# Stove top ovens?



## BrianK (Sep 9, 2013)

I've often searched the internet for ovens that can be placed on top of our wood stoves for baking. The two most common I've found are the Coleman folding camp ovens (I've got one but never tried it) and the Perfection oven sold at Lehman's Hardware in Ohio.

I just stumbled upon a new modular oven made from high density cast refractory. I don't see a price yet but this unit looks promising:



> *Outdoor Kitchen – The Oven – Part 2*
> September 5, 2013 by SMathieu Leave a Comment
> 
> 
> ...


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## pen (Sep 9, 2013)

I have an old one that we used to use on a kalamazoo cook stove that I keep threatening to modify to work atop my 30.

Never seen one like you mentioned.  Wonder how quickly it heats up compared to the light metal ones

pen


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## EatenByLimestone (Sep 9, 2013)

I was given one of the old Coleman ones.  I've never had it out of the box.


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## BrianK (Sep 9, 2013)

pen said:


> I have an old one that we used to use on a kalamazoo cook stove that I keep threatening to modify to work atop my 30.
> 
> Never seen one like you mentioned.  Wonder how quickly it heats up compared to the light metal ones
> 
> pen



I'd imagine it takes a while to heat up. They are building this oven as part of a rocket stove outdoor kitchen and it looks like they are placing it inside one of the "bells" of the rocket heater, not over the riser (which in this illustration is covered by a cast iron cook top):


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## begreen (Sep 9, 2013)

Where does that dragon heater vent? Is the exhaust routed around the oven?


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## BrianK (Sep 9, 2013)

begreen said:


> Where does that dragon heater vent? Is the exhaust routed around the oven?



Yes but apparently they vent down low to the ground. The heat rises and fills the "bell" as in a masonry wood stove and the exhaust is taken off from the bottom of the bell to let the heat rise and stay in the bell. They explain it here:
http://www.dragonheaters.com/castle-build-masonry-heater-exhaust-flow/
And here:
http://blog.dragonheaters.com/wood-heat-storage-flues-vs-bells/


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## coaly (Sep 9, 2013)

Griswold made them in different sizes. One with glass front was called the BOLO, stands for Big Oven / Little Oven. They are a good size with two racks. We use them as a bread box and pie safe while not in use. 20" wide, 14" deep, 18" high.


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## BrianK (Sep 10, 2013)

coaly said:


> Griswold made them in different sizes. One with glass front was called the BOLO, stands for Big Oven / Little Oven. They are a good size with two racks. We use them as a bread box and pie safe while not in use. 20" wide, 14" deep, 18" high.
> View attachment 111046
> View attachment 111047



That's a well designed and nicely sized unit. Hard to find one at a reasonable price, judging by a quick search.


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## DevilsBrew (Sep 10, 2013)

Have they posted a price for the oven?  Can you buy a cast oven separately on the internet?


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## BrianK (Sep 10, 2013)

DevilsBrew said:


> Have they posted a price for the oven?  Can you buy a cast oven separately on the internet?



I sent them an email and they said they will be selling the oven as a stand alone accessory. They are also developing a door for it. I have not received any info on pricing.


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## DevilsBrew (Sep 10, 2013)

What type of door do you use on an outdoor oven?  I have only seen people rig metal sheets on youtube.


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## BrianK (Sep 10, 2013)

DevilsBrew said:


> What type of door do you use on an outdoor oven?  I have only seen people rig metal sheets on youtube.



I'm not sure. I asked about using it on top of a wood stove. Here is their response:



> Yes it is available for separate purchase. Do you need a door? We are working on a door.
> 
> The oven currently has tabs at the back for resting on a flue. You may not want the tabs if you are just going to set it on top of a stove.


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## Jags (Sep 10, 2013)

Coaly - you got any guess to the vintage of those Griswold stoves?  They are pretty darn cool.


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## coaly (Feb 21, 2015)

Old thread, but the ultimate stove top oven sold on eBay for $200 and I've never seen one like it. AFTER it sold I found they retailed for $300 when made, probably should have gone for it. Stainless Steel, no longer made, by Pacific Energy.








	

		
			
		

		
	
 Even a strap on the back to connect to stove pipe.

Looking at this design, and price, I'm tempted to pick up an old toaster oven, (OK, on trash day) remove the electrics and bottom and make a stainless baffle with holes for the bottom. Glass door is the most important so it doesn't need to be opened while baking.



Jags said:


> Coaly - you got any guess to the vintage of those Griswold stoves?  They are pretty darn cool.



Here's some ads I came across from 1924 for the Griswold BO-LO. I never knew what was meant by big or little oven, and found my "Flue Plate" that I never knew existed was slid in at the very top like an oven rack. I thought it was the oven top inside. It's a double wall plate that you slide into the rack where you want to make the oven smaller. So it heats a smaller area quicker on the bottom when not so much room is needed. An adjustable roof inside. It heats much faster when only heating the area you need instead of waiting for the entire area to heat.



	

		
			
		

		
	
 Plates shown removed on left.




So when I slid the false top out of the oven, the directions are stamped into the flue plate!



	

		
			
		

		
	
 Without it, the heat radiates through the single wall oven top and doesn't heat. EDIT ; So measuring from the bottom rack, I can make the heated area 6 inches, or 10 inches high. It will get a lot more use knowing it heats much faster when set right. Duh.........


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## rideau (Feb 21, 2015)

You can use any closed pot or roaster as an oven.  I do all the time.  You can set it directly on the cooktop or soapstone if you have the item you are baking elevated in the "oven", or you can set an oven rack over the stove and set the "oven" directly on the rack with the item being baked sitting on the bottom of the "oven" (no internal rack).  Advantage:  you don't need any more "tools" around the house. 

That Griswold looks fine.


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## coaly (Feb 21, 2015)

We have two stove top ovens used as a bread box and pie safe when not in use.
The manufacturer of that oven states "not for use with soapstone". That's why it was sold on eBay. It wouldn't bake without removing the bottom shield and cooking on stove top. The seller said cookies had to be finished by removing bottom shield and finishing on stove top.
The only time my wife uses the extra ovens is when the cook stove oven is full. The stove top is in the 600 range when oven is on anyway. Some cakes don't do well opening a door or changing temperature to check them.
So we're way beyond a cover or roaster. The reason it's nice to double bake on top as well is the temperature rise in the house while baking. If you're going to bring it up to temp in the summer, you do it all at once. The PE oven holds 4 loaves, the Griswold 8. For pizza, these don't get near as hot as the cook stove oven.
Last week the electric toaster got bumped for a stainless stove top toaster ! These things are more than an electric one!


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