How to Find the Cubic Feet of an Oven

When looking to redo your kitchen, the oven might just be the most important part. A functional kitchen is one where preparing and cooking food is easy, and the right oven is a huge part of that. And while things like appearance and function are important when it comes to choosing your perfect oven, it's not the only thing you need to think about. You also need to consider your oven's size.

The outer size of an oven is important — you want it to fit in the designated area it's supposed to. But you may also wish to consider the inside space of an oven. Measuring the cubic feet of your oven can be a perfect way to decide if it's right for you.

Ensuring your oven will fit in its designated location is obviously essential before making a purchase. You'll want to make sure it slots nicely into the wall space you've set aside for it and lies flush against the rest of the cabinets. You'll also want to ensure there's enough clearance around your oven — allowing adequate space for it to open and close, for example. According to AO, the average compact oven measures 45 x 60 cm, and the average single oven measures 60 x 60 cm.

But outwards oven size isn't always an accurate way to measure oven capacity. Different ovens have different insulation, so what looks like a similar-sized oven can actually differ significantly when it comes to internal capacity. Knowing the internal cubic feet of your oven is important for establishing what cooking needs it caters to. According to Appliance City, while most ovens will offer enough space to cater to an average-sized family, if you have more extreme cooking needs, you may need to look into a special oven size.

Single ovens come in compact and single sizes. While Home Depot claims most standard ranges are 30 inches wide, a compact unit is around 18 inches tall, while a single unit around 24 inches. For those with more complicated cooking needs, a double oven might be a better choice. They're around 30 inches tall and are split between two chambers. This means they allow you to cook at two different temperatures at once.

According to Lowes, the average internal oven capacity ranges between 3 and 5 cubic feet. The common idea is that you should allow 1 cubic foot of capacity per person in the household, up to 4 cubic feet.

Before starting your oven measurement, ensure it's switched off at the main and cool to the touch. You should empty the oven of any internal shelves to get the most adequate measurement you can.

Take a tape measure and run it along the top of your oven until it reaches the back. Take a measurement of your oven's depth in inches and record it. Next, measure your oven's width in inches along the top of the oven and, again, record. Finally, measure the height of your oven, from its top to its bottom and record once more.

Multiply these three measurements together to give yourself the cubic inches of your oven capacity. Then, divide this number by 1,728. This will give you the precise measurement of cubic feet of an oven.