2018’s Best Rotisserie Ovens

We’ve spent over 22 hours in research and product testing over the course of one month. Among all the Rotisserie Ovens we reviewed, the Ronco ST5000PLGEN Showtime Rotisserie stood out among the rest. We were impressed by its huge volume capacity which can hold up to 15 lbs. of poultry. Beside that the oven also comes with a heat-proof handle, dishwasher parts and among other features which makes cooking quicker and easier. [read more].

A Rotisserie ovens is a type of kitchen appliance used in roasted meat. Unlike traditional methods of cooking such as frying or boiling, the meat cooked in a rotisserie oven is more juicy, tender and tasty because of the unique cooking mechanism of this type of oven which evenly distributes and saturates the meat’s natural juice all over it.

In this article, we’ll be discussing the things you must consider before buying a rotisserie oven. We’ll also be reviewing some of the best oven available in the market these days.

What are the Things to Consider Before Buying a Rotisserie Oven?

1. Functionality

The most obvious consideration you must consider in buying a rotisserie oven is the overall functionality of the oven. There a few things you have to keep in mind to evaluate how functional a rotisserie oven is.

• Power – The oven’s power or wattage is a good indicator how capable or how fast an oven is in cooking. Ideally, you’d have to look for an oven that is at least 1,000 watts if you’re looking for something that is conveniently powerful.​
• Cooking Modes – Most ovens offer various cooking modes which are preset temperature settings which the oven follows on specific stages of cooking. Apart from the usual rotisserie cooking mode, there’s also a cooking mode you can use which allows the meat to brown the crust and to further saturate the meat with its juice.
• Capacity – Consider how much meat you can cook in the oven. Ideally, you’d want an oven with a big volume capacity, usually along the 10 lb. - 15 lb. range.
• Temperature and Cooking Time Controls – Various ovens have different mechanisms for setting cooking time and temperature. Some have adjustable knobs which allows you to set the time or the temperature by just turning the knobs. Others allow you to control things by pushing several buttons. The latter option is more ideal and more reliable but knob controls can still do a fine job.
• Versatility – While rotisserie ovens are largely for rotisserieing meat, some ovens are also capable of doing other tasks. A few ovens in the market are also capable of baking, broiling, grilling, reheating and toasting. While this may be a great addition, you also have to be cautious when it comes these products since it may not be as powerful as ovens that are solely for rotisserie.

2. Design/Type

There two main types of ovens: horizontal and vertical. Horizontal ovens take up more countertop space and are often bulky in size. This may be a disadvantage space and aesthetic wise, but this quality allows horizontal ovens to accommodate more meat in it. On the other hand, vertical ovens tend to be more compact but it’s also given that they fall behind most horizontal ovens insofar as volume capacity is concerned. Lastly, there are also unique designs such as foldable horizontal ovens, a design wherein the upper parts of the oven are collapsible which reduces the oven’s height. When it comes to making the decision as to what type to buy, consider the countertop and the storage space available in your kitchen.​

3.​ Accessories

Most oven also comes with a generous set of accessories. Be alert for accessories such as oven gloves, skewers, multifunctional baskets and among other essential kitchen tools.​

How did We Assessed and Evaluated These Products?

We scoured through whatever rotisserie ovens on the market we can get our hands on from review sites and seeking recommendation from friends and readers. As expected, there were plenty of rotisserie ovens (over 45) and each comes with various features, cooking modes and accessories. And to be honest it was very overwhelming and confusing.

We thought wouldn't it be great if we could narrow down the list so that you do not need to spend too much time on research. We began by establishing the common buying criteria based on the feedbacks we received from readers and friends. Some criteria we gathered include maximum heat, heat-up speed, power usage, durability, size & weight and ease of set-up and cleaning. Especially the last point.

Once we determined the criteria we applied scores to each of the 45 rotisserie ovens on our list based on the above mentioned criteria. We then aggregated the scores and sorted them accordingly in ascending order with the highest score on top. We also eliminated some brands that were known to be poor consumer’s choices. Then only the top five with the highest aggregated scores would be featured in our review.​

Throughout the process and subsequently as we conducted product evaluation there were no inducement from brands, vendors or manufacturers that would influence our decision. Hence our opinion are free from bias.​

We assessed the products through some product-testing, studied review sites like ConsumerReports.org and cooking forums to ensure we didn’t miss any important factor out. We also spoke to two real consumers to really understand buyer’s needs.​

We were aware that picking the best product did not mean the most expensive product nor one that came with the greatest number of features. Rather it was a sweet spot of cost as balanced out by features you generally need.

Hence, each rotisserie ovens was thoroughly reviewed on factors like specs, performance, price and etc. along with weighing their pros and cons. At the end both qualitative and quantitative factors were carefully considered before we formed our recommendation.​

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Our Top Picks

The first product on our list is the Ronco ST5000LGEN.

If it ring a bell to you, it is probably because it is a popular rotisserie ovens in the market today.

This rotisserie oven has no frills and does one thing – rotisserie.

You can’t bake, broil or toast in it but it does an good job at rotisserieing meat. You can cook up to 15 pounds of turkey in just one cooking.

You can also choose from the three cooking modes available in this oven – rotisserie, sear and no heat.

These three cooking modes allow you to thoroughly cook, brown and saturate the meat in juice.

Ronco claims that you can save energy with this oven since it uses 1/3 less energy than most ovens.

The preset temperature you can use in cooking is 350 degree Farenheit and you can cook things at an impressively short duration.

You won’t have a hard time cleaning its interiors since a simple wipe using a damp cloth will be enough. The other parts can be safely tossed them in a dishwasher.

The exterior handles does not heat up which makes it easier for you to open the oven while cooking. However, the sides of the oven can get extremely so you need to be careful and make sure it is not reachable by kids.

If you are an avid rotisserie meat lover, this oven can provide you with a restaurant-grade cooking capacity which consistently delivers juicy and tasty rotisserie meat.

If you are looking for a rotisserie oven that can also bake, toast and do other tasks, then the Cuisinart TOB-200 Rotisserie Convection Toaster Oven is a great choice for you.

Cuisinart’s is a versatile product. You can rotisserie, roast, broil, bake, toast and reheat food in this oven.

Capacity wise, you can rotisserie up to 4 pounds of chicken, duck, or pork roast; or 3 pounds of beef roast.

Additionally, you may also cook up to 12 slices of pizza and toast up to 6 slices of bread.

There are obviously larger rotisserie ovens out there but nevertheless, this oven will do just fine in preparing medium-sized meals for your family.

We love the vast array of cooking options this oven offers. You can pick from chicken, duck and meat buttons for rotisserie.

You may also simply press a pre-set button for warm, bake, broil, roast and pizza.

Plus, you can customize the number of slices for bread toasting and the size of the pizza to achieve the precise temperature for cooking as set by the oven itself.

All of these options save you from the guesswork in the time required to cook any meal.

However, you can also set the cooking time in case you don’t need any of the preset settings.

We also find this oven very convenient and easy to use. You’ll just have to press several buttons to set the time and temperature. In the aspect of cleaning the oven, you won’t have to exert humongous efforts because of the interior is non-stick. Lastly, the auto-out oven rack makes removing the cooked items inside the oven easier.

Another reliable kitchen aid on our list is the Ronco EZ store.

This product is engineered specifically for rotisserie cooking and we’re very impressed with the enormous 15-pound capacity it has, a considerable quantity when compared to the cooking capacity of other rotisserie ovens in the market.

We found that this product’s rotisserieing power is generally good. You’ll enjoy juicy and crispy meat, since this oven’s heating technology effectively circulates heat all over the meat you’re cooking.

You’ll find this oven easy and convenient to use.You can set the cooking time and the cooking mode by just pressing a single button.

Like other Ronco ovens, you’re free to choose from three available cooking modes – roast for rotisserie cooking; no heat for distributing the juices evenly all over the meat; and sear for browning or searing steaks and other food items to improve crispiness.

The nesting design is quite revolutionary. The uppers parts of the oven folds inwards so you’ll able to fit this oven in most cabinets.

When it comes to accessory you’ll be able to enjoy a generous set comprised of a rotisserie basket, oven gloves, carving platform, recipe booklet and 12 food ties.

If you’re looking for a cheaper version of the Cuisinart TOB-200, the Elite Cuisine ERO-2008N Maxi-Matic may be a great alternative.

You can also rotisserie, bake, toast and broil using this affordable oven.

Capacity wise, we find this oven quite limited as it can only hold up to 5 pounds of poultry.

We suggest you not to try cooking beyond that range since will mostly lead into unsatisfactory results.

As long as you rotisserie meat within the allotted capacity, the meat is decently juicy and tasty.

You can also cook up to 12” of pizza, reheat leftovers, toast up to 6 slices of bread, broil and bake.

The Elite Cuisine ERo-208N claims that it can heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature control can be easily done using an adjustable temperature control knob.

However, we discovered issues concerning the oven’s temperature control. You will not be notified if the oven’s real-time temperature exceeds the temperature you initially set.

Also, it may require you a huge amount of patience since it does take a considerable amount of time for it to reach at least 350 degrees Fahrenheit, usually between 8-10 minutes.

The same is also required if you’re using it for toasting and grilling. On the other hand, the performance is satisfactory in baking and pizza cooking.

You’ll find the oven’s interior easy to clean. Lastly, you’ll also be getting a wire rack and a tray is with this oven.

By and large, this oven is good enough as a reliable, entry-level rotisserie oven that is capable of doing other tasks.

The last oven in our list is the Cusinart CVR-1000 Vertical Countertop Rotisserie, a vertical countertop oven.

We find the vertical design a major highlight feature of the oven, particularly because it makes trussing poultry in it easier than most horizontal ovens.

You’ll be able to rotisserie up to 8 pounds of poultry in the vertical poultry tower.

You’ll also appreciate the skewer set, especially if you are a shish kebab fan.

In addition, you’ll also be getting a multipurpose basket which can hold fish and vegetables comes as well with this oven.

Regarding cooking performance, you’ll be enjoying consistency in delivering impressively juicy and tasty rotisserie results.

There are five preset heat settings you can choose from – 325, 350, 400, 425 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

We find the temperature control accurate and reliable. It has an Hour and Minute button which lets you customize the cooking time.

Plus, you can also see the number of hours or minutes of cooking left in the LDC time display.

You can time at most three hours using the timer and by the time the timer reaches 0:00, the oven automatically shuts down.

You can safely toss all of the oven’s parts in a dishwasher. You’ll also love the interior light in it, which basically to have a view on the food you’re cooking in the oven.

The door handles are also constantly cool so you there’s no way you can burn yourself. .

Our Recommendations:

Editor's Pick: Ronco ST5000PLGEN Showtime Rotisserie

Topping our list of rotisserie ovens is the Ronco ST5000PLGEN Showtime Rotisserie. You’ll certainly love the powerful and efficient cooking performance of this oven. You’ll be able to prepare and enjoy rotisserie meat that is at par (if not better) to what is served in restaurants. You’ll also find extra convenience in the 15 pounds of poultry it can hold and the roster of features it offers: a heat-proof exterior handle, a dishwasher-friendly parts and a generous set of accessories for cooking. Lastly, from what we’ve gathered, this rotisserie oven has an incredible reputation when it comes to durability.

Runners Up:  Cuisinart CVR-1000 Vertical Countertop Rotisserie with Touchpad Controls and Elite Cuisine ERO-2008N Maxi-Matic

Clinching the second place in our list is the Cuisinart CVR-1000 Vertical Countertop Rotisserie. You’ll find the vertical design helpful, since it makes trussing meat easier and faster.

We’ve also found out that this oven’s cooking power cannot just be discounted. This oven is a reliable and powerful tool you can use in rotisserieing meat. However, you’ll also notice that it falls behind the Ronco oven when it comes to how much it can accommodate – a decent 8-pound capacity. You’ll also be having ultra-functional accessories which enable you to cook a variety of food items such as fish, shish kibab, vegetables and among others.

Wrapping up our list of recommendation worthy rotisserie ovens is the Elite Cuisine Maxi-matic. We loved the combination of versatility and affordability in this oven, which makes it a great economical choice if you are on a tight budget. We discovered that it’s not exactly as powerful as the other two ovens mentioned above but it is capable of doing a decent job at rotisserieing meat. You’ll also certainly love the oven’s versatility since it can do various tasks such as baking, reheating etc.By and large, we think this oven is a commendable entry-level appliance that can rotisserie and among other tasks.