Professional HORECA oven: how to choose the right model for your kitchen
Convection, combi-steam, dehydrator, pizza oven: the 4 main families of HORECA ovens decoded. Capacity, power, energy, budget — everything you need to know before investing.
A HORECA oven — meaning an oven engineered for Cafés, Hotels and Restaurants — is not an oversized domestic appliance. It is calibrated to hold an intensive pace (up to 14 hours of daily service), to absorb brutal temperature swings and to deliver a cooking consistency no household model can guarantee. Choosing the right HORECA oven directly drives plate quality, the chef's productivity and the return on investment of your entire cooking line. Here are the criteria that genuinely matter, ranked by importance for a professional buyer.
First question to settle: the oven type. The most versatile family remains the convection oven — fan-forced hot air, ideal for snacking, viennoiserie and quick oven cooking. The combi-steam oven adds adjustable steam injection: it is the Swiss Army knife of gastronomic kitchens, capable of low-temperature cooking, regenerating, poaching, roasting and baking on the same machine. The dehydrator dries fruit, vegetables, meats and flowers at low temperature for creative mise en place. Finally, the pizza oven (static chamber with refractory deck) reaches 350 to 500 °C for a 90-second Neapolitan bake.
Second criterion: capacity, expressed in GN (Gastronorm) levels. A 4-level GN 1/1 oven suits a snack bar or a bistro of 30 to 50 covers. The 6-level moves up to 60-120 covers (brasserie, traditional restaurant). The 10-level handles 150+ covers and targets central kitchens, caterers and hotel-restaurants. Plan around 1 GN level for every 12 to 15 covers per service. Undersizing a HORECA oven is the costliest mistake: you run it at 100 % permanently, wear accelerates, and every rush becomes a bottleneck.
Energy: electric or gas. Electric is easier to install (no gas connection), offers more precise temperature ramp-up and is mandatory on premium combi ovens with core probes. The 4-6 level models draw 5 to 9 kW on 230 V single-phase; beyond that, plan for 400 V three-phase (12 to 20 kW). Gas retains the edge on energy cost (gas kWh remains 3 to 4 times cheaper than electric kWh) and on lightning-fast temperature rise — a strong argument for pizza ovens and bakeries. Always check available electrical power BEFORE ordering: a 10-level 400 V oven requires a dedicated 20-amp three-phase line that older premises rarely have.
On the HORECA oven brand side, Combisteel offers unbeatable value on 4 and 6-level ranges (1,200 to 3,500 € HT); Hendi covers every level with a 2-year manufacturer warranty; Giorik is the Italian benchmark for high-end combi-steam (5,000 to 15,000 € HT); Rational remains the Rolls of premium combi ovens (from 12,000 € HT). On Le Petit CHR, you reach these brands with direct factory shipping and dedicated HORECA after-sales — see the full professional oven catalogue.
On budget, plan the following brackets for a new HORECA oven: 800 to 2,000 € HT for a 4-level convection oven; 1,500 to 4,000 € HT for a 6-10 level convection; 3,500 to 12,000 € HT for a 6-10 level combi-steam; 1,200 to 4,500 € HT for a single-chamber pizza oven; 600 to 1,500 € HT for a dehydrator. Add to these prices the installation (200 to 800 €), the hood if not already in place (2,000 to 5,000 €) and the water connection for steam ovens with a recommended softener (600 to 1,500 €).
Installation is too often overlooked. A HORECA oven requires: an extraction hood above it (APSAD standard), a lateral clearance of at least 5 cm (10 cm at the rear), a heat-resistant floor and a suitable electrical connection. Combi ovens additionally require a softened water supply (without a softener, the steam generator scales up in 6 months and the warranty is void) and a drain siphon. Anticipate these constraints before ordering — redoing the plumbing or the electrical panel after installation costs 3 times more than during the original works.
Maintenance decides longevity. Daily: clean the cavity after each service with a food-grade degreaser (never caustic soda or chlorinated product, which attack stainless steel). Weekly: dismantle the racks and deep-clean; check the door seals. Every 6 months: descale the steam generator on combi ovens, check the probes and heating elements. A well-maintained HORECA oven easily exceeds 15 years of service; poorly maintained, it dies in 4 or 5 years. For after-sales or spare parts orders, contact us via the contact page with the reference of your appliance.
Frequently asked questions
Which HORECA oven for a 50-cover restaurant?
A 6-level GN 1/1 electric convection oven on 400 V is enough for 50 covers in bistronomy. For a mix of traditional menu + house-made pastry, step up to a 6-level combi-steam. Budget: 1,500-2,500 € HT for the convection, 3,500-6,000 € HT for the combi.
What's the difference between a convection oven and a HORECA combi oven?
The convection oven cooks with dry fan-forced heat (ideal for viennoiserie, snacking, roasts). The combi-steam oven adds adjustable steam injection: it cooks at low temperature, regenerates, poaches, bakes — it is the Swiss Army knife but 2 to 3 times more expensive.
What budget should I plan for a professional HORECA oven?
From 800 € HT (entry-level 4-level convection Combisteel) to 15,000 € HT (10-level high-end Giorik combi-steam). The average for a 60-cover restaurant sits between 2,500 and 5,000 € HT. Add 800-1,500 € for installation and hood if needed.
HORECA oven on gas or electric: which to choose?
Electric for precision, installation simplicity and all modern functions (probes, programmes). Gas for energy cost (3-4× cheaper kWh) and intense heat (pizza, bakery). 80 % of HORECA ovens sold today are electric due to the complexity of gas connection.
How many GN levels do I need for my HORECA oven?
Trade rule: 1 GN 1/1 level per 12-15 covers/service. Snack 30 covers → 3-4 levels. Brasserie 80 covers → 6 levels. Restaurant 150 covers → 10 levels. Central kitchen or caterer → 20 levels (two stacked ovens). Undersizing slows every service.
What electrical power for a 6-level HORECA oven?
A 6-level convection oven draws 8-10 kW on 400 V three-phase. A 6-level combi-steam climbs to 12-15 kW. Check the electrical meter of the premises (often 24 or 36 kVA) before ordering. A grid upgrade takes 2 months and costs 1,000-3,000 €.