A cooktop oven is a standalone unit that features an oven and a cooktop range of stoves on top of the oven itself. This is typically held in contrast to a wall oven, which features only an oven placed inside of a wall, without any stoves built into it. Neither type is inherently better, as each has its own strengths and weaknesses; the type of oven used in a kitchen will usually depend on personal preference and the space available. A cooktop oven often features at least four stoves, several removable racks for within the oven, and a number of different settings.
Sometimes called a range top oven, a cooktop oven is generally a self-contained unit that is a major part of any kitchen. This type of oven is usually like a box in shape and will often come up to about the waist of a typical adult user. The oven will often feature a door on the front that can be opened and closed to access the oven itself. This door is hinged at the bottom to open down and allow unobstructed access to the oven. On top of the oven is the stovetop that usually features a range of stoves.
One of the major strengths of a cooktop oven is the fact that it contains an oven and a stove range all in a single unit. For smaller kitchens, this means that the space is typically being better used. The design of a cooktop oven, however, also means that most users will have to bend down to get food in and out of the oven itself. The oven is also typically accessible to children, and so special care is required to ensure small children do not play with a hot oven of this type.
A wall oven, on the other hand, is usually raised to be more easily accessible to adults, and is typically above where small children can reach. This type of oven, unlike a cooktop oven, requires a separate range, however, and this is often impractical in smaller kitchens. A cooktop oven will usually have a number of features, such as removable racks that can be placed at varying distances from the heating units and a broiler function that sets the heat at the top of the oven for grilling. While different types of energy sources for these ovens exist, the most common are electricity or gas.
