What Is a Steam Oven and Is It Worth It in Australia?
Steam ovens have become an increasingly popular premium kitchen appliance in Australia. If you're considering one for a renovation or as an addition to your existing kitchen setup, here's everything you need to know.
How Does a Steam Oven Work?
A steam oven generates steam by heating water from a reservoir or a plumbed connection. This steam fills the oven cavity and cooks food using moist heat rather than the dry heat of a conventional oven.
Many steam ovens are actually combi steam ovens — they combine steam with conventional heat, giving you the option to cook with steam only, heat only, or a combination of both. This versatility makes them significantly more useful than pure steam ovens.
Benefits of Steam Cooking
- Better nutrient retention — Steam cooking preserves water-soluble vitamins and minerals that are lost in boiling and even in dry heat cooking. Studies show steam cooking retains significantly more nutrients than other methods.
- Keeps food moist — Steam prevents food from drying out during cooking. Chicken, fish and vegetables stay juicy.
- Faster reheating — Reheating leftovers with steam restores moisture and prevents the rubbery texture you get from microwave reheating.
- Bread and pastry — Steam is excellent for baking bread, creating a crispy crust. Many professional bakeries use steam.
- Healthier cooking — Less need for oil and butter when cooking with steam.
Combi Steam vs Pure Steam
A pure steam oven cooks using steam only. A combi steam oven (the more popular and practical choice) combines steam with fan-forced or conventional heat. This gives you:
- Steam for fish, vegetables and reheating
- Fan-forced steam for bread, pastries and roasts where you want crisp exteriors
- Conventional heat for traditional baking
Most buyers purchasing a steam oven choose a combi model for its versatility.
Drawbacks to Consider
- Price — Steam ovens are significantly more expensive than conventional ovens. Quality combi steam ovens start around $1,500 to $2,000 and go to $5,000+ for Miele or V-ZUG models.
- Water reservoir maintenance — Tank-based models need regular descaling (more frequently in hard water areas like some parts of Sydney).
- Learning curve — Getting the best from a steam oven takes some learning. Many owners don't use all the functions they paid for.
- Not great for all tasks — A pure steam oven can't roast, brown or bake in the traditional sense. A combi model overcomes this.
Is It Worth It for an Australian Home?
For health-conscious families, frequent cooks, and people who value food quality, a combi steam oven is a worthwhile investment. It genuinely changes the way you cook and the quality of food you produce.
For occasional cooks or those on tighter budgets, the cost may be difficult to justify. A good quality fan-forced oven covers the vast majority of cooking needs.
Oceania Appliances occasionally stocks combi steam ovens in graded condition at significant savings off retail. Contact us to check current availability in Sydney.