What Is a Combi Oven? (and Three for Discharge)
In the vast world of kitchen appliances, the air fryer has reigned supreme for several years now, crisping, drying and reheating French fries to their former glory like no other. But the air fryer only does its job one way: quickly remove moisture , and that’s not always what you want. If only there was a device that could cook all my food without it getting wrinkled. Oh wait, there is. This is called a combi oven.
What is a combi oven?
“Kombi” is short for “combination”. You may also see a combi oven called a steamer, slow cooker, or steamer. It turns out that this is a pretty apt name because it combines the functions of several kitchen appliances, namely a steamer, an oven, and a convection oven. Similar to the history of air fryers, combi ovens have long been used in commercial kitchens. Now what was once produced only for industrial use has been reduced to tabletop size and has acquired a price tag to match.
A combi steamer’s packaging may list a variety of cooking styles—like steam, air fry, bake, sous vide, searing, or sautéing—but in reality, a combi steamer has only one big difference from a regular kitchen appliance: controlled steam. .
How does a combi oven work?
Intended for home cooking, combi ovens are electric convection ovens (much like an air fryer): a fan located in front of an electric heating element mixes the hot air and circulates it through the chamber, removing moisture and exiting the vent. at the same time, the dish cooks faster and hotter than in a conventional oven. Add to that the steam capability and you have three true functions: convection, steam or convection with steam.
Injecting steam can help maintain or increase humidity in the cooking area. Enabling the steam feature takes the combi unit beyond similar fryers because you can now keep meats and vegetables moist—nay, even juicy! – and at the same time brown the outside.
You may or may not think, “Well, I’ll just put a pot of water in the fryer.” (Maybe I’m the only one who thinks so?) Anyway, I tried it and it’s not the same, sorry. Convection winds simply carry moisture around; this is where technology really has an advantage. Many combi ovens have incredibly cool features that digitally control the humidity levels in your oven using a phone app, custom settings, or built-in presets for large roasts, so you end up with the juiciest pork loin you’ve ever cooked. In a few months I’ll be roasting the Thanksgiving turkey in the combi oven just to see how it goes. I’m already dreaming about how I could use the entire conventional oven to reheat side dishes at a reasonable temperature while the bird cooks on the countertop combo.
Pros and cons
pros
Versatility of cooking. Almost anything can be cooked in a combi oven. Steam the rice, “boil” the egg, prepare a whole casserole, make a soufflé. Attention bread bakers: You finally have a proofing box with humidity control so you can bake a loaf of bread once with just the right amount of steam.
Precise temperature control. Some models come with a probe thermometer, and I recommend one if you can afford it. A probe thermometer will allow you to monitor the temperature of your food as you cook, which you can see on the digital display or app.
Humidity control. You can easily control humidity and temperature using digital controls on the appliance or on your phone. You can even get sous vide-like results and moisture levels in larger cuts of meat.
Minuses
Practice makes perfect. While an air fryer is as simple as unload and press, a combi oven has more functionality and requires more learning curve.
Price. Well, it’s not as bad as before. A few years ago there were very few manufacturers making home combis, but now competition has increased and prices have dropped to more reasonable levels. Instead of spending a minimum of $600, you can now find models that cost around $200.
Size. Tabletop combi ovens are not very large. Some models offer more cooking space than others, but if you’re making a couple of casseroles to feed 15 people, it’s best to cook them in a conventional oven.
Combi ovens worth paying attention to
For a more affordable option
Universal multicooker Ninja Combi . This unit is priced at a much more affordable $229, but the trade-off is that it doesn’t offer as much vapor control as other brands. Instead of injecting steam, the Ninja provides passive steam generation from a steam tray located below next to the heating element.
For cooking large dishes with excellent steam control.
Anova precision furnace . This is a real combi steamer with steam supplied from a separate water tank; it includes a probe thermometer and is large enough to cook large portions or large cuts of meat. The more control and functionality, the higher the price. This combo costs $699 but goes on sale occasionally.
Goldilocks Combi
Dreo ChefMaker Combination Air Fryer . The Dreo ChefMaker offers steam injection, a thermometer for accurate temperature readings, app control, and has a smaller footprint than the Anova, meaning it can work well in combination with other items in your kitchen or serve as a great option in the kitchen. small kitchen. The Dreo retails for $359, but you may find it on sale from time to time (and right now).