How to Choose Your Convection Oven

Full-size, bakery-depth, or half-size

• Full-size ovens take five 18″×26″ sheet pans per cavity — the workhorse spec for restaurants and institutional kitchens.
• Bakery-depth cavities fit pans lengthwise for better airflow around proofed product — worth it if bread and pastry are the point.
• Half-size ovens take 13″×18″ half sheets and live on counters — right for cafés, concessions, and light-batch baking.

Gas or electric?

Electric convection ovens hold slightly more even heat (no combustion airflow) and install anywhere you have the amperage — most run 208/240V single- or three-phase. Gas models cost less to operate where gas is plumbed and recover quickly with heavy loads. Double-check what your hood and utilities support; a double-stack changes both the gas demand and the clearance math.

Single or double stack

A double-stacked convection oven doubles capacity in the same footprint — the standard move for bakeries and high-volume kitchens. Stacking two independent cavities also gives you two temperatures at once: roast at 375°F below while baking at 325°F above.

Controls, fans, and the details

• Two-speed or pulse fans protect delicate product — meringues and muffins want low air.
• Solid-state or programmable controls hold tighter temperatures than mechanical dials and store recipes across shifts.
• Look for interior lights, glass doors you can actually see through, and doors that open simultaneously with one hand when your hands are full.