What To Know Before You Buy a Bread Oven

I love bakery purchases as much as the next baker, and a bread oven is in my bucket list. Bread ovens promise consistent bakes at a large capacity, and the perfect amount of steam we chase with every bake.

I also know from personal experience -and from the notes dozens of you have sent me on this matter- how big decisions like this one change your rhythms at home and in your business. My goal here is not to scare you off, but to help you think it through so you buy a bread oven confidently instead of under pressure and stress.

Bread ovens are costly and they take up real space in your life, not just in your kitchen. If you are baking at a steady clip and selling out regularly, a dedicated oven can be the perfect next step.

If you are still finding your pace, it might be smarter to build your systems first, then invest once your demand is proven. Either way, I am cheering you on to make the decision that fits your business, your household and the season of life you are in.

Jump to:

• Know Your True Capacity Before Buying A Bread Oven
• Consider Life Seasons Shifts While You're Paying The Bread Oven Off
• Make Your Bakery Space Fit Your Family Flow
• What Else Should Bakers Think About Before Buying A Bread Oven?
• Bread Oven Brands I Recommend Exploring
• Try Lower-Cost Bread Bulk Baking First
• Related Posts
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Know Your True Capacity Before Buying A Bread Oven

Let me be honest about my own learning curve. Around the beginning, I was consuming a lot of content from bakers who had a much larger capacity than me. I wanted to be like them so badly!

I thought I wanted to bake 100+ loaves every single week, but after doing that a few times, I realized I could not keep that pace while being a mom of five very active kids. Not without burning out fast. My capacity settled into a level I can sustain, while loving my job and enjoying my life. That is the capacity I use to judge equipment decisions, including a bread oven.

If you are not sure yet, test your "real week" for several weeks using the equipment you currently have. Track how many loaves you can comfortably sell, the hours you spend mixing, shaping, baking, and cleaning, and how your body feels afterward.

If you can maintain 60+ loaves weekly for a few months and still feel good, you are probably bread oven-ready. If the number fluctuates based on family schedules, that is useful data too.

You can absolutely grow into a large purchase such a bread oven, but let your actual rhythm guide the timing.

Consider Life Seasons Shifts While You're Paying The Bread Oven Off

Big purchases live with you through different seasons, and that can be so rewarding. While you are making payments, life may shift in exciting ways.

Maybe you want another child. Perhaps your kids reach an age where you want to homeschool or where you have to drive them to more activities outside of the home. Maybe you are dreaming about a move or thinking of a relative that's needing extra care. Perhaps you want to go back to school, or a new job opportunity pops up.

Any of those scenarios can change how much and how often you can realistically bake, and that is okay.

Think through your Plan B before you swipe the card so you feel confident either way.. If you had to pause or cut your capacity in half, what would you do?

Would you sell the oven? How, where, and for how much? Would you keep it and bake less often? Could you sublet time to another baker in your area? or perhaps rent it by the day for cottage bakers who need access? I love that you have options.

Mapping these scenarios now makes the decision feel grounded instead of risky and it keeps you in the driver's seat. Whether you go for the oven or decide to wait, you will be choosing from a place of clarity. That is something to feel really good about.

Make Your Bakery Space Fit Your Family Flow

Space is not just square footage. It is part of how your home feels and your family life flows.

I personally love using my home ovens and keeping bakery tools and equipment tucked away in a closet. This way, family life flows smoothly between bakes. That setup lets me reset my house quickly and avoid "bakery creep" into every room.

If you have the room for a dedicated bakery space, there are wonderful advantages: faster production, easier cleanup, and a clear boundary between home and work. In some states, a separate prep area is even required, so check your local cottage laws.

If you do go for a bread oven, plan for the unglamorous details.

• Verify electrical requirements with a licensed electrician.
• Measure clearances for steam and heat.
• Consider floor load and ventilation
• Map the workflow around the oven so hot pans are never crossing family traffic.

A calm, safe setup makes baking days feel professional instead of stressful.

What Else Should Bakers Think About Before Buying A Bread Oven?

Run the math on your demand. It is exciting to read stories of bakers who "made the money back in two months at the farmers market." I am super happy to hear those stories because it means there is great demand in their area and they are fulfilling their dreams.

I want you to ask yourself if your situation matches theirs. Are you enrolled in a market with comparable foot traffic and price points? Have you already sold similar weekly volumes? Do you have the prep and mix setup, packaging, labeling, and pickup systems in place to handle that scale? If yes, amazing! you are probably ready to justify a bread oven! If not yet, no problem. Build the funnel first and let your sales prove the need.

Also think about maintenance and downtime. Who services your model in your area? How long do replacements take? What is your plan if the oven is down the week before Thanksgiving preorders?

Finally, budget for the extras people forget: electrical work, dedicated oven stand/cart, accessories like loading/unloading peels, fire-safe mats, insurance updates, and any permits required by your locality.

Bread Oven Brands I Recommend Exploring

First of all, let me just say that I am not currently affiliated with any of these bread oven brands. Even though I love the idea of owning a bread oven and I hope one day to live in a house big enough to fit one, currently it would be disingenuous for me to partner with one of these brands when I don't even own their product.

But like I said above, there was a time when I thought I wanted to bake at a larger capacity weekly and I thought that I really needed one, so I have done my research and I have chatted with many bakers who do own these bread ovens, so I can confidently give you my two cents.

My top pick to explore is the Pico Plus. It's closest to a true bakery deck oven, and I love that you can start with one deck and add more as you grow. That modular approach keeps upfront costs friendlier, lets you learn your rhythm before scaling, and gives you room to expand.

I also suggest looking at Rofco, RackMaster, and My Forno. In my experience, European-made appliances are built with durability in mind. I love all of my European appliances, especially the German-made ones: the bread mixer I use and recommend, my beloved Thermomix, my cordless handheld mixer and bread knife, and my bread slicer.

I am not here to put down American-made options at all. I simply lean toward brands with a long track record for durability, sturdy, reliable parts, safety mechanisms, etc. This is such an important and expensive purchase and if you are baking week after week, the details in construction and service support really matter.

What about other popular bread oven brands?

If you do not see a brand listed here, it is likely because, based on my personal experience dealing with that brand, my own research and feedback from bakers producing at higher volumes, I would not choose it at their price point. I have heard repeated concerns about product quality and customer support, including how smaller creators are treated poorly or ignored completely.

I want you to feel confident in your investment, so I am pointing you toward options that, in my view, meet a higher standard for reliability, performance, and long-term value.

Try Lower-Cost Bread Bulk Baking First

Before committing to purchasing a bread oven, I suggest you test higher volumes with tools you likely already have.

Open baking, roasting pans for steam, or my Two Pan Method are excellent ways to practice multiple batch flow, proofing schedules, bulk baking, cooling, packaging and large pickup/delivery/market logistics.

I know many bakers who've picked up used, like-new double home ovens locally and plugged them in their garage or a room in their house. It's an affordable way to increase capacity, test what larger-scale baking feels like, and if it isn't for you, they're far easier to resell than a large commercial oven.

Many bakers discover that with tight systems they can meet their demand without a specialty oven, or they grow into one with absolute clarity about what size and features they truly need.

I have heard from plenty of bakers who were thrilled they waited before buying a bread oven. They dialed in their recipes, learned their customers, and saved cash while building a repeatable schedule.

I have also heard from several bakers who bought in the excitement, then hit a tough season, burned out, or needed to scale down for different reasons, while a beautiful bread oven sat in their family dining room with payments remaining.

If reading this has you nodding along with a solid plan, I am excited for you. A bread oven can be a wonderful partner when it matches your capacity, your space, and the season of life you are currently in.

And if you are still deciding, that is smart too. Keep building your audience, batch your bakes with simple methods, and track your numbers until the purchase feels like a natural next step.

Check out my Bakery Tips page for other helpful articles like this one.