Same dilemma as we had when doing our kitchen 6 months ago.

We went for a combi at the top, and a standard one at the bottom. To be honest we use the combi 90% of the time, and only the bottom oven if we're doing a roast with all the other stuff purely as it doesn't all fit in the top one.

Saying that though, I did nearly fall off my chair when I was told the price of a combi - and if I'm being honest I don't think it's worth the money, but we didn't want a microwave on the side - strange decision though as we have the old microwave in the utility room, which still gets used a fair bit.

Actually saying that ......... I very rarely think the top one gets the microwave setting used at all - well I certainly don't use it. Basically it's just a grill and small oven.

Wow, I've massively overspent here.

They are very expensive therefore I would prefer a cheaper microwave out of sight. We are going to insert a lintel into a solid wall and insert two stacking single ovens. The back of them will be boxed into a cupboard in the hall. Honestly, sometimes I think it's easier to move house......

Ha! See we're getting a new kitchen which will hopefully have a larder of some description. I'd rather put the combi one behind the doors of the larder and put more money into another appliance.

I do enjoy baking so a good size oven (or two) would come in handy. Also when we entertain and we're trying to cook up a tray of meat and roasting potatoes etc having another oven with some kind of baked goods going on seem easier to deal with than a small microwave (with fancy baking capabilities). I wouldn't bake a cake in my freestanding combi microwave... But maybe I'm old fashioned.

Again, I'm a bit bias, but I'm will to be convinced...

I looked at double ovens but the 'larger' oven is smaller than the normal so I don't think they're that great - if the space have two ovens.

Crikey that was ages ago. My kitchen is finished and I opted for 2 single ovens, one a pyrotechnic one for self cleaning and the other looks similar but cheap. Hole knocked in wall houses fridge (love it) and cheap nasty microwave housed in boiler cupboard. I opted for under counter ones as my knees need the exercise.

I don't want stacked ovens as I also am tiny and I'm just too short to feel safe getting heavy stuff out at that height. I am thrilled with my under counter ones.

These are my 2 ovens and hidden microwave. I have to say the two best decisions we made were to knock a hole in the wall to house bulky fridge and to build in a shelf above the worktop behind hob. Excuse ongoing mess in potental dining room....

How about a single and a compact oven (just a smaller version of a single oven) stacked vertically then? These are available in sizes that are unlikely to be discontinued anytime soon. Unfortunately the compact ovens arent cheap and not far off the price of a compact combi-microwave.

Tim Summers just wondering why you opt to use the cheapo microwave over your oven microwave combi....? Isn't it as good?

And the typo of the year (2017) goes to me for ‘panty’ not PANTRY !!! Whoops 😬

Mrs Lanks, your kitchen is gorgeous!! We are midst planning at the mo and looking at a similar colour way, navy low units and light grey wall, great to see how fab yours looks! Quick question, our hob will be on the island too, what fan did you go with - so variable!! Thanks

it's a luxair one... not sure if the model...

Have a similar plan and colourway going on at the moment too, with a hob in the island. Have you looked at the venting hobs ? No need for an overhead fan, the fan is in the hob !

Mrs Lanks..which ovens did you go for in the end and are they performing as you expected? We’re also having a new extension and have decided 2 x Singles and microwave in larder.

Roxane, we went for two single ovens on top of each other. A double oven with the smaller second oven... wouldn't have been the way forward for us. Christmas, birthdays, parties (remember when we could gather?!??) means having two full size ovens have been invaluable. We got two Siemens ovens. Can't remember the model. One's slightly posher than the other i.e. it's got wi-fi?! Glad I've still got my old stand alone, microwave in larder top so can be hidden if needs be. I can't imagine spending more than £400 on a new microwave that was built in (when the one I had is still doing the job) instead of getting that second oven.

Okay great, I’ll take a look. So tricky comparing models and functions, do I need steam, pyrolytic cleaning, crisp thingy, WiFi...

Why have a microwave in the larder? Hotpoint multi (£300)(almost twice the size of a standalone micro), single oven (dont buy a Samsung) then space for another standard size single oven at the bottom if we need to expand.

Depends what you use the microwave for...

Turned we used ours for mugs of hot chocolate (mostly), jacket spuds now and again.

Net result - downsize and a small £<100 does the job.

Certainly didn't merit anything built in.

WIFI - nah - now if the microwave could read barcodes on food and set the right time - to save me scanning the small/infinitesimally small print - great. Otherwise an oven - just needs to get hot :)

Have those of you with combi microwaves found them to be powerful enough when used as microwave alone? Most seem to be max of 600W :(

Ours is a 1000W Panasonic.

I've had my microwave/2nd oven combi and i've never ever used it as a microwave - too much hassle to take shelves out and found a little spot to tuck away standard microwave so we use that. Wish i'd gone for two single full size ovens for our family of 7.

I have an oven which splits into two so you can use as separate or one large oven. It’s amazing 😆 Has a separator tray in the middle and two fans in it but only takes up the space of one oven.
I also have a mirrored separate microwave which I use all the time.

Oh Tani -that sounds fab - could you add a link please ?

https://www.samsung.com/uk/cooking-appliances/electric-oven-nv75n7677rseu/

This isn’t quite ours but it’s the flex cook range . We got ours for £200 second hand as someone was stripping out a new kitchen to put an aga in and I love it!

Ours is called the dual cook (- but flex cook might be a new version of it) and it has one front door with the 2 oven separator inside.

#Mrs Lanks - having altered our original kitchen when we moved in 13 years ago we are now freshening up paintwork, replacing worktops and installing new appliances as the layout we chose then still works for us. We presently have a Rangemaster but they have changed the style so are considering two single ovens either side by side or on top of each other. If the latter, does the top oven need to be supported rather than just placed on top of the bottom one.....? Also, which brand did you end up buying as we are researching Neff and Bosch which both seem to have a problem cleaning the doors as you apparently need to take the glass door out....!?

I have a Neff single built-in oven and a basic microwave hidden in a tall unit, microwave only use to reheat stuff. Never used more than one oven at once when I had my range cooker so decided single oneness enough. I don't like the imposing look of stacked ovens.

I have a had a Neff single oven for 21 years & it has been great. Now, in my new kitchen am thinking of going for 2 single ovens side by side & microwave in cupboard but Neff ovens now have have a steel trim down each side so don’t look so good together like this 😏 Don’t know about stacking sorry. Also, I believe Bosch use the Neff name for their ovens.

They look great in yhe picture what is the distance from the floor of the fiskrst oven? thank you