Having the right oven in your bakery is crucial. It can mean the difference between success and failure and the overall quality of your products, so you need to choose wisely. The type of oven you choose first comes down to the types of products you plan on baking and how much room you have in your bakery. Two popular types of ovens for commercial baking are Rack Ovens and Revolving Ovens. Both have their unique advantages and are perfect options for baking bread, pastries, bagels and more. This article aims to help clarify the major differences between these two ovens and help you decide which one is the best fit for your bakery.

Rack Ovens

Let's quickly dive into what a Rack Oven is, how they bake and then go over their advantages. Rack ovens are versatile machines that bake products evenly and consistently thanks to their rotating rack process. A bakery rack is loaded into a baking chamber where it will slowly rotate as fans gently circulate hot air throughout the chamber. This method of baking is perfect for delicate pastries, cookies and cakes but also a reliable oven for baking rolls, bagels and more. Here are some advantages of Rack Ovens and why they may potentially be the best option for your bakery.

Advantages:

  1. Versatility: As mentioned, Rack Ovens are perfect for baking a wide range of baked goods, from bread and pastries to cookies and cakes. They can even be used for roasting and cooking various foods, making them a versatile choice for any bakery.
  2. Space-Saving: Compared to most commercial oven options, Rack Ovens feature a compact design that can be inserted in a variety of different-sized bakeries and facilities. Double Rack Ovens can accommodate two racks, allowing bakeries to bake larger quantities without taking up too much floor space.
  3. Ease of Use: The latest innovations in bakery equipment can be seen in today's Rack Ovens. With programmable touchscreen display options available, Rack Ovens are easy to use and can store programs for repetitive use, making operation a breeze.
  4. Energy Efficiency: More important than ever before, Rack Ovens are now more energy-efficient than they have ever been in the past. Thanks to innovative new technology and energy-efficient designs, bakeries can bake at a lower cost of operation and save money on fuel and energy costs.
Empire Revolving Oven

Revolving Ovens

Revolving Ovens sometimes referred to as rotary ovens, use a baking method where rotating shelves or trays continuously rotate vertically within the baking chamber. The baking process is similar to a Rack Oven, however, the major difference is instead of rotating a rack full products, you are placing products directly on rotating shelves. These shelves can be solid metal, steel screen or stone depending on the products you plan on producing. This design is particularly useful for baking large batches of bread and other baked goods that require uniform baking.

Advantages:

  1. Uniform Baking: The rotating mechanism ensures that all products are evenly exposed to heat, resulting in uniform baking. This is crucial for bread, bagels and other products that rely on having a consistent crust and texture.
  2. High Capacity: Revolving ovens can bake off large quantities of products at once, making them ideal for high-volume bakeries and commercial facilities. The continuous rotation allows for efficient use of the baking chamber space.
  3. Soft Bake: Unlike Rack Ovens, Revolving Ovens have no moving air inside the baking chamber. Instead, the trays move the product through a heat zone which leads to a slower and even bake that is perfect for cakes, pies, soft rolls and bagels.
  4. Even Heat Distribution: The design of revolving ovens provides stable and controlled heat zones that allow each product to bake at the same temperature for the same amount of time.

Choosing between a rack oven and a revolving oven ultimately depends on your bakery's specific needs and space constraints. Both options provide you with a consistent and efficient way of baking a variety of different products. If your retail baker requires a versatile, space-saving solution with efficient and consistent results, then a high-quality Rack Oven might be the best choice for your bakery. On the other hand, if you are a larger retail or wholesale bakery or a bagel shop with a high output, you may need an oven that can handle high-volume baking with uniform results. If so, a Revolving Oven could be the better option. Ultimately, both types of ovens have their own advantages but both will provide you with the highest quality results.