With nearly 20 different cooking modes, Combi Ovens are the cook smarter, cook faster, “Do Everything” kitchen equipment of the modern era. But they’re a considerable investment that requires thoughtful research prior to purchase.

We’re just slightly past the halfway point of the year which means it’s time to check out how our “Best of Brands” are doing. We listen to our community members about particular brands and equipment and share the results to you. We’ll do it all over again in January 2023 for our year end awards.

We’ve designated July “Combi Oven” month. All month we’ll be looking at what the ChefWorthy community of users have to say about the Combi Ovens in their kitchens. Our own Chef Randy will be sharing his Combi Oven experiences to help potential buyers go beyond the ratings. Plus much more.

Combi Ovens are what we at ChefWorthy refer to as a “Review Essential Purchase” (R.E.P.). REPs are complex, big-ticket items that you should read reviews for prior to purchase. A 20 Pan Combi Oven with all the bells & whistles can run you $50K+. You could put a 2022 Subaru Outback in your kitchen for less money (though it admittedly won’t bake as well). But don’t worry, the ChefWorthy community has the insights and perspectives to help you make the best buying decision.

To kick off Combi Month, let’s take a look at the leader in the clubhouse: Rational.

Rational

Rational is a German-based manufacturer of foodservice equipment that has been in business since 1973. All of their equipment is made in Europe and, depending on the model, is produced in either Landsberg am Lech, Germany or Wittenheim, France. Rational is an industry leader and, according to rational, holds 50% of the global market for multifunctional restaurant appliances and its equipment produces 140 million meals per day. In addition to holding around 600 patents for various equipment types, around 25% of its workforce is comprised of actual chefs.

Rational’s innovation shines throughout its product line. Unlike other players in the market follow the traditional combi-oven capabilities mix of convection heat with varying humidity levels, Rational has options that truly blur the lines, like iVario series. The iVario is a skillet looking piece of equipment that challenges how combi-ovens should be defined. For example, instead of traditional combi-oven functions, its capabilities reach into other arenas such as boiling, deep-frying, and pressure cooking.

Rational Combi Oven Performance Snapshot

Rational Combi Ovens are a strong performer across 4 out 5 of ChefWorthy’s Performance Indicators. Only Maintenance lags behind.

The iCombi line is most popular within the ChefWorthy community. Within the iCombi line there are two options, and they’re both stand out options: the iCombi Classic and the iCombi Pro. The iCombi Classic, as the name might imply, is the more straightforward of the two options, but still offers durability, energy efficiency, and the ability to control optimal levels of heat and humidity.

Reasons To Buy

Versatility. ChefWorthy reviewers are big fans of Rational’s Combi Oven versatility. It has almost 20 cooking modes and this is one of the strongest reasons to consider Rational, especially the iCombi series. Whether making pastry, hosting cooking classes, or you need versatile piece equipment that’s also space efficient for cafe operations, Rational has a model that can help you take your kitchen up a notch. For example, the iCombi Pro series has a myriad of specific settings for poultry, fish, baking, and other options to help you achieve optimal temperatures and humidity levels

• “Its versatility is incomparable. It takes a lot of the guesswork away.”
• “It is a versatile piece of equipment with a lot of great functions and perks! It fits my operational needs of pastry, catering, cooking classes, and café applications.”
• “ A nice piece of equipment that offers a ton of options for cooking.”

High Product Production Quality & Yield: Using both steam and convection to cook preserves flavors and nutrients, which results in a higher-quality finished product. Studies show that Combi Ovens can increase yields by up to 20%.

• “Less shrinkage during cooking, Built in thermometer probe is super handy.”
• “Consistent quality and reliability.”
• “Improved product yield, Improved product quality.”

Things To Be Aware Of:

Maintenance. As with any high cost, sophisticated piece of equipment (I’m looking at you Lamborghini owners), the cost of maintenance can come at a price:

• “Repairs can be costly.”
• “Maintenance (I know I can say that about almost every piece of equipment in a kitchen). It doesn’t ‘breakdown’ often, but when it does it is a pain to get the repairs done in a timely manner.”
• “Cleaning supplies expensive.”

Learning Curve. Complex equipment can take time to master:

• “It is intimidating to use at first. There are a ton of options, and it seems daunting, but it only took a few short weeks to feel like I knew how to work it to its fullest capabilities, then after a year of use I realized that I had barely scratch the surface of what the oven could do.”
• “Can be hard to program/learn, especially for line staff with little time.”

Pro Tip: With an investment this costly and complex, don’t be shy about asking your vendor for training support for your staff.

CW Reviewers Overall Impressions of Rational Combi Ovens

Overall, ChefWorthy reviewers hold Rational Combi Ovens in high regard. 100% of reviewers would recommend one to a colleague.

• “Game changer, I have used this for all areas of operation from baking to smoking whole brisket. The steam option is used often also, from fresh vegetables to corned beef. We have also used it to proof bread dough and then directly to bake mode.”
• “This is the best purchase we have ever made. We are waiting for approval for a second.”
• “Very pleased with this equipment. The intelligent features really work, the cleaning process is very good, it can do almost everything, and it has the large capacity I need.”

Overall Rating: 4.4/5

A strong, versatile performer with few weaknesses. Just be aware that maintenance, cleaning, and repair can be expensive. For some, the operational learning can be steeper than for others.

What do you think? Are there other Brands that warrant review? Want to join the conversation? If you want to review an equipment brand c’mon and join for FREE at ChefWorthy.pro.

About ChefWorthy

Built by Foodservice for Foodservice Professionals. ChefWorthy is a community of culinary and foodservice pros that review restaurant equipment. If you’d like to write a review or find reviews before making your next equipment purchase, be sure to join the conversation at ChefWorthy.pro.

Mathew Mandeltort
Co-Founder
ChefWorthy
www.chefworthy.pro

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