Rational Combi Ovens

[rotuts]

looks very very nice

 

congratulations.

 

shy they don't make 'consumer' models  = size of mid level palin vanilla ovens Ill never know   240 V

 

what is under the Rational ?

[&roid]

Just resurrecting this old topic. 
 

how have the last few years been with the Rational?

 

I used one while on holiday in Italy a couple of years ago and was blown away. Would love to get one if/when we ever move house again. 

[palo]

Compare with APO?

 

p

[AlaMoi]

since it does not cool anything, basically according to thou-wilt-die safety twits, one is limited to "loading up" the device to maximum two hours prior to cooking.

 

if one is able to control / act / modify one's behavior prior to two hours+cook time before eating, might work.

 

seems similar to the gadget that read the item's bar code to know how to cook it.  20,000+ bar codes in the US grocery store, bar codes recognized:  3,000.  didn't fly very high or far . . . .

Edited June 1, 2021 by AlaMoi (log)

[MikeMac]

I’ve been living with and loving my rational oven for a few years now.   We use it on a daily basis we stay on top of the cleaning and we have not had one service call.   That’s an amazing piece of German engineering at its finest.   Very easy to live with I’m getting more into steam all the time because it’s just so easy.   Once you have steamed shrimp when they are perfectly plumb and tender it’s hard to go back.

 

we have not needed any service or technical support but every once in a while I do have a question on how to cook something and the Rational Chef Line works great.

 

As we age it’s hard to imagine moving to any place I couldn’t put a new one in.   Why new one?  Because I like the LED lights down the side of the cooking chamber I’m not sure if there’s any other meaningful differences.

Edited June 2, 2021 by MikeMac
Typo’s (log)

[gfweb]

@MikeMac
got a photo?

[MikeMac]

[rotuts]

@MikeMac 

 

serious envy here.

 

what is under the Rational?

[MikeMac]

Rational Is the full meal deal they make a series of “carts”  that not only puts the unit at the correct height for safe use but also hold the necessary pans. And allows you to move it around pretty easily for cleaning etc.

 

I have accumulated quite a collection of pans.   I have additional storage in the garage 4 pans.

 

In addition I am very popular around Christmas or other holidays because holiday baking with 10 racks is very quick and the rational does a great job.

 

 

[adey73]

1 hour ago, MikeMac said:

Rational Is the full meal deal they make a series of “carts”  that not only puts the unit at the correct height for safe use but also hold the necessary pans. And allows you to move it around pretty easily for cleaning etc

 

 

can you set each rack in the oven at a different temp for holding? (... or did I dream that capability)

[MikeMac]

No it’s one temperature  - one cooking Cabinet but the oven has a feature that allows it to cook multiple things at once for example breakfast I can do the bacon eggs  pancakes and toast all at the same time on different shelves with different times.

 

And I get crispy toast

Edited June 2, 2021 by MikeMac
Typo’s (log)

[gfweb]

57 minutes ago, MikeMac said:

No it’s one temperature  - one cooking Cabinet but the oven has a feature that allows it to cook multiple things at once for example breakfast I can do the bacon eggs  pancakes and toast all at the same time on different shelves with different times.

 

And I get crispy toast

 

One could do that with a conventional oven, no?

[adey73]

2 hours ago, MikeMac said:

 for example breakfast I can do the bacon eggs pancakes

 

 

fry-up and PANCAKES!!

[&roid]

@MikeMac this is great to hear. Glad it’s working out so well… I’m really getting sold on this idea. Hope you don’t mind me picking your brains some more:

 

what have been your big wins? Like what food have you cooked that’s really improved on your previous normal ovens?

anything you’d have done differently? Model choice, location, ventilation?

 

 

[MikeMac]

Great question let me think about it. 

[AAQuesada]

I use Combi's professionally and don't think there is a 'killer app' for one. Really they are great because they do whole a lot of things 10% better, easier & more efficient & repeatable. 

[MikeMac]

I was asked what I would change about my rational install 

 

Not much - Something that took a long time to figure out what is the amount of ventilation you need do not cheap out on the ventilation you will have a kitchen full of steam or smoke great smelling smoke but not a good thing.

 

My biggest win would be braises mix everything up the day before toss it in the oven let it cook overnight and simply reheat to serve unbelievable so simple and so good the other thing that the oven does incredibly well is salmon there was a setting in mine  called crispy salmon designed by the Canadian head Rational chef Kevin - Amazing.

 

Steaming seafood with vegetables is another huge win as long as you’re careful and don’t over cook it’s great clean food very much wife approved.   Braising It’s not her preferred cooking method due to the calories but she loves anything I do steamed with vegetables.

 

Happy wife - chance of a happy life.   This seems to of worked for us for the last 30 years.

Edited June 3, 2021 by MikeMac (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, MikeMac said:

I was asked what I would change about my rational install 

 

Not much - Something that took a long time to figure out what is the amount of ventilation you need do not cheap out on the ventilation you will have a kitchen full of steam or smoke great smelling smoke but not a good thing.

 

My biggest win would be braises mix everything up the day before toss it in the oven let it cook overnight and simply reheat to serve unbelievable so simple and so good the other thing that the oven does incredibly well is salmon there was a setting in mine  called crispy salmon designed by the Canadian head Rational chef Kevin - Amazing.

 

Steaming seafood with vegetables is another huge win as long as you’re careful and don’t over cook it’s great clean food very much wife approved.   Braising It’s not her preferred cooking method due to the calories but she loves anything I do steamed with vegetables.

 

Happy wife - chance of a happy life.   This seems to of worked for us for the last 30 years.

 

Could you kindly share the temperature and humidity for your overnight braise?  And what exactly were you braising?

 

[MikeMac]

On 6/3/2021 at 12:36 PM, AAQuesada said:

I use Combi's professionally and don't think there is a 'killer app' for one. Really they are great because they do whole a lot of things 10% better, easier & more efficient & repeatable. 

 

On 6/2/2021 at 6:38 PM, MikeMac said:

Great question let me think about it. 

 

[MikeMac]

Overnight braise any type of beef with lots of connective tissue works best never tried fish Pork and chicken do better same day.  I am not sure of Temperatures or humidity level used as it’s all automatic.   Rational has a computer and sensors you can depend on.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, MikeMac said:

Overnight braise any type of beef with lots of connective tissue works best never tried fish Pork and chicken do better same day.  I am not sure of Temperatures or humidity level used as it’s all automatic.   Rational has a computer and sensors you can depend on.

 

The oven doesn't tell you at what temperature it is cooking?

 

[CanadianHomeChef]

On 6/5/2021 at 6:27 AM, MikeMac said:

Overnight braise any type of beef with lots of connective tissue works best never tried fish Pork and chicken do better same day.  I am not sure of Temperatures or humidity level used as it’s all automatic.   Rational has a computer and sensors you can depend on.

Hi Mike,

Hope you're still around these forums. I see you are in Calgary; me too. Just curious who your local dealer was? I'm thinking about getting a rational when I buy a new place (still a few years down the road) and it would be great to work with someone who's had experience installing one in a residential kitchen. 

[paulraphael]

Anyone had a chance to compare the Rationals to the high end consumer combi ovens (like Gaggenau)?

 

 

[EsaK]

I'll try in this topic instead of opening a new one. Looking for a professional combi oven in the size of approximately 10 x GN1/1 pans, one of the standard sizes for most ovens at least in Europe. Had a couple of questions which seem to be very hard to find answers to, so here we go if someone is able to help.

In general or specifically for any pro versions, how much weight can one level bear? Is 25 kg going to be OK on one level (nothing else in the oven most likely during that time)? One GN 1/1 pan that is 200mm deep holds 26 litres, so I'd assume the ovens are designed to hold at least about 26 kg on one level without issues?

How precise are the ovens at the lowest temps of 25 or 30C? I'm looking at using the oven for fermentation, for example making koji, which would require the oven to be pretty close to 30C and be able to generate some steam, preferably.

Dehydration of basically anything I assume works fine on pretty much all models, but how about smoking? I'll have a big professional restaurant hood above the oven, but does smoking in general work in these, is that possible?

Are there major differences in terms of cleaning the machines and how well it works and how easy it is?

And if you have any feedback on some specific models and why you thought they were good or bad, happy to hear! 

[MikeMac]

Update:

The Rational has been the single most reliable piece of kitchen equipment I’ve ever owned. We’ve been using it almost daily for quite a few years we’ve had to replace the door gasket, which was easy and our only other expense has been rational brand cleaning tablets.

 

The Rational people that I have dealt with here in Canada have been amazing they don’t care when the last time I bought anything was they just want to make sure that I am happy and answer my at sometimes simplistic questions.

 

I compare this with some of my friends that have installed high-end residential equipment for the same or more money they’ve had more service and less support I am extremely happy with this purchase.

 

With our aging taste buds and digestion systems we are getting more into steaming and simpler seafood.  Of course, the rational has us covered and delivers an excellent product. 

 

Sooner or later, we’re going to have to downsize one of my requirements in the new place is making sure I can get one of these ovens in maybe a bit smaller I think the deciding factor will be the electrical service available