Double Oven Buying Guide: Layouts, Capacity and Prices

Double Oven Buying Guide: Layouts, Capacity and Prices
Lisa Norberg
7 October, 2026

Double oven: start with the layout

If you are buying a double oven, begin with the installation type rather than the brand. The supported shortlist below covers three retailer-priced electric models: the Hotpoint DIH10DIX and Bosch Series 2 MHA133BR0B for a full-height built-in housing, plus the Bosch NBS533BS0B for a built-under installation.

Model Format Listed price
Hotpoint DIH10DIX Built-in double electric oven £339
Bosch Series 2 MHA133BR0B Built-in electric double oven £599
Bosch NBS533BS0B Built-under double oven £749

The Hotpoint and Bosch NBS533BS0B prices are listed by Argos and its built-under range respectively. The Bosch Series 2 price is listed by John Lewis. These prices were checked on 9 September 2026 and may change, so compare the current listing with the required dimensions before ordering.

A full-height built-in model is suited to a tall housing unit, while a built-under model belongs beneath a worktop or hob. If you are replacing a complete cooker, a freestanding electric cooker with two ovens combines the ovens and hob in one appliance rather than fitting into an oven housing.

Electric double oven built-in: full-height layout

A full-height built-in double oven is typically around 60cm wide and 90cm high. It is normally installed in a tall housing unit, often with the cavities at eye level. That position can make loading and checking food easier than with a built-under model.

This layout fits the Hotpoint DIH10DIX and Bosch Series 2 MHA133BR0B in the shortlist. It is the practical choice when you regularly need two cooking temperatures at once, want the oven raised from the floor, or need the hob and oven positioned separately. Built-in ovens allow that separation, unlike a freestanding cooker.

Do not judge the available cooking space by the external dimensions alone. Oven capacity is measured in litres, and two ovens with the same outside measurements can have different internal capacities. A double oven also does not necessarily contain two equally sized fan ovens: the upper cavity may be smaller and may include a grill.

Double oven built under electric: what you give up

A built-under double oven is typically around 60cm wide and 60cm high. It is designed to fit beneath a worktop or hob, which makes it suitable for a kitchen without a tall oven housing. The Bosch NBS533BS0B is the built-under example in the shortlist.

This format generally has one larger main oven and a smaller upper oven with a grill. The two cavities are compressed into a height only about 12cm greater than a standard single oven, so the main oven can be smaller than buyers expect. John Lewis describes a built-under double oven as approximately 25% smaller than a built-in double oven, although the exact difference depends on the model.

Choose built-under when the kitchen layout requires a low appliance and two cooking areas matter more than maximum main-oven capacity. Before selecting a model, compare the main cavity in litres with the size of your largest roasting tin, casserole dish or tray. The smaller upper cavity is useful for a second temperature or grilling, but it is not necessarily a second full-sized oven.

Layout Typical dimensions Best fit
Full-height built-in double oven About 60cm wide and 90cm high Two-temperature cooking and eye-level access
Built-under double oven About 60cm wide and 60cm high An oven beneath a worktop or hob
Freestanding cooker with two ovens Depends on the cooker A combined oven-and-hob replacement

These typical dimensions and layout differences are set out in Currys’ built-in oven buying guide and the John Lewis cooking-appliance guide.

Freestanding cooker electric: when an all-in-one appliance makes sense

A freestanding cooker is an all-in-one appliance containing at least one oven and a hob; some models contain two ovens. It is the relevant format when you are replacing a complete cooker and want the hob and ovens together in one unit.

The main difference from a built-in double oven is flexibility. A built-in oven allows the hob and oven to be positioned separately, while a freestanding cooker keeps them together. This makes the freestanding format a replacement for a cooker rather than a direct substitute for the three built-in models above.

For a freestanding electric double oven, compare the capacity of both cavities and the hob arrangement. The two ovens may not be equally useful, so the label “double oven” alone does not establish that both cavities are full-sized or suitable for the same dishes. The available space and electrical connection also need to suit the cooker.

Three double ovens worth shortlisting

These are retailer-priced examples grouped by installation format, not a ranking of cooking performance. The two built-in models suit a full-height housing; the Bosch NBS533BS0B is the built-under option. The price comparison is therefore most useful after you have established which housing your kitchen can take.

Model Format Listed price Why consider it
Hotpoint DIH10DIX Built-in double electric oven £339 Lower-priced named built-in example
Bosch Series 2 MHA133BR0B Built-in electric double oven £599 Full-height built-in Bosch example
Bosch NBS533BS0B Built-under double oven £749 Built-under option for a low housing

Capacity should be compared separately from the price. Two ovens with identical external dimensions can have different internal capacities, and a built-under model usually gives up some main-oven space to accommodate its second cavity. Compare the litre capacity of the main oven with the largest dish you use rather than relying on the model name.

How to choose the right electric double oven

  1. Measure the opening. Record the width, height and depth of the housing, including the available clearance around the appliance. Built-in ovens need a suitable housing and ventilation.
  2. Choose the installation type. Decide between full-height built-in, built-under and freestanding before comparing prices. The Hotpoint and Bosch Series 2 in the shortlist are full-height built-in models; the Bosch NBS533BS0B is built-under.
  3. Compare main-oven capacity. Write down the litre capacity of each cavity and compare the main oven with your largest roasting tin, tray or casserole dish.
  4. Inspect the upper cavity. Establish whether it is a smaller oven, a grill, or both. “Double oven” does not mean two identical fan ovens.
  5. Check the electrical requirements. Follow the manufacturer’s connection instructions and ensure that the existing supply is suitable for the appliance.
  6. Consider the kitchen arrangement. Choose built-in if you want the hob and oven separate, built-under if the oven must sit beneath the worktop, and freestanding if you are replacing a combined cooker.

A double oven’s main advantage is the ability to cook food in two cavities at different temperatures at the same time. Its main disadvantages are the unequal cavity sizes and the possibility that the main oven is smaller than a comparable single oven. These limitations are particularly relevant to built-under models, where two cavities are fitted into a relatively short appliance.

Frequently asked questions

What are the downsides of a double oven?

The upper and lower cavities are usually different sizes, and the main oven may be smaller than a comparable single oven. A built-under double oven has the strongest capacity compromise because two cavities are compressed into a low appliance. Buying and running costs can also be higher than for a single oven, particularly when both cavities operate together.

What is the best double oven to buy?

For a full-height built-in installation, the shortlist starts with the Hotpoint DIH10DIX at £339 and the Bosch Series 2 MHA133BR0B at £599. For a built-under installation, the supported example is the Bosch NBS533BS0B at £749. Choose between them by matching the format first, then comparing the main-oven capacity with your largest dish and the appliance’s electrical requirements.

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