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Neff C57M70N0GB
by SusanLesley
As I have told you in a couple of my other reviews - at the end of last year we decided that it was time to replace our kitchen - literally from the floor up everything was new. I will just say it is a very small kitchen - I haven't won the lottery and forgotten to tell you all!
Two of the main things that we needed were a ... combi microwave and an oven. These were to be positioned on top of one another in a specially designed unit and so they not only needed to be right for our requirements but they also needed to match each other or the whole thing would look odd. I do like things to look symmetrical or they irritate me!
Hubby was the one who did the initial investigation for all of the appliances as he has far more patience than I do. We wanted a microwave with a drop down door rather than one that opened from a side hinge as we both thought that this would be more convenient.
It also needed to be a combination microwave so that, on the rare occasions that we have guests and I am cooking a meal, I can cook two things at two different temperatures at the same time.
The ones that Dave eventually found were made by Neff and the microwave and oven matched one another perfectly and even had a symmetrical arrangement of buttons on them too! I took a look at the information about the microwave and realised that it was indeed just what we wanted.
The make and the price
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The microwave in question is the Neff Series 3 C57M70N0GB Built in Combination Microwave and once we had decided that this was the one that we wanted I took over and searched for the best price. I made myself a little spreadsheet for all my appliances so that I could take into account the initial price, delivery charges, discounts, Quidco cashback, Advantage points etc.
At the time that we purchased ours the best price that I found was at Appliances Direct where the cost was £659.97 plus £34.98 delivery although this was for the microwave and the warming drawer. I got 4% cashback through Quidco so that reduced the total price a little.
It was an expensive purchase but we decided to go for the best that we could afford as we wanted to do the kitchen once and do it properly first time.
The appearance of the microwave
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The microwave has a brushed stainless steel finish to match all the other appliances in the kitchen and, as I said earlier, is built into a specifically designed unit sitting directly above the matching oven.
The buttons for the operation of the appliance are set across the top of the unit with the large one in the centre and smaller ones on either side which matches the oven. Above the row of buttons is an LED panel where the current time is constantly shown when the microwave isn't in use - when it is being used this display is the cooking time remaining - and a second one which shows the temperature when the oven is in use.
Along the same level as the clock and temperature displays are a further set of labels to correspond with the buttons below. On the left there are five microwave power settings - 90, 180, 360, 600 and 1,000 - a button to set the clock and a button to set the cooking time on the microwave. On the right there is a button to set the temperature of the oven and another one which, when depressed, shows the current oven temperature so that you can see how the oven is warming up. The other buttons on this side are the on and off functions.
The brushed stainless steel trim and handle look smart and the microwave has a large double glazed glass door which drops down to the horizontal for loading and unloading.
The functions
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The functions are all accessed via the long central button which lies flush with the facia of the oven until you are ready to use it. To use the microwave or the oven you press the long button which then stands proud of the facia so that it can be turned to one of the following five functions - working clockwise:
Hot air - for baking
Hot air and grill - for cooking larger pieces of meat
Circulated air grill - for pieces of meat
Full surface grill
Centre area grill
Inside the microwave there are 4 sets of metal rods across the sides of the unit providing 4 different positions for the cooking racks. Included with the microwave was a wire rack, an enamel baking tray and a circular microwave baking rack.
To use the microwave
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First of all the clock needs to be set and this is done using the two buttons to the left of the main button. I won't explain in detail but suffice it to say that the directions in the instruction booklet are clear and easy to follow.
The insides of the microwave need to be cleaned with warm soapy water before the microwave is used for the first time. This is to make sure that it is clean before food is introduced to the area.
To cook something in the microwave you first have to choose the power that you want to use and press the relevant button so that the power selected lights up. Then you need to press the timer button so that it stands proud of the display and turn it until the correct cooking time is displayed. This will count down as cooking takes place. The only thing left to do is to press the start button and off you go - obviously you also need to put the food inside the microwave too!
To use the oven
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This time you need to start by pressing the central button so that it stands proud of the facia and turn it to the type of cooking that you want to use.
You then press the temperature button on the right to make it stand proud of the facia and turn it until the temperature that you want appears on the LED screen above the button. If you press the button next to it - the one with the 'i' on it - the display will show the current temperature of the oven so that you can see when it is getting hot enough to use.
Once the oven is hot enough you just put the food in the oven until it is cooked, then remove the food and switch off the oven by pressing the buttons back in until they are all flush with the surface of the appliance.
When the oven has been used and switched off a letter H appears in the LED display to show that there is residual heat remaining in the oven. This changes to a lower case h as the heat reduces and disappears completely once the oven is cool again.
Cleaning
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The microwave is easily cleaned with hot soapy water or, if there is heavy soiling, an oven cleaner such as Mr Muscle can be used.
The instruction book
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The instruction book is all in English so you don't have to sort through it to find the correct language.
It covers the initial installation of the appliance, the preparation for use, the actual use, a few recipes, cleaning, fault finding, maintenance and repairs.
The language used throughout the book is clear and very easy to understand and the information in the book is logically laid out. There are also lots of clear diagrams to help you to understand the instructions given in the book.
So what do I think about the microwave
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Well I have been very impressed with it.
To be fair I don't do a lot of microwave cooking but I find this appliance easy to use and it works perfectly.
I have used it as an oven on a few occasions and have found it more than adequate for what I was cooking.
In conclusion
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I would have to say that I am really pleased with my combi microwave and I am really glad that this was the one that we chose.
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Hotpoint UY46 Style Line
by FairyG
I had my new Hotpoint double built under fan oven fitted when I had a new kitchen fitted by Homebase last summer. I'd been wanting a double oven for some time as the single oven was so limiting. I could use the grill or the oven but not both at the same time, so this time I decided I wanted an oven with as many functions and as much ... flexibility as I could afford.
Appearance
The Hotpoint build under oven, as you would guess, is designed to fit under a worktop with a hob on top. I like a built in oven and hob as they make the cooking area look streamlined and neat, and there are no edges or gaps where spillages and crumbs can gather. It has mirrored finish doors, that are beautifully reflective and shiny. I wanted as many shiny reflective surfaces as possible in my kitchen to give the impression of light and space, so this oven works nicely in that respect. On the downside, it shows up smudges easily so I have to regularly give it a spray with diluted Flash and a buff with a paper towel. Each oven has a long bar handle, handy for drying damp towels on if you want to. At the top, there are three control knobs, one for the grill, one for the top oven and one for the bottom oven. There's also an LED clock and oven timer, which shows up nice and clear at a glance, even when I'm not wearing my reading glasses, so it's great for dodgy middle aged eyesight! The top oven comes with one shelf and a grill pan with handle, and the bottom oven comes with two shelves.
What it Does
The top oven is a convection oven, and variable grill, with five shelf positions. As it's a fairly small oven at 33 litres oven capacity, this is okay for fairly small joints of meat and things such as pizzas, scones, cupcakes and Yorkshire puddings. When used as a grill, the door has to be left open. As it's a variable grill, it means you can use the full grill element or just half the grill element. This is very handy for grilling items that cook at a different rate as I can then switch off half of the grill if something has finished cooking. When the grill is switched on a cooling fan emits a gentle flow of air below the control panel. It's worth noting that even when it's switched off, the top oven gets quite warm when the bottom oven is on, so it's useful for warming plates.
The bottom oven is bigger at 51 litres capacity. I can easily fit in a large chicken on one shelf and roasting potatoes on the other, and I had no problem fitting a turkey in there at Christmas. This one is a fan oven so heats up more quickly than the top oven, and cooks things at a lower temperature. As well as the normal temperatures settings it has a fan only setting which can be used for defrosting as it only circulates cool air. There is also a slow cook setting, which is handy for casseroles, and recommends a minimum of six hours cooking. The bottom oven is fitted with a safety device which means it switches off when the door is opened.
The timer can be used as a minute minder and emits a buzz when the set amount of times is up. This doesn't interrupt cooking. There is also a programmable cooking function which allows you to set the oven to switch on and off at the required time.
The power consumption is 5.2 kw/h which is higher than some double ovens, but then again this is a good sized one compared to many built under double ovens.
Cleaning
The ovens have Stayclean oven liners which means at temperatures of 220 degrees or above, the liners will destroy any cooking splatters. I just give them a wipe with a damp cloth to remove crumbs, and up to now it has stayed quite clean. The door glass can be taken out and put in the dishwasher, which certainly saves some scrubbing!
Warranty
This oven comes with a 1 year labour guarantee and a 5 year parts guarantee, which is very reassuring.
My Experience
I've been using the oven for a year now and have had no problems with it. It took some getting used to, but there's a fairly comprehensive instruction manual though, with charts showing what settings and shelf levels to use for different kinds of food, so it's very helpful. However, some of it is just trial and error. I've tried pizzas in the fan oven and find they come out fairly limp and soft. They're much better in the top oven where the edges crisp up nicely and the cheese seems to melt faster. Yorkshire puddings are also better in the top oven. They rise strangely evenly and then flatten out in the bottom oven, whereas in the top oven they rise up at the sides like they should and go nice and crispy around the edges. On the other hand, the bottom oven is great for roasting a chicken. It comes out moist and succulent, and evenly cooked. I've also had great success baking cakes and muffins in the bottom oven, so will stick to using it for baking. When using the grill I find it's ferocious when turned up high and will rapidly burn things if I'm not careful. I've never used such a powerful grill! It also throws out a lot of heat into the kitchen, in spite of the cooling fan, so I find I'd rather not grill things that are going to take a long time, as I just get way too hot and bothered. It's okay for quick things such as bacon or cheese on toast though. The defrosting function is very handy for defrosting bread straight out of the freezer if I want to make sandwiches.
Overall it's a very different cooking experience to my old single convection oven. I like being able to use the bottom oven for cooking something at one temperature whilst using the top oven for something at a different temperature. The minute minder is brilliant for reminding me when something is due to come out. I find the defrosting function useful although it doesn't do much when it comes to defrosting thick solid items such as meat. It speeds it up a bit but not a lot. I also like the variability of the grill. I've no regrets about buying this cooker, and would definitely recommend it.
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Neff B45E42N0GB
by SusanLesley
At the end of last year we decided to replace our kitchen by completely gutting the old one and replacing everything. I will just say that it is a small kitchen so that statement isn't quite as ostentatious as it sounds!
Two of the things that we needed were a combi microwave and an oven. These were to be stacked on top of one ... another in a specially designed unit and so needed to be the best for our requirements but they also needed to match or the whole thing would look odd.
Hubby did a lot of the investigation for all the appliances as he has far more patience than I do. What we were looking for was a microwave and oven that both had drop down doors as we thought that these would be more convenient and easier to use.
Whilst visiting his mom Dave went into a large branch of Curry's and found two matching Neff appliances which he thought would meet our needs so he made a note of the reference numbers and let me know. As it happens they were exactly what we had been looking for and this review is all about the oven.
The make and the price
The oven concerned is the Neff Series 3 B45E42N0GB and once Dave had done the initial investigation as to whether the oven would do everything we wanted it to it was over to me to find the best price. I made myself a little spreadsheet for all my appliances so that I could take into account the initial price, delivery charges, discounts, Quidco cashback, Advantage points etc.
At the time the very best deal was available at Boots Kitchen Appliances where the cost was £759 plus £19.99 delivery which wasn't too bad since we actually purchased three items from Boots. As it happens the delivery charge was doubled and refunded to us as £40 because the delivery men managed to scratch the washing machine in a place that wasn't even visible - but that's another story!
The price of £759 meant that I got £30.36 in Boots Advantage Points and I also got 2% cashback from Quidco which was another £15.18. We paid with our Tesco Visa card so there was a further return there too so the real price on 9th November 2010 was nearer to £700.
Incidentally I have just taken a look at the Boots Kitchen Appliances website and the cost is currently £749 so I assume that it is still one of the better prices available.
We decided to go for the best that we could afford as we wanted to do the kitchen once and do it properly first time.
The look of the oven
The oven is a built in single integrated oven with a brushed stainless steel finish. The buttons are set across the top of the unit with the large one in the centre and two smaller ones either side so it looks symmetrical and smart. Above the row of buttons is the LED panel where the current time is constantly shown. The brushed stainless steel trim and handle looks good and the oven has a large double glazed glass door so that if it is set at waist height as ours is it is easy to see what is going on inside.
The dimensions of the oven are 59.5cm tall by 59.4cm wide by 55cm deep.
The functions
The functions are all accessed via the long central button which lies flush with the facia of the oven until you are ready to use it. To use the oven you press the long button which then stands proud of the facia so that it can be turned to one of the following twelve functions - working clockwise:
Fan assisted (circo therm) cooking for baking and roasting
Non fan assisted cooking with heat from the top and the bottom of the oven for baking and roasting
Fan assisted cooking with added bottom heat for readymade products which need the added bottom heat
Circo roasting for poultry and larger pieces of meat
Full grill for when you have lots to cook
Half grill for when you only have a small amount to cook
Non fan assisted cooking with heat from the bottom of the oven for food and baked goods that require more browning or a crust on the bottom
Low temperature cooking for tender pieces of meat needing to be cooked rare or medium
Gentle defrosting for all items including cakes and pastries
Oven cleaning for regeneration of the self cleaning surfaces in the oven
Lighting with no heat to aid with the cleaning and maintenance of the oven
The oven also has a timer which is set by using the same buttons which are used to set the clock.
Inside the oven there are 4 sets of metal rods across the sides of the oven providing 4 different positions for the cooking racks. Included with the oven were two wire racks, a grill pan and a further stepped wire rack with a close mesh to use with the grill pan for grilling, roasting and baking.
To use the oven
First of all the clock needs to be set and this is done using the two buttons to the left of the main button. I won't explain in detail but suffice it to say that the directions in the instruction booklet are clear and easy to follow.
The insides of the oven need to be cleaned with warm soapy water and the oven has to be run with top and bottom heating on 240 degrees for half an hour. The oven is then ready to be used.
To operate it you just have to press the central button so that it stands proud of the facia and turn it to the type of cooking that you want to use.
You then press the button on the far right to make it stand proud of the facia and turn it until the temperature that you want appears on the LED screen about the button. If you press the button next to it the display will show the current temperature of the oven so that you can see when it is getting hot enough to use.
Once the oven is hot enough you just put the food in the oven until it is cooked, then remove the food and switch off the oven by pressing the buttons back in until they are all flush with the surface of the appliance.
Cleaning
The sides and the top of the oven are self cleaning and this happens when the oven is running at a high temperature.
The base of the oven and all the wire trays can be cleaned with hot water, Cif or an oven cleaner such as Mr Muscle.
I have to say that even though oven cleaning isn't my favourite job it is made easier by the fact that the oven is set at waist height and that the light can be used inside the oven even when the heat is not switched on.
The instruction book
The instruction book is all in English so there is not sorting through it to find the correct language.
It covers the installation of the oven, the preparation for use, the use, recipes, cleaning, fault finding, maintenance and repairs.
The language used in the book is clear and very easy to understand and the information in the book is well laid out. There are lots of clear diagrams to help you to understand the instructions given in the book.
My feelings about my new oven
Basically I love it!
It heats up quickly, it is easy to clean and it cooks very well indeed! Even the instruction book is really useful and you can't always say that can you?
Having so many functions is really useful. I use the fan oven for most of my cooking but when I fancy a snack of fish fingers on rolls I just use the smaller part of the grill and then when I am doing bacon sandwiches for both of us I use the full grill. There is plenty of room in the oven to cook a full Christmas dinner with a bit of help from the combi microwave as the hob hadn't been connected by Christmas!
Cleaning is easy, especially being able to have the light on inside the oven. My previous oven was at ground level and I used to find cleaning it an absolute pain!
Extras
When I was trying to find the best deal to purchase the oven I found what I thought were two identical ovens with different reference numbers and upon investigation I found a really neat addition to the more expensive of the two.
The oven door opens and then slides underneath the oven back inside the unit making it so easy to get thing in and out of the oven. We decided to go for this added extra and I have to say that I have found it invaluable. I thought it might be a bit stiff to operate particularly at first but not at all - it is so smooth!
The oven is A rated for energy efficiency which is pretty much the best you can get and the oven has a two year manufacturer's warranty.
When the oven has been used and switched off a letter H appears in the LED display to show that there is residual heat remaining in the oven. This changes to a lower case h as the heat reduces and disappears completely once the oven is cool again.
In conclusion
I would have to say that I am thrilled with my oven and I am really glad that this was the one that we chose.
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