Which Is Better Deck Oven Or Convection Oven?

The selection of a commercial oven directly impacts baking efficiency and product quality. As two mainstream options, deck ovens (also known as conventional ovens) and convection ovens differ fundamentally in heating principles, application scenarios, and product compatibility.

I. Heating Principles & Temperature Control Logic: Precision vs. Uniformity

Deck Ovens utilize independent upper and lower heating elements for multi-zone temperature control. Each deck can operate at a distinct temperature, enabling "3D thermal zoning." For example, a three-deck oven might simultaneously set the top deck to 180°C for cake layers, the middle deck to 160°C for cookies, and the bottom deck to 140°C for roasting nuts—ideal for multi-product processing. This design stems from traditional baking techniques that rely on "heat gradients," particularly suited for complex recipes requiring staged temperature adjustments, such as chiffon cakes needing "high heat for initial shaping followed by low heat for finishing."

Convection Ovens, however, achieve uniform heat distribution via a rear-mounted hot air circulation system (fan + ring-shaped heating elements). Their strength lies in eliminating cold spots. For instance, when baking egg yolk pastries, the swirling hot air penetrates multiple pastry layers, ensuring synchronized expansion of the dough and butter layers, resulting in 20–30% taller flaky layers. Yet, their single-temperature mode struggles with simultaneous multi-product baking. For example, attempting to bake high-heat toast (for browning) alongside low-heat cream puffs (for gentle setting) risks "burnt toast and undercooked puffs.".

II. Product Compatibility: Moisture Retention vs. Expansion Rate

Deck Ovens excel at moisture retention due to their radiant heating. Experimental data shows that a 450g loaf of bread baked in a deck oven loses only 8.7% of surface moisture, compared to 12.3% in a convection oven. This makes deck ovens indispensable for moisture-sensitive items like soft breads or chiffon cakes. For example, Japanese milk bread, which aims for a "cloud-like moist interior," benefits from the deck oven’s bottom heat radiation accelerating early dough expansion and creating fine air pockets.

Convection Ovens boost product expansion rates through turbulent airflow. Croissants baked in convection mode exhibit 40% taller layers compared to deck ovens, with color uniformity errors under 5%. However, small breads (under 80g) may suffer from restricted expansion due to rapid crust hardening. Solutions like the Changdi S1 Steam Convection Oven address this by injecting steam to delay crust formation.

III. Operational Efficiency: Single-Layer Capacity vs. Multi-Layer Coordination

Deck Ovens thrive in modular workflows. Tests by a bakery chain revealed that a three-deck oven could simultaneously handle:

• Bottom deck: Dough thawing (lower heat only)

• Middle deck: Pizza baking (180°C with both heating elements)

• Top deck: Bread warming (upper heat only)
  This multi-tasking improved energy efficiency by 25% compared to convection ovens’ single-rack operation. However, deck ovens require manual intervention for temperature variations between decks—e.g., rotating Danish croissant trays every 3 minutes to prevent uneven baking.

Convection Ovens dominate large-scale production automation. A central kitchen case study showed that baking 80 cookies in a 60L convection oven achieved a color standard deviation of 0.8 (vs. 1.5 in deck ovens) with zero tray rotation, cutting labor costs by 40%. Note that heating element design matters: Premium models like the Koppeche T95, equipped with 24 U-shaped heating elements (12 upper + 12 lower), heat up 18% faster than standard 16-element models, ensuring superior thermal stability.

Conclusion

Deck ovens shine in process versatility, ideal for bakeries with diverse menus and a focus on nuanced textures. Convection ovens lead in standardized production and visually flawless products (e.g., evenly colored macarons). Base your decision on core product lines and production demands:

• Choose deck ovens for artisanal breads, multi-stage recipes, or small-batch customization.

• Opt for convection ovens for high-volume, uniform-output operations like pastry chains or cookie factories.