Comparison Castle CPE-50 vs Grunhelm GN50AC

Useful power of the electric oven. The higher the power, the faster the device warms up to operating temperature and the faster food is cooked. However , high power usually means high power consumption.

The maximum air temperature inside the electric oven during normal operation. The possibility of cooking certain dishes depends on the maximum temperature. And if you are not a gourmet and do not cook anything super-unusual, then models with a high temperature are useless to you. 250 °C will be quite enough.

The number of specific operating modes provided for by the design of the oven (for example, “top grill”, “bottom grill”, “grill + convection”, temperature conditions, etc.). The more modes, the wider the possibilities of the oven.

— Grill — a device for cooking food due to thermal radiation. It provides baking to a ruddy crust. Suitable for cooking steaks, casseroles, and dishes with breadcrumbs.

— Convection. The convection function enhances the natural circulation of hot air inside the oven, ensuring an even distribution of heat throughout the oven. Especially useful for baking.

— Steam cooking. Ability to use the oven for steam cooking. Cooking is carried out in the main chamber of the oven, and the steam comes from a special reservoir into which water is poured in advance. This method is considered more healthy than traditional cooking. In addition, it often turns out to be optimal for people with dietary restrictions. However, models with steam cooking are also more expensive than usual ones.

— Defrosting. The ability to use an electric oven for defrosting frozen foods. In this mode, the temperature inside the oven is relatively low since you do not need to bake the product but only bring it to room temperature, keeping it raw.

— Rotisserie fork. A device for roasting in the oven dishes (usually meat or fish) in pieces or whole. It is a rotating metal rod (or several rods), usually installed horizontally, on which the prepared product is mounted. Rotation of the rotisserie fork ensures u...niform baking. Usually, it is carried out using a drive from an electric motor.

— Timer. A time counter that allows you to more accurately control the cooking process. Some timers automatically turn off the oven after the set time has elapsed, while others simply beep.

— Auto switch-off. A safety system that turns off the oven if it has been working for a long time without user intervention or when the heating element reaches a critical temperature.

— Child lock. A security system that allows you to lock the oven door. Thus, a curious small child will not be able to open it, which, with the oven running, could be fraught with a burn. Such a lock is unlocked by pressing a few keys on the control panel.

Function of illumination of a working chamber. Thanks to its lighting, you can better see the chamber of the oven. This feature is useful to control the cooking process through the glass without opening the door. However, it can also be useful when the door is open, for example, when cleaning the oven.

The presence of double (two-layer) glass in the oven door. Such glass provides better thermal insulation than single glass and does not heat up so much from the outside. It reduces temperature loss in the chamber and the risk of getting burned if you carelessly touch the door.

The type of chamber coating used in the oven.

— Stainless steel. Such a coating is inexpensive, while it is durable and tolerates even strong heat without problems. Its main drawback is the difficulty in cleaning: dried dirt can be quite difficult to remove from the steel surface, and the use of abrasive products can lead to scratches.

— Enamel. The heat-resistant enamel coating has a pleasant appearance and is easier to clean than stainless steel (although not as easy as non-stick coating). However, such a surface must be protected from impacts. Otherwise, cracks and chips may appear on the enamel.

— Non-stick coating. The special coating resists sticking of various pollution. The main advantage of such surfaces is the ease of cleaning: you do not need to scrape off dried food particles. It is enough to wipe the surface with a sponge and detergent. Note that there are several varieties of non-stick coatings, some of which have specific maintenance requirements. For each model, it should be clarified separately.