The 2025 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study revealed an interesting appliance trend in its online survey of 1600 respondents, (conducted in July 2024 and released in January 2025). The popular platform is used by both professionals and homeowners for home remodeling and design solutions. Tucked into its latest findings was this nugget: “Specialty features drive oven preferences: Nearly two-thirds of homeowners choose ovens with specialty features (63%), including phone monitor controls (39%), remote timer activation (30%), control locks (30%), precise temperature control (25%) and automated cooking (22%).” Why does this matter? I believe that cooking appliances get closer than any other category to people’s relationships to food, family, health, tradition and home and, in the case of many older consumers, their choices rely more on lifelong habits, biases and culture than industry desires.
I reached out this week to designers, real estate professionals and appliance retailers in email questionnaires and professional groups on Facebook to find out what they’re seeing in clients’ residential oven choices. Is the trend being driven by genuine user preferences or by the prevalence of such features in available appliances? Here’s what I learned.
Real Estate Perspective
There are three occasions when ovens show up in decision-making. The first is when a buyer is shopping for a new home. (The second is when an appliance stops working. The third is during a planned remodel.) It’s a long-held truism that kitchens sell homes, and appliances play a significant role in that selection.
“Our buyers today want professional-grade kitchen appliances that are streamlined for the home, whether it be for their own personal use, or that of their personal chefs,” declares Isabella Holguin, a Miami-based Realtor with Fortune International Group. “Ovens are the true heart of a kitchen, so brands and capabilities unquestionably make a difference when these discerning buyers look to make their next home purchase,” she adds.
In one of Fortune’s projects, St. Regis Residences in Sunny Isles Beach, the developer is installing Gaggenau 400 series ovens in all of their kitchens. Holguin says buyers are loving the technology and multiple cooking features.
Across the country in La Jolla, Coldwell Banker luxury property specialist Michelle Silverman says, “A top-tier gourmet kitchen can add 6% to 10% to a home’s value in luxury or upscale markets.” She notes that “When it comes to resale value, the oven features that excite buyers and add perceived value to a home go beyond just flashy tech — they’re also about convenience, lifestyle, and quality.”
Double Imperative
Having two ovens – whether in a wall installation or as part of a range – is a must, Silverman declares. “It is a major draw for families and entertainers. It adds versatility and capacity, ideal for holidays, dinner parties, or everyday multitasking.”
Stuart Stone’s New York area Royal Green appliance chain clients are opting for what he calls a ‘cooking quadrant,’ comprised of two single wall ovens mounted next to each other, then a steam oven above one and a speed oven/microwave over the other. “Most clients opt for wall ovens providing there is enough space,” designer Mark Haddad in the Boston area observes. They can be installed at more ergonomic heights than a range, which requires bending over to insert or retrieve items from oven cavities.
Technology-Enhanced
Technology features are also popular with Silverman’s buyers, as they are with Houzz respondents. “Buyers love being able to control the oven remotely or integrate it with smart home systems. It signals a ‘modern’ home,” she shares.
Stone’s clients also like technology features, he says, and attributes their popularity to guided cooking making gourmet meals possible for less experienced cooks. Up the coast in New England, Steve Sheinkopf, CEO of multi-branch Yale Appliance, agrees: “I think people are buying different technology to improve their cooking.”
Seattle-based architect Andrew Mikhael is seeing this too: “Honestly I’m surprised just how fast the guided cooking tech is getting adopted,” he comments.
“Smart features, such as Wi-Fi enabled controls for remote starting and recipe suggestions, are very well received by our tech-savvy clientele, shares San Francisco Bay Area designer Sheeja Nair. Northern New Jersey-based designer Sharon L Sherman heralds the arrival of artificial intelligence in cooking appliances for suggesting meals based on ingredients at hand and assisting with troubleshooting.
There is some inevitability to technology adoption, as Vancouver, BC college instructor and designer Corey Klassen notes: “It’s a strong focus and rather assumed now that all appliances are feature-rich with apps and Wi-Fi connections.”
Combi Ovens Rule
“My clients are increasingly favoring combi ovens due to their multi-functionality,” comments New Jersey-based designer Maria Stapperfenne. “Additionally, models with a built-in air-fry feature are particularly appealing, as they provide added versatility while eliminating the need for an extra countertop appliance.” This was a widely shared opinion by the designers who commented. Stone also sees a strong interest in air fry modes, the retailer says.
“We are specifying more and more multi-function ovens, including convection microwave ovens with smart cooking modes, and steam (or steam-assisted) convection ovens with smart cooking modes to optimize cooking time, flavor and food quality,” observes Boise and San Francisco Bay Area designer Crystal Hackl.
Steam Power
As noted, steam is often the functionality incorporated in combi ovens. As Sheinkopf observes, this cooking method improves the flavor and texture of food. (It also preserves its nutrients.) “Steam ovens are big for healthy and easy cooking with smart recipes built right into the appliance,” Sherman declares.
“With many clients using sous vide, a steam oven is a great solution that doesn’t require a water bath,” suggests Hackl.
Klassen sums up the trend this way: “Double ovens are out. Single oven and steam oven is in.”
Last Words
Oven features are great, but the more sophisticated technology you gain with appliance purchases, the greater level of sophistication is required to service them. In his savvy Home Appliance Blog, Sheinkopf offers this valuable caution: “A highly rated appliance won’t mean much if you can’t get it repaired when something goes wrong. Check service availability before purchasing: Appliance failures are common, but good service is rare.”
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