Combi Oven – Boiler System VS Boilerless System

The basic advantage of a boiler combi oven is performance. A boiler combi oven can quickly provide the operator with a full cabinet of steam. In the steam only “mode”, dry heat element is not required at all. Regardless of whether steam is required, this energy saving aspect is balanced with the energy required to preheat and operate the boiler at any time. The first combi-steamers produced steam through a separate boiler, which was then circulated throughout the oven with a fan. By introducing dry convection heat, the oven temperature can be raised beyond steaming-only temperature, thereby cooking with super-heated steam. This provides hot and humid conditions, allowing food to be cooked quickly without drying it out. “Wet” food only starts with dry heat, using the moisture in the food to reach a humid and hot environment. If necessary, steam from the boiler can be introduced later in the cycle to maintain these conditions. Compared to boilerless combi oven, maintenance and replacement costs associated with the boiler itself increase the ownership and operation cost. Water usage in boiler combi oven is also very high.

Commercial Combitherm Combi Ovens | Alto-Shaam

Over the years, despite many improvements to combi oven, the fundamental design of a water fed reservoir with separately heated boiler is still used today in many units. However, another type of oven has been developed, which claims to have a combi status without without using a boiler. These “boilerless” or steam injection combis were based on the idea that cold water can simply be flow into the appliance and sprayed onto the heating element of the oven to generate steam as needed. No need for the reservoir and the additional heating element required to generate steam separately. This design made it more difficult to cook with steam only, especially for long periods of time. However, without a boiler, these combi oven occupy less space, use less water, and cost less to purchase and maintain.