't feel fun or functional for me. I like the practicality of the 1/2 oven and the range on top. I like the idea of not burning my arms on the doors of a traditional oven.
End result? No conclusion.

The Options
As I see it now, there are 2 options. I'm not even getting into brands now because it matters nothing what brands I like if they don't fit my needs and what the kitchen can accommodate.
Option 1: french on the top, double + 36 inch range
Pro: love the useful oven doors, pots can live under the stove
Con: more oven than I need

Option 2: oven range
Pro: right amount of oven, all cooking centrally located
Con: pots live somewhere else

The Decision
As of now... I think I might be leaning Option 2. I like that it will potentially add more kitchen space by not needing a full stack for ovens... and I like having all those cooking elements together. Plus, that baby half oven is just precious.

Source:
Header Image via Houzz

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