Deck Ovens vs Convection Ovens: Which One Should You Buy?

One of the most important decisions when equipping a commercial kitchen is selecting the right oven. Deck ovens and convection ovens are two of the most common types used in restaurants, bakeries, pizzerias, and other food service establishments. But how do you know which one is the best option for your needs? Suppose you're searching for equipment from a restaurant supplier in Fort Worth. In that case, this guide examines the key differences between deck ovens and convection ovens to help you determine the right oven for your business. We'll compare factors like baking quality, temperature control, capacity, speed, and more. Whether you're looking for an oven for baking pizza, bread, pastries, or other menu items, read on to find out if a deck oven or convection oven is better suited for your kitchen.

What is a Deck Oven?

A deck oven is a traditional oven that has been used in bakeries for ages. It gets its name from its layered decks or tiers, with each deck holding bakery pans at different heights inside the oven chamber. Heat is transferred into the oven through its stone or metal deck surfaces.

Deck ovens are extremely versatile. They can bake a wide variety of products, including bread loaves, rolls, baguettes, focaccia, flatbreads, crackers, pizza, pastries, cookies, and much more.

Key Features of Deck Ovens:

• Multiple decks or tiers to hold bakery pans at different heights

• Heating elements embedded in stone or metal deck surfaces

• Excellent conduction baking from direct contact with hot deck surfaces

• Ideal for products like crusty artisan breads, baguettes, pizza

• Retains moisture and heat very well

• Energy-efficient and maintains consistent temperatures

Deck ovens produce excellent quality products because the food is in direct contact with the hot oven surfaces. The surrounding radiant heat and steam create the perfect environment for developing a nice crust and evenly baked interior.

Many deck ovens have steam injection functions. Steam is beneficial when baking products like bread because it creates a moist environment that produces a nice crisp crust.

What is a Convection Oven?

A convection oven has fans that circulate hot air around the oven cavity. This allows for very even baking as the moving air continuously passes over the food.

Convection ovens are ideal for baking delicate pastries, cookies, cakes, and other baked goods. The indirect heat prevents hot or cold spots that can lead to uneven cooking.

Key Features of Convection Ovens:

• Built-in fans to circulate hot air around the cavity

• No direct contact with a heat source

• Very even, consistent baking

• Great for delicate items like cakes, cookies, pastries

• Temperature recovery is very fast after door openings

• It provides a dry baking environment

The indirect heating in convection ovens is good for items where a softer crust or less color development is desired. Convection ovens don't develop a nice crusty exterior like a deck oven, but they excel at creating uniform products without excessive top browning.

Many convection ovens have humidity controls, which allow you to add or reduce moisture in the oven chamber. This provides flexibility based on the types of products being baked.

Deck Ovens vs Convection Ovens: Key Differences

Now that we've covered the basics of how deck ovens and convection ovens work, let's look at some of the key differences between the two types:

Baking Quality

• Deck ovens excel at artisan bread, pizza, and focaccia, which need excellent heat conduction for crust formation. The direct contact with the decks creates the ideal environment for superb crusts and nicely baked interiors. Deck ovens retain heat and moisture extremely well, allowing products to keep baking even after they're removed from the oven.

• Convection ovens are better suited for delicate baked goods like cookies, cakes, and pastries that require a lighter, softer crust. The indirect airflow heat prevents excessive top browning. Convection ovens also recover temperature rapidly after opening the door, preventing cool-down baking issues.

Temperature Control

• Deck ovens maintain very consistent heat, even across all the decks, thanks to the excellent heat retention of the stone or metal surfaces. Most deck ovens keep temperatures within about 5-10°F of the setpoint.

• Convection ovens use heating elements and fans, which can cause some hot and cold spots in the oven cavity. However, the circulating fans help minimize temperature variances. A high-end convection oven will typically maintain about 15-25°F temperature uniformity.

Speed

• Convection ovens heat up faster and have shorter bake times than deck ovens. The forced-air circulation brings the cavity up to temperature rapidly. Bake times are reduced by 25-30% on average compared to traditional ovens.

• Deck ovens require more time to preheat all the heavy stone/metal decks fully. Bake times will also be longer than convection. However, the excellent quality is worth the trade-off for many artisan products.

Capacity

• Deck ovens are available in sizes ranging from a few pans up to 40+ pans capacity. Units with multiple decks have a very high output capacity. The compartments also allow baking a variety of products simultaneously.

• Convection ovens come in smaller sizes, usually holding no more than 6-8 full-size sheet pans. Large rack convection ovens can hold 20+ sheet pans. The size of the oven cavity limits the capacity.

Efficiency

• Deck ovens are extremely energy efficient because they retain heat so well. Once at temperature, the burner cycles infrequently to maintain the setpoint. Heavy insulation prevents heat loss through the oven exterior.

• Convection ovens use more energy to power the blowers and heating elements for the forced-air system. Opening the door causes a more significant heat loss. Lightweight insulation can't prevent heat migration out of the oven or a deck oven.

Controls

• Deck ovens typically have simple knob controls to set the temperature. Some may have timers or steam injection capabilities. Overall, the controls are straightforward to operate.

• Convection ovens often have digital control pads with lots of preprogrammed settings, cook modes, timers, etc. This allows easy customization for different products but can also be more complex to learn and operate.

Cost

• Deck ovens have high upfront costs, ranging from $5,000 up to $20,000+ depending on size. But their exceptional durability and long lifespan offset the price.

• Convection ovens are very expensive. Small countertop models cost a few hundred dollars, while industrial-grade units cost up to $10,000+. Because they need replacement over time, the lifetime cost can add up.

Maintenance

• Deck ovens rarely need maintenance beyond cleaning, as they have few moving parts or components that wear out or break.

• Convection ovens require more maintenance, such as lubricating fans, checking door gaskets, and replacing heating elements. These additional needs increase operating costs.

Choosing Between Deck Ovens vs. Convection Ovens

So, when it comes to deciding between a deck oven and a convection oven, which is the right choice?

Here are some guidelines for determining the best oven type based on your bakery/kitchen needs:

Bakeries

For bakeries producing artisan bread, baguettes, pizza, focaccia, etc., a deck oven is strongly recommended. A convection oven can't match the baking quality and crust formation of a deck oven.

Many bakeries utilize multiple deck ovens since they produce very consistent, high-quality results across all the oven compartments. This allows maximum throughput with excellent results.

Restaurants

Convection ovens are becoming more popular in restaurant kitchens. Their speed, smaller footprint, and flexible controls suit the needs of most restaurants.

However, for restaurants that focus on wood-fired pizza, a small deck oven specifically designed for pizza is a great option. This produces authentic pizza, similar to a brick pizza oven.

Cafes/Bakeries

For cafes and small bakeries, a combination oven with convection and conventional bake modes offers the best of both worlds.

You can use the convection mode for pastries, cookies, and delicate items. Then, switch to conventional baking for bread and pizza.

Blodgett, Baxter, Mojave, and Bongard are all brands that make excellent full-size combination ovens for small commercial operations.

High Volume Bakeries

Large wholesale bakeries producing significant volumes of baked goods will likely need both deck ovens and convection ovens.

Multiple large deck ovens are best for achieving very high outputs of a single product, such as sandwich breads or baguettes. This provides the output and baking quality needed for high-production bakeries.

For the greatest flexibility, installing both types of ovens allows optimal baking of any menu item, such as bread, pizza, cookies, cakes, etc.

Pizzerias

Since pizza requires the hearth-baking qualities of a deck oven, most pizzerias should invest in a dedicated pizza deck oven.

These ovens have stone decks specifically designed for pizza with the right heat distribution. They can handle very high throughput for busy pizza restaurants.

A conveyor pizza oven allows the continuous baking of pizzas at very high output rates. This is ideal for buffet environments, stadium concession stands, etc.

Key Takeaways - Deck Ovens vs Convection Ovens

• Deck ovens excel at baking items that need great crust formation, like bread, pizza, and focaccia. Convection ovens are better suited for delicate pastries, cakes, and cookies.

• For maximum quality on crusty artisan bread and pizza, a deck oven is strongly recommended. If you have the space and budget, consider installing both deck and convection ovens.

• Combination ovens with both convection and conventional bake modes provide flexibility for small bakery operations.

• Carefully evaluate your expected menu items and baking needs. This will help you determine whether a deck oven, convection oven, or both is the best investment.

• Deck ovens have simple controls, while convection ovens offer more digital settings. However, deck ovens require less maintenance over time.

By understanding the key differences and strengths of both oven types, you can make the best choice for your commercial bakery or food service operation. Focus on the baking results you want to achieve and match the oven capabilities to your menu. This will ensure you select the optimal oven setup for your needs and budget. For a wide selection of commercial ovens and expert advice, consider reaching out to Texas Restaurant Supply. Their extensive inventory and knowledgeable staff can help you find the perfect equipment for your business.