What Is a Steam Oven and Is It Worth Buying?
Steam ovens are one of the fastest-growing premium kitchen appliance categories in Australia. If you're considering adding a steam oven to your kitchen, this guide explains what steam ovens do, the different types available, and whether one is worth buying for your household.
What Is a Steam Oven?
A steam oven cooks food using steam generated from water you add to the oven. Steam cooking offers several advantages over conventional dry heat โ it preserves moisture, retains more nutrients and vitamins, and can cook food more gently than a traditional oven.
Types of Steam Ovens
1. Pure Steam Oven
Cooks exclusively with steam (100% steam). Best for vegetables, fish, seafood, dumplings and other delicate foods that benefit from gentle moist heat. Cannot brown or crisp food. Some pure steam models are countertop units; others are full-sized built-in ovens.
2. Combi Steam Oven (Combination Steam + Convection)
Combines steam with traditional fan-forced heat. This is the most versatile type. You can cook at 100% steam, 100% convection, or any combination in between. Combi steam ovens can:
- Steam vegetables and fish (100% steam)
- Roast meat with steam injection for a moist interior and crisp exterior
- Bake bread with professional results (steam in the first phase, dry heat for the crust)
- Reheat food without drying it out
3. Steam-Assist Oven
A conventional fan-forced oven with a steam injection function. Less sophisticated than a full combi steam, but steam-assist is a useful feature for bread baking and reheating. Some Bosch Series 8 ovens include a steam-assist function.
Benefits of a Steam Oven
- Nutrient retention: Steaming vegetables retains significantly more water-soluble vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin C) than boiling
- Moisture: Steam cooking keeps fish, chicken and vegetables moist without added oils
- Bread baking: Steam in the initial baking phase gives bread a professional open crumb and glossy crust
- Reheating: Reheating leftovers with steam restores moisture rather than drying them out further
Drawbacks of a Steam Oven
- Higher purchase price than a conventional oven
- Requires regular descaling of the water reservoir and steam generator
- Combi steam ovens are typically smaller in capacity than a standard 60cm oven (many are 45cm wide)
- Requires a water reservoir to be filled before each steam cooking session (plumbed models solve this but require installation)
Who Should Buy a Steam Oven?
A steam oven is worth buying if you:
- Cook fish, seafood, vegetables and grains regularly and care about healthy cooking results
- Bake bread and want professional steam-oven results at home
- Have a larger kitchen budget and want to invest in a second oven alongside a conventional pyrolytic oven
For most households, a combi steam oven installed alongside a conventional oven gives the best of both worlds.
Top Steam Oven Brands in Australia
AEG, Bosch, Electrolux and Miele all offer combi steam ovens in their built-in oven ranges. AEG's ProSteam and Miele's DGC range are well-regarded.
Shop at Oceania Appliances
We stock steam and combi steam ovens from AEG, Bosch and Electrolux at our Wetherill Park showroom with delivery across Sydney.
- Showroom: 2/14 Centre Place, Wetherill Park NSW 2164
- Phone / WhatsApp: 0422 489 492
- Email: support@oceaniaappliances.com.au