Combi ovens are the single most flexible piece of cooking equipment in a commercial kitchen — running steam, dry convection, combination modes, low-temperature roasting, regeneration and overnight cooking on one footprint. Hospitality Connect carries authorised Rational, Hobart, Convotherm, Tecnodom, Moduline, Giorik, Turbofan, Retigo and EKA combi ovens — from 4-tray compact units up to 20-tray full-size production ovens.
Types of combi ovens
- Boiler combi ovens: Steam generated in a separate boiler, ready instantly. Best for high-throughput steam cooking.
- Injection combi ovens: Water sprayed onto a hot element generating steam on demand. Lower water consumption, simpler descaling.
- Compact 5/6-tray ovens: Café and small restaurant size — Turbofan EC40M5, Hobart HECME4, Moduline GCE106D.
- Full-size 10-tray: The standard 1/1 GN ten-tray for restaurants doing 100+ covers — Rational, Convotherm, Tecnodom, Giorik.
- Roll-in 20-tray: High-volume production, function and bakery use.
Sizing for your venue
Match tray capacity to cover count. A pub doing 80 dinners needs at least a 6-tray; restaurants doing 200+ need a 10-tray; production kitchens supplying multiple sites need 20-tray. Don't undersize — combi ovens are working capital and an undersized unit forces multiple cook cycles during peak service.
Key features to specify
- Touch screen controls: Programmable recipes — staff don't need to remember temperature/steam/time settings.
- Core temperature probes: Cook to internal temperature, not time — required for compliant low-temperature cookery.
- Self-cleaning programmes: Built-in CIP cycles using care tabs (Rational, Hobart, Convotherm) — eliminates manual scrub-out.
- Reverse osmosis or water softening: Hard water destroys steam generators; spec RO inline (Giorik MTE5WRT.RO) or external softener.
- Connected services: Cloud HACCP logging and remote diagnostics on premium models.
Installation and operating considerations
Combi ovens need correctly sized canopy ventilation, condensate drain to floor waste, water inlet (RO recommended), and 3-phase power for anything above 6-tray. A dedicated combi stand sized for the brand is essential — universal stands won't align tray rails. Include a water filter change schedule in your maintenance plan from day one.
Pair combi ovens with
Australian commercial hospitality covers a broad spectrum — quick-service chains, casual dining, fine dining restaurants, function and event centres, pubs and clubs, cafés, bakeries, hotels, aged-care kitchens, hospital food service, school canteens, government catering and the corporate function market. The right specification varies by venue type. We've supplied equipment to all of these, and that experience helps us flag when a piece of equipment is right-sized or when a different model would suit your throughput better.
Specify a complete cookline by adding stove range with oven, conveyor ovens, and dedicated cleaning chemicals for combi care.