For new owners · From the manuals
Just got a steam oven? Your first week
Steam ovens need a few things a regular oven doesn't: a first heat-up, the right water, and a little emptying after each cook. The brands disagree on the details, so find yours below. Every instruction comes from that manufacturer's own manual, linked.
What every manual we checked agrees on
- Unpack fully and clean first. Every brand below that covers first use says to remove the tape, film or packaging, and most say to wash the tank and accessories too.
- A smell on the first heat-up is normal. Anova, Tovala, NuWave, Miele and Wolf all say so. Open a window and run the vent.
- Water does not have one right answer. Anova recommends distilled; Miele, Wolf and Thermador say not to use it. Use what your manual names.
- Empty what collects. Most ask you to empty the water tank or drip tray after cooking. Wolf pumps water back into the tank itself and asks you to wipe the cavity dry.
Anova Precision Oven (2.0)
- Before the first cook
- Remove all tape and packaging and clean the upper water tank. Setup prompts you to run "heating element preparation"; some vapor and odors are normal during that first cycle. The app is not required to use the oven.
- Water
- Distilled water is recommended, to slow scale buildup.
- Descaling
- The oven prompts you after 30 hours of steam use. Anova's descaler or any generic descaling liquid.
- After each cook
- Check and empty the waste-water tank and the drip tray before and after each cook.
Cuisinart Combo Steam + Convection (CSO-300N1)
- Before the first cook
- Remove labels, wipe the inside with a damp cloth, wash the accessories and rinse the water reservoir. There is no burn-in step.
- Water
- Tap water in the reservoir.
- Descaling
- Annually with average use, twice a year with heavy use, using 1 cup water and 1 cup white vinegar. The oven does not prompt you.
- After each cook
- Empty the drip tray after each use.
Tovala Smart Oven Pro
- Before the first cook
- Remove the packaging, wash the basket and tray, then run Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes. Smoke or a burning smell during this run is normal. Wi-Fi is needed to scan Tovala meals.
- Water
- Only tap water in the water reservoir.
- After each cook
- Empty the drain tray that sits under the door.
NuWave Combi Steam Oven
- Before the first cook
- Remove the plastic and tape and wash the accessories. A heated-plastic smell the first few times is normal.
- Water
- Room-temperature water only; no other liquids in the tank.
- Descaling
- Use a non-abrasive descaler on the steam plate. No interval is given.
- After each cook
- Once cool, empty all water and clean after each use.
BALMUDA The Toaster
- Before the first cook
- Remove the shipping tapes, attach the toasting rack, and leave the stated clearance around the toaster.
- Water
- Nothing but tap water, using the small cup for each cycle. Do not top up the water.
Ciarra Nosh Oven
- Water
- Purified water, not hotter than about 100°F.
- After each cook
- Remove the water tank and drain any remaining water.
Miele combi-steam (DGC series)
- Before the first cook
- Setup asks for the water hardness. Then set the boiling point: fill the tank and run Steam Cooking at 212°F for 15 minutes. Then heat the empty oven on Convection Bake at 395°F for 30 minutes; a slight smell from the heater is normal.
- Water
- Only cold, fresh drinking water. Miele says distilled or carbonated water could damage the oven.
- Descaling
- The oven counts down the steam uses left before it needs descaling. Use Miele descaling tablets.
- After each cook
- Empty the water and condensate containers after use and leave the door open until the oven is dry.
Wolf Convection Steam Oven
- Before the first cook
- Test your water with the strip provided and set the hardness. Wash the interior, fill the tank, then run Convection Steam at 410°F with the oven empty for 30 minutes. Some smoke and odor is normal.
- Water
- Fresh, cold tap water. Do not use demineralized, filtered or distilled water.
- Descaling
- Roughly every 6–18 months, prompted according to the hardness setting. Use only Durgol Swiss Steamer.
- After each cook
- Let the oven cool and wipe the interior dry.
Thermador steam oven
- Before the first cook
- Set the water hardness level, then run Steam at 212°F for 30 minutes; this first run also calibrates the oven to the air pressure where you live.
- Water
- Do not fill the tank with distilled water.
- Descaling
- The oven reminds you based on the hardness level you set. Use the descaler Thermador specifies.
- After each cook
- Empty the water tank after each use, and don't leave water standing in the cavity for long periods such as overnight.
Brand not listed, or a different model? The Manual Library has the manual for every oven we track.
What to cook first
Start with things steam does better than any other oven, so you see the difference on day one.
Steam Oven Baking
The best-reviewed cookbook written specifically for combi steam ovens: 25 sweet recipes with the steam settings worked out for you. If you own a combi steam oven and want one book, start here.
What new owners usually add
A steam pan, a thermometer and a soft cloth. If you buy descaler, get the one your manual names: Miele and Thermador specify their own, and Wolf names Durgol. Affiliate links, at no cost to you.
A general-purpose steam-oven descaler, for ovens whose manual allows a generic one (Anova says any descaling liquid works). Miele and Thermador name their own descalers; use those instead.
View on Amazon · ~$21
Miele's manual recommends perforated containers so steam reaches food from all sides. A 1/3 pan is about 12.75 x 6.9 in; check your oven's interior before buying.
View on Amazon · ~$50
Steam cooks faster than you expect. A one-second probe stops you overcooking fish and chicken while you learn.
View on Amazon · ~$15
Steam burns through cloth mitts. Silicone does not soak, which matters when you open a door full of vapor.
View on Amazon · ~$19
A soft, non-abrasive cloth for drying the door and cavity after a steam cycle. Every manual we checked rules out scouring pads and abrasive cleaners.
View on Amazon · ~$9
Cut to the size of any tray. Stops fish and dough sticking to perforated pans.
View on Amazon · ~$6