Combi: what to look for
The multi-functional combi-steamer has steadily eclipsed other types of oven over the past decade, thanks to excellent cooking results on a wide range of foods. There are also a host of benefits when the hot air and pressureless steaming programmes are employed together or sequentially, including less meat shrinkage, greater nutritional retention on vegetables and lower fat usage.
Other jobs which combis take in their stride include bulk grilling, regeneration of ready-made meals, proving of bakery goods, precise baking (thanks to controlled humidity), sous-vide cooking of food in vacuum pouches and controlled "bio-steaming" of delicate foods like creme caramel at low (below 100C) temperatures.
The development of the combi keeps rolling along, too, with several important design breakthroughs in recent years, such as:
l "climate control" systems offering enhanced levels of humidity and temperature control.
l pass-through ovens with doors and control panels on each side for siting through a wall or in an island position. The enforced separation of production from service means greater compliance with the ever-more pressing demands of kitchen hygiene. Ovens of this kind are available through Bourgeois, BKI International, Hobart and Welbilt.
l doors which slot into the side of the oven rather than occupying gangway space, as with Convotherm's "disappearing door."
l automatic self-cleaning, as with the recently launched Cleanjet robotic cleaning arm on Rational CPC combis, which is claimed to reduce cleaning time by up to 90 per cent and eliminates the need for staff to come into contact with cleaning fluids.
l "baby" combis like the Electrolux Plug and Cook back-bar combi-steamer which holds three 1/2 Gastronorm pans.
l pairing of combis with other appliances in the same stack as with Hobart's space-saving TowerPlus combination of high-speed pressure steamer with a 6 or 10 grid combi-steamer.
l combi-steamers with the extra speed of microwave energy as with the Leventi Micromax from Valera.
l control systems which alert the user when the steam generator needs descaling, as with Rational's CalcDiagnosis
Complexity
One problem with combis is knowing just how many features will be needed. Some suppliers offer series of ovens in two or three tiers of complexity, priced accordingly:
l basic, with manual controls or simple touch-pads
l de luxe, with core temperature probe plus extra functions like humidifier control and cook-and-hold.
l fully programmable computer control offering more cooking functions and enabling sequences of cooking processes to be preset into memory for consistent results every time.
Steam system
A key issue highlighted in the tables is the method of producing steam. Combis are designed in one of two ways: (1) with a separate steam generating boiler alongside or underneath the cooking compartment, which injects bursts of steam into the cavity as required; (2) in "boiler-less" ovens, water is sprayed directly onto a very hot surface, either the electric heating system or a gas burner heat exchanger.
The spray system results in a lower priced oven but it may require more cleaning and servicing. There is also a tendency for more waste water to be left sitting in the oven chamber.
Sizing
Gastronorm pan grids (or runners) represent the standard way or showing combi capacity and most series comprise ovens in up to five capacity groups. The tables show sizes up to 6 x 1/1 and 10 x 1/1 grid respectively.
Note that the number of pans which ovens can actually hold at one time depends on pan depth - grid spacing varies from oven to oven - and that of the food. Pans of non-Gastronorm dimensions, notably bakery pans, need special adaptors.
For enhanced productivity and reduced manual handling, most combis of 10 grid capacity and above are available with a trolley loading system.
Scale problems
As with any catering equipment handling large volumes of water, limescale build-up on pipes and boilers is a major bugbear for combi users in hard water areas. One answer is to pass all incoming water through a cartridge-type filter. Chemically softened water can also be used but this is generally considered less suitable because of the need for salt to regenerate the softener.
What to buy
Small combi-steamers
Models up to 6 x 1/1 Gastronorm capacity. SEP S/B= separate steam boiler (ovens without this facility operate by direct injection, generationg steam by spraying water onto a hot surface) pass-t=pass-through oven (door on each side). Power: e=electrically heated g=gas-heated
SUPPLIER MODEL POWER GRIDS SEP LIST
S/B? PRICE from
Angelo Po FC4E e & g 4×2/3 yes 2337
Angelo Po FCV61 e & g 6×1/1 yes 4053
BGL BarretGray Krefft KGG6.11 elec 6 yes 4520
BGL BarretGray Krefft KGG6.11E gas 6 yes 7570
G.F.E.Bartlett E21E/TT elec 3 no 4153
G.F.E.Bartlett E22E/6 elec 6 no 7153
G.F.E.Bartlett E22G/6 gas 6 no 9188
Bonnet Equator 3 MIDE elec 6 no 5270
Bonnet Equator 3 MIDG gas 6 no 7170
Bonnet Equator 3 ECE elec 6 yes 7520
Bourgeois Pass-thru elec 6 yes 8630
Burlodge 5×2/3 elec 3×2/3 no 1485
Burlodge 5 grid el/gas 5 yes 2526/3278
Convotherm OD6.10C elec 6 yes 5650
Convotherm OD6.10P elec 6 yes 6925
Convotherm OD6.10G gas 6 no 8350
Dawson/Lainox ME106M elec 6 yes 4180
Dawson/Lainox MG106M gas 6 yes 6670
Electrolux CSE61/1 elec - no 5151
Electrolux CGC61/1 gas - no 5151
Elro Polysteam FCST elec 6 no 6716
Equip Line Eloma EDB6-23 elec 6×2/3 no 3892
Equip Line Eloma EDC6-23 elec 6×2/3 no 4090
Equip Line Alto Shaam 6.10 elec 6 no 6973
Falcon 4043TC elec/gas 6 yes
Falcon 4063 TMS elec/gas 6 yes
Frialator/Blodgett CO5-6M elec 6 - 5073
Frialator FI 106GM gas 6 - 8213
Grundy CEC106 elec 6 no 4770
Hobart CSL0423E elec 4 yes 3605
Hobart CSD0612EA elec 6 yes 6990
Hobart CSD0612ET pass-t elec 6 yes 8190
Lincat/Opus OCS61 elec 6 yes 4814
Lincat/Opus OCV61 elec 6 yes 6055
Lincat/Opus OCC61 elec 6 yes 6504
Lincat/Opus OCC61G gas 6 yes 8579
Lincat/Opus OCV61G gas 6 yes 8074
Milestone 5 grid elec 5 no 3950
Milestone 6 grid elec 6 no 4750
Rational CD61 elec 6 yes 4959
Rational CM61 el/gas 6 yes 6239/8299
Rational CPC61 el/gas 6 yes 6635/8799
R.V.Rutland TEC 3MD elec 4 no 2650
R.V.Rutland TEC 3MX elec 4 yes 3200
R.V.Rutland TEC 6MX el/gas 6 yes 4180/4995
R.V.Rutland TEC 6MD el/gas 6 no 3655/4580
Servequip/Henny BCS6 elec 6 no 7354
Penny
Viscount MV4E elec 4 no 3765
Viscount MV61 el/gas 6 no 5875
Welbilt Houno DV2/3 elec 4 no 4535
Welbilt Houno MI-06 elec 6 yes 4994
Welbilt Houno MI-08 elec 8 yes 6061
Wolf WCSL-0612E elec 6 no 5680
Zanussi FCV6 1/1 el/gas 6 yes 5368/6973
10 Grid combi-steamers
Models taking 10×1/1 Gastronorm pans.
SUPPLIER MODEL POWER SEP LIST
S/B? PRICE from
Angelo Po FCV101 e & g yes 5732
BGL BarretGray Krefft KGG10.11E elec yes 6685
BGL BarretGray Krefft KGG10.11G gas yes 9485
G.F.E.Bartlett E22E/10 elec no 9264
G.F.E.Bartlett E22G/10 gas no 12,713
Bonnet Equator 3 MIDE elec no 7740
Bonnet Equator 3 MIDG gas no 9620
Bonnet Equator 3 ECE elec yes 10,400
Bourgeois Pass-thru elec yes 9700
Burlodge 10 grid el/gas yes 3525/4522
Convotherm OD10.10CS elec yes 5800
Dawson/Lainox ME110M elec yes 5870
Dawson/Lainox MG110M gas yes 8455
Electrolux
Electrolux
Elro Polysteam FCST elec no 7762
Equip Line Alto Shaam 10.10 elec no 8445
Euro/Olis CVM10ES2 elec both 6200
Euro/Olis CVM10GS2 gas both 7250
Falcon TC/TMS el/gas yes -
Frialator/Blodgett CO5-101M elec - 7226
Frialator FI 110GM gas - 10,365
Grundy CEC110 elec no 6725
Hobart CSD1012EA elec yes 8470
Hobart CSD1022EA elec yes 15,250
Hobart CSD1013G gas yes 12,270
Hobart CSD1012ET pass-t elec yes 10,990
Lincat/Opus OCC101 elec yes 8850
Lincat/Opus OCC101G gas yes 10,497
Lincat/Opus OCV101 elec yes 8413
Lincat/Opus OCV101G gas yes 10,123
Milestone 10 grid elec no 5950
Rational CD101 elec yes 7329
Rational CM101 el/gas yes 8699/10,399
Rational CPC101 el/gas yes 8999/10,799
R.V.Rutland TEC 10MX elec yes 5850
Servequip/Henny BCS10 elec no 10,291
Penny
Viscount MV101 el/gas no 8695
Welbilt Houno DG1-10 gas yes 6735
Welbilt Houno MI-10 elec yes 7154
Wolf WCSL-1012E elec no 7158
Zanussi FCV10 1/1 E3 el/gas yes 7179/10,209
Zanussi FCV10 1/1 E6 el/gas yes 9418/12,152
