If you’re happy to spend a decent amount of money on a new oven, it's easy to be seduced by the wealth of additional features on offer. We spoke to buying experts from AO.com, Appliances Direct and Currys to find out what they think about the following features. As with all white goods, there have been various advancements in the technology used and range of features found on ovens. We’ve detailed the features we think are worth looking out for and asked white goods experts about which features are nice to have but not essential. Slim sized universal pan.The slim sized universal pans are perfect when cooking two variants of the same dish or smaller quantities of food. Thanks to their compact size, the pans can easily be cleaned in the dishwasher and also fit nicely in Bosch fridges for cooling pre and post cooking.

The built-in double oven with 3D hot air: achieve perfect baking and roasting results on multiple levels simultaneously. Pyrolytic: this function heats the oven cavity to a super-high temperature, meaning any food, grease and dirt is carbonised (turned to dust) that can then be simply swept or vacuumed upTemperature/meat probes: if you’re not the most confident cook or you just like to ensure accuracy, meat probes are a great addition for precise cooking and to ensure food is cooked through

Catalytic liner: these liners absorb fat and anything else that drips down to the base of the oven. The oven will come with a self-cleaning program that’ll need to be run once in a while to loosen all of the dirt, making it easy to wipe away with a damp cloth

Package Deals

Upper and lower heating elements: this heats both the top and bottom of the oven without the fan. Use this on foods you want to cook on the top and bottom, like classic cheese scones or these spiced 'chorizo' pastry slices

Red LED display control: easy-to-use thanks to clear time display with pop-out controls for an easy to clean flat control panel front. Split ovens: These ovens can be split in two, allowing you to cook at two different temperatures at the same time. A central panel splits the oven into two separate compartments, so you could cook sweet and savoury dishes without the flavours melding. "These ovens are great for versatility and have the benefits of a double oven, with the large capacity of a single oven when needed," says Emma Cabourn, buyer at Appliances Direct, "they also help to save energy, giving the option to cook in a smaller cavity without heating the entire oven." AO’s expert, Isabella Forgione, adds that split ovens are ideal for busy households and make a fantastic addition, "if you’re short on space, or for those who want the choice of more cooking options."Self-cleaning: look for pyrolytic or catalytic self-cleaning ovens to keep the clean up simple and chemical-free Turn your oven into a cleaning aid. EcoClean Direct, the energy-saving cleaning aid makes double oven cleaning easy. A special coating of microfine ceramic spheres covers the rear wall of the lower oven, breaking down grease spatters while you bake or roast. Saving you time and energy for the entire service life of the appliance. Telescopic runners: these are rails that extend fully out of the oven that make removing trays, pots and dishes smoother, easier and safer Minute minder: this setting automatically turns off the oven after cooking – great for meringues or baked cheesecake

No one enjoys cleaning their oven; we'd be willing to bet it's the one task you really put off doing. But, this is where self-cleaning ovens come in. Designed to make the task easier, there are a few different types of self-cleaning ovens to look out for: Grill and fan: this setting focusses the majority of the heat on the top of whatever you’re cooking, while the fan distributes the heat, allowing for gentle cooking. Great for fish Slide-away doors: If you’re a fan of The Great British Bake Off, you’ll have spied these ovens in the tent. The slide-away door does exactly that: when the oven is opened, the door slides underneath, allowing you to get closer to the oven cavity. All of the experts we asked agreed that these ovens make getting close to the oven safer, allowing you to remove heavy things with ease while also avoiding spills. They can be more expensive, but Jonathan Marsh, senior buyer at Currys says they can be "worth the investment – especially for those with disabilities, families with small children and small kitchens. For example, someone in a wheelchair is able to access the oven to put things in and take things out more easily compared to a normal oven." Appliance Direct's expert Matthew Bibbington also points out that they're useful for "removing large trays or pots, and the soft-close hinge is good for mitigating any impact on delicate bakes." heating methods: 3D hot air, conventional top and bottom heat, Hotair grilling, full width variable grill, Hotair gentle Low heat element only: only the base of the oven is heated. Ideal for crisping up the base of dishes, like caramelised onion quiche with cheddar & bacon, custard tart or deep dish meatball marinara pizza

MBS533BS0B

Steam cooking: if you love baking bread, this is the function for you. Some ovens have a water tank that sends plumes of steam into the oven cavity