Choosing a Combi Oven: Six Questions to Answer First

Choosing a combi oven gets much simpler when you answer six questions in order. The menu and the meal count come first, because they set the size. Fuel, steam system and site services follow, because they set the model and the installation.

1. What will you cook in it?

A combination steamer, to give it its full name, cooks with dry convection heat, with steam, or with both at once. That third mode is the reason chefs love them. Moist heat keeps a roast juicy while dry heat browns the outside, and many operators report noticeably less shrinkage on meats than in a standard oven. A core temperature probe lets the oven cook to the centre temperature you set rather than to a timer.

List the dishes that will go through the oven each day. A bistro roasting meats and baking desserts uses combination and convection most. An aged care kitchen steaming vegetables and regenerating plated meals leans hard on steam. A bakery-cafe wants good steam injection for crusty bread. The mix tells you which features matter and which you can skip.

Beyond the three modes, a few features earn their price in most kitchens. Multi-point core probes find the coldest part of a large roast. Delta-T cooking keeps a set gap between cabinet and core temperature, which suits slow roasting. Cook and hold drops the oven to a holding temperature once the target is reached.

Saved programmes and photo menus let junior staff cook a signature dish exactly as the head chef set it up, and automatic cleaning saves an hour of scrubbing every night. Extras such as smoking, dehydrating or app connectivity suit some menus but are easy to pay for and never use, so match the control panel to how your team really works.

2. How many meals a day?

Size follows volume, so work from your busiest day rather than an average one. Count the plates that touch the oven: mains, roasted sides, steamed vegetables, desserts and any batch prep for the next day. Kitchens that cook ahead and hold, or run functions, need more capacity than the dining room alone suggests.

3. Which size and tray format?

Combis are sized by how many Gastronorm trays they hold. GN 1/1 is the standard 530 × 325 mm tray, and GN 2/1 is double width. Countertop compacts often take smaller GN 2/3 trays. The table gives a rough guide to what each size handles, but treat the meal counts as a starting point rather than a rule.

Measure before you fall in love with a model. Allow clearance at the sides and back for ventilation and servicing, room for the door to swing fully open, and a stand or bench rated for the weight. Countertop units sitting on a stand with tray storage underneath are common in tight Melbourne kitchens.

4. Gas or electric?

Electric combis dominate the market and come in the widest range of sizes, but most full-size models need three-phase power. Gas models suit sites with a strong gas supply and limited electrical capacity, although they still need a standard outlet to run the controls, fans and cleaning system.

Any gas model must be installed by a licensed gasfitter, who issues a compliance certificate for the work. Energy Safe Victoria sets the rules for gas installations in commercial kitchens, and its guidance is worth reading before you commit to gas. If you are leasing, check with the landlord too, because more new commercial buildings in Victoria are being designed around all-electric kitchens. Browse our wider commercial cooking equipment range if the rest of your line is being planned at the same time.

5. Boiler or boilerless?

How the oven makes steam affects price, water use and maintenance. A boiler model has a dedicated steam generator, which delivers large volumes of steam and recovers quickly when the door is opened. A boilerless, or direct injection, model sprays water onto the heating system to create steam. It costs less, uses less water and has fewer parts to scale up, which suits most restaurants that cook mainly in combination mode.

6. Is the site ready?

Every combi needs four services lined up before delivery: the right power or gas, a cold water supply with treatment, a drain, and ventilation. Water treatment is the one most often skimped on and the one that matters most, because minerals in the water build up as scale in boilers, on sensors and around steam injectors.

Melbourne’s water is relatively soft, but most manufacturers still specify a filter or softener, and scale damage can affect warranty claims.

Ventilation comes next. Opening the door releases a cloud of hot steam, so most installations sit under a canopy, and some electric models offer a condensation hood instead. Scalds from escaping steam and strains from lifting full trays are common combi injuries, and WorkSafe Victoria publishes guidance on managing both in hospitality.

Train staff to step back as the door opens. Our commercial kitchen setup checklist puts power, plumbing, drainage and ventilation in the right order for a fitout.

Forty Years of Hospitality Expertise, Since 1984

Since 1984 we have supplied the hospitality industry with professional advice, reliable equipment and excellent customer service. We have a wealth of experience in all types of projects ranging from international hotels to large and small pubs through to suburban restaurants and takeaway outlets. All our staff are equipped with the knowledge, expertise and creativity to add value to your project.

With combis, that experience shows in the questions we ask before quoting: how many trays you actually fill, what your water is like, and whether the switchboard can take another three-phase load. It is the difference between an oven that earns its place and one that sits half used. Learn who we are and how we work.

Combi Oven Costs: Buying, Installing and Running

The purchase price is only the first line of the budget. Installation, water treatment, cleaning chemicals, energy and servicing all add up over the life of the oven, and a cheaper model with poor water protection can cost more in the end than a dearer one looked after properly.

As a rough order, compact countertop models sit at the lower end of the market, 10-tray models in the middle and roll-in 20-tray units at the top, with boiler models and touchscreen programming adding to each band. For a firm figure, compare prices in our combi ovens range, shown inc GST and current at time of writing, or ask our team for a quote that includes installation.

Matching a Combi to Your Kitchen

Cafes and small bistros

A cafe in Hawthorn or a bistro in Glen Waverley rarely has room for a full-size oven. A compact countertop combi can bake the morning pastries, roast the lunch special and reheat sauces without taking over the line. Check whether your chosen model runs on single-phase power, because that can save the cost of an electrical upgrade.

Bakery-cafes

A bakery-cafe in Ferntree Gully or Pakenham can use one oven for bread, croissants and sausage rolls in the morning, then switch to lunch roasts. Look for strong steam injection and an even fan, and check whether the oven takes 600 × 400 mm bakery trays if that is what your bakers already use.

Restaurants, pubs and clubs

This is where the 6-tray and 10-tray full-size models earn their keep. A pub in Footscray running schnitzels, roasts and a Sunday carvery, or a restaurant in Richmond with two sittings a night, will use every mode. Programmable recipes help a rotating kitchen team get the same result every service.

Hotels, function centres and caterers

Banquet work is about holding and regenerating large numbers of plates at once. Double-width and roll-in models load a full trolley of plated meals, bring them up to temperature together and send them out in one hit. Caterers in Dandenong and Springvale often pair a large combi with a blast chiller for cook-chill production.

Aged care, hospitals and schools

Institutional kitchens value steam, consistency and food safety records. Core probe logging and saved programmes make it easier to show that every batch reached its target temperature, and Food Standards Australia New Zealand guidance underpins most food safety programs in this sector. Boiler models often suit the high steam loads.

New or refurbished?

A well-maintained used combi can be a smart buy, especially for a second site or as a back-up oven. The saving on refurbished stock can reach 40 to 60%, offset by a shorter warranty, and with combis the service history counts for more than with most equipment. Ask for descaling and filter records, because a refurbished combi oven that has lived on untreated water may carry hidden scale damage.

See what is available in our refurbished stock and on the second-hand commercial kitchen equipment page, compare it with our new equipment, and ask about warranty before you decide.

Cleaning, care and service

Most modern combis have an automatic cleaning cycle that runs with tablets or liquid detergent at the end of the day. Use it every day, because baked-on fat is harder and more expensive to remove later. Wipe the door seal and keep the drain clear, and watch the water filter indicator.

Book an annual service and stick to the descaling schedule for your model. When a fault does appear, we arrange qualified service technicians, because the oven at the heart of the line is the one appliance a kitchen cannot work around.

From Inception to Completion, End-to-End Project Management

From inception to design, throughout installation to completion, let our expert staff oversee your project. No matter how large or small, we work closely with architects and consultants on your commercial kitchen and bar requirements.

We arrange qualified service technicians for equipment problems whenever they crop up, a kitchen that’s down is a kitchen losing money. At MRCE we aim to keep our customers coming back as their business grows.

For a combi, that means checking the switchboard or gas supply, the water line, the drain and the canopy before the oven is ordered, then commissioning it properly so the chefs get training on day one.

When you add a second oven or a second venue, we already know your setup. Explore the complete MRCE catalogue as your kitchen grows.

Your Melbourne Source for the Right Combi Oven

For more than 40 years, kitchens from Cranbourne and Berwick to Box Hill and the CBD have come to our Station Street showroom in Dandenong, and we ship Australia-wide. Come in to compare compact and full-size models, look at tray formats and control panels, and talk through your power, gas, water and ventilation with a team that has fitted out kitchens since 1984.

We will help you choose a combi oven sized to your menu and your budget, and we will say so when a smaller model is enough.

Operators close by can see our Dandenong catering equipment and supplies page. To book a site visit or get a quote, reach out to our team. There is no charge and no obligation.

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