Kitchen ovens are appliances that are heated compartments used in the process of cooking food. Generally ovens are used for heating, roasting, baking and broiling foods. There are many different types of ovens that can be for general cooking or for very specific purposes. The types of ovens covered in detail on Improve.com are convection ovens, electric ovens, gas ovens, pizza ovens and wall ovens.

Ovens have existed since as early as 29,000 BC in Central Europe and have existed in very different forms. Some of the simplest types of ovens have been earth ovens, which are simply pits dug in the ground and heated by smoldering debris or rocks. Ceramic ovens are one of many types of ovens that are constructed with clay. The first electric ovens were invented in the late 19^th century and innovations have continued ever since. There are many, many more types of ovens that have been used throughout history for cooking made in many different ways depending upon the region and the raw materials that were readily available.

Today's kitchen ovens are normally fueled by gas or electricity and are used for roasting, baking and broiling food. Ideally, an oven is a box with a constant temperature filled with still, hot air. This is the reason people pre-heat ovens, so that once food is entered into the box, the temperature remains constant. Ovens are used to bake foods such as cakes, biscuits, casseroles and many, many other items. Many ovens have the option to either bake or broil foods. Broiling foods means that the oven turns on its top burner and heats the food with infrared radiation from above. Broiling in an oven is ideal for foods such as steaks.

Like most other kitchen appliances, ovens can range from being very simple to being incredibly complex. Some ovens are self-cleaning while others require the owner to manually clean food debris. The type of oven that works for each person is dependent upon their needs, their space and what the purchaser is willing to spend.