To serve people quickly and efficiently, your commercial kitchen needs lots of equipment. These various pieces of equipment have different lifespans, which means you’ll need to replace them at different times. If you’ve had your commercial combination oven for a while and are wondering how long one typically lasts, we can help you. We explain the average lifespan of this appliance along with other helpful tips below.
Average Lifespan
Combination ovens are versatile equipment and great assets in any commercial kitchen. They allow you to steam, roast, bake, and even combine those different cooking styles. Many work faster than other kitchen appliances, such as ovens, which is why they’re so important for fast-paced kitchens. When you buy this important appliance, you want it to last as long as possible. But how long can you reasonably expect one to last?
The average lifespan of a commercial combination oven is 7–10 years, although that range depends on several factors. Frequency of use can change how fast or slow an appliance ages. Regular maintenance—or lack thereof—can also affect your appliance’s lifespan. Whether you bought the appliance new or used is also a factor. Used appliances may age faster if the previous owner used them a lot and didn’t maintain them well.
Make a note of all these factors when you first bring your combination oven into your kitchen. Keeping track of them will help you know when to start looking for a replacement. Some of the popular combi ovens are FPDE 615/615 Electric, FPDE 115/615 Electric, FPE 121 Electric, FPG 121 Gas, and FSDH 610/610 Electric with integrated hood.
Maintenance Tips
As we mentioned above, regular maintenance can extend the lifespan of any appliance, including your combination oven. Taking good care of appliances helps them work efficiently and stay up to par. While you’ll need to call professional services for some maintenance needs, such as thermostat calibration, you can take care of most tasks yourself.
Clean your combination oven regularly, both inside and out. If you use your oven a lot, do this every day. If you don’t use it a lot, then clean it once a week. Inspect the door and any fans in your oven once a week as well. This way, you know that the door is still sealing properly and that any fans in your oven aren’t experiencing dangerous buildup.
Replacement Signs
Regular maintenance will help you keep your combination oven working as long as possible. However, no appliance can last forever, even with regular maintenance. As you use and maintain your combination oven over time, you’ll notice that it starts to age. As it ages, it may start to change. Many of these changes are signs that it’s time to replace your combination oven. We’ve listed some of the most common replacement signs below.
Extra Maintenance
Occasionally calling a service person for extra maintenance on a combination oven is normal. However, if you regularly call for help and the oven needs frequent, costly repairs, then a replacement is a better option. Don’t waste your money fixing an appliance that will continue to break down more with age. Instead, invest that money in a new oven that will keep your kitchen working efficiently.
Inefficient Cooking
You bought a combination oven for your kitchen to make cooking more efficient. If your oven is taking too long to heat or cook, then it’s no longer doing its job. Sometimes, you can fix the problem by recalibrating the thermostat. Sometimes, however, the oven is just getting too old. Replace it as soon as you can to keep your kitchen efficient.
Unsafe To Use
If you’re not regularly in the kitchen, you may not know how much your staff uses an appliance. That means you may not know whether they’re avoiding a specific appliance because it’s unsafe. Ask your staff or pop into your kitchen to see whether an older combination oven is showing any unsafe signs. The most common unsafe signs are strange smells or sounds and sparks, although you may also notice unresponsive controls and poor door seals.
Poor Condition
Maybe your combination oven is still functioning pretty well, but it looks bad. Accidents happen and appliances age, which means your combination oven may have some dents, scratches, and rust. Most of the time, a poor outward condition doesn’t affect how an appliance functions. However, the wear and tear will only get worse and could eventually make your appliance hard to properly operate. Replace your oven when you can so that it looks as good as it functions.
What To Look For
Do you think it’s time to replace your kitchen’s combination oven? If it requires too much maintenance, cooks poorly, is unsafe to use, looks rough, or shows a combination of those replacement signs, yes—you need a new combination oven.
However, it’s probably been about a decade since you bought one, so you can expect to see new technologies and other features. With so many options to pick from, you may not know what to look for or where to start. The best combination ovens have some of the following features.
Dependable
You want to get the full decade out of your new combination oven, which means you need something dependable. Research the brand and the specific oven you’re looking at to get a realistic idea of how dependable it is. All ovens will need some maintenance, but you’re looking for something that won’t require frequent servicing.
Size
No commercial kitchen has infinite space. Since you’re replacing one appliance with a newer version, look for one that’s roughly the same size. Measure your space to know exactly what will fit where. If you want a larger appliance, make sure you have the room for it. Combination ovens come in all sizes, so you can find exactly what you need.
Intuitive
Technology has changed since you last bought a combination oven, which means the new one you’re looking at probably features digital screens and apps. Choose an oven that’s intuitive and easy to use for most of your staff. Make sure that the apps can help you easily clean, serve, and cook with just the press of a button since those are the features you’ll use the most.
Knowing how long combination ovens typically last is just the tip of the iceberg. You must also learn how to maintain your oven, the signs you may need to replace it, and what to look for when shopping for that replacement. If you’re looking at commercial ovens now, then DSL can help you find the right ones. We partner with Henny Penny to provide the equipment your kitchen needs, so browse our selection or contact us today for more information!
