Running a food business is one of those ventures where every second counts — and we understand that speed can make or break your daily operations. Merrychef ovens cook up to 20 times faster than conventional ovens, which explains why the Connex12 has become their best-selling model since launching two years ago. When your café needs to serve a chicken burrito in just 60 seconds, traditional methods simply won't keep pace with customer expectations.
Your business demands three things above all else: efficiency, consistency, and versatility. These ovens deliver on every front, cutting cooking times by up to 80% compared to traditional methods. Whether you're running a coffee shop, quick-service restaurant, or healthcare facility, the advantages over conventional equipment become clear quickly. The Connex12 works beautifully for businesses serving 100-120 items daily — whilst higher-powered models handle the pressure of busier environments.
This review goes deeper than the obvious benefits. We're here to uncover those features that aren't immediately apparent but make all the difference when you're serving customers day after day. From energy savings that impact your bottom line to space-saving designs that maximise every square foot, these solutions matter to business owners who need to make smart equipment choices — and we'll help you understand exactly what sets these ovens apart before you make your next investment.
What Is a Merrychef Oven and Who Is It For?
Merrychef has been pioneering commercial kitchen technology for over 75 years, evolving from creating the world's first commercial microwave oven in the 1950s to developing today's sophisticated high-speed ovens. These versatile appliances have become so synonymous with rapid cooking that many professionals simply ask for a "Merrychef" rather than a high-speed oven.
Target Businesses: Cafés, QSRs, Healthcare, and More
These ovens serve businesses where every minute matters. Cafés, convenience stores, quick service restaurants, canteens, hotels, and fast food chains all benefit from the speed and consistency these units deliver. The Merrychef Connex12 shines particularly bright in medium-volume cafés — whilst healthcare facilities rely on their efficiency for consistent, quickly prepared meals. Even petrol stations expanding their food offerings find these ovens invaluable, thanks to their compact footprint and remarkable versatility.
How It Works: Microwave, Convection, and Impingement
The secret behind Merrychef's exceptional speed lies in balancing three heat technologies:
- Microwave energy - Accelerates cooking from within
- Convection heat - Traditional heat for browning and texture
- Tuned impingement - Forces hot air through the oven onto the food
This triple approach creates a finely balanced cooking system that ensures even temperature distribution throughout the cavity. The Merrychef Eikon series takes this further, storing up to 1024 cooking programmes with multistage programming that gives you precise control over time, fan speed, and microwave power at each stage.
Why It's Different from Traditional Ovens
The difference becomes clear the moment you start using one. Merrychef units cook up to 80% faster, which changes everything about kitchen workflow. A sausage roll can be prepared in approximately the same time it takes to make a coffee — that's the kind of efficiency that transforms busy periods from stressful to manageable.
These ovens feature ventless operation thanks to built-in catalytic converters, eliminating the need for extraction hoods. Combined with cool-to-touch exteriors through patented Air Curtain Technology, you can place them virtually anywhere — from back counters to front-of-house environments.
Energy efficiency tells another compelling story. Using less than 0.7 kWh in standby mode, these ovens deliver remarkable multifunctionality — cooking, toasting, grilling, baking, and reheating — all whilst significantly reducing the need for multiple appliances and maximising your precious counter space.
Hidden Features That Make a Difference in 2025
Speed catches your attention first, but the real value lies in features that aren't immediately obvious. These sophisticated capabilities make daily kitchen operations smoother and more profitable in ways that become apparent only after you start using them.
Touchscreen Interface with 1,000+ Recipe Storage
Modern Merrychef ovens centre around an intuitive 7″ high-definition touchscreen with easyTouch® 2.0 software. This robust interface stores up to 1024 cooking profiles, ensuring identical results with every order. The system feels familiar — much like using a mobile phone — which means minimal training even for new staff members. Recipe transfers happen via USB memory stick, whilst the Connex range includes Wi-Fi and ethernet connectivity for remote menu updates through the KitchenConnect® platform.
Ventless Operation: No Hood Required
Here's where the financial benefits become substantial. Built-in catalytic converters eliminate the need for extraction hoods, and traditional hood systems cost thousands per linear foot. This ventless design makes installation straightforward whilst expanding your placement options throughout the establishment. You can position these ovens virtually anywhere without worrying about ventilation requirements.
Cool-to-Touch Sides for Front-of-House Use
Despite generating intense internal heat, these ovens maintain cool-to-touch exteriors. This safety feature proves essential for front-of-house operations, allowing zero clearance at sides and back. The patented cooling system uses variable-speed fans that increase airflow when magnetrons activate, circulating approximately 220 gallons of cooling air per minute. Your staff can work safely around the equipment without risk of burns.
Self-Diagnostics and Maintenance Alerts
Sophisticated monitoring systems continuously check every component. When problems arise, the system immediately alerts users with on-screen directions detailing both the specific issue and recommended solutions. This proactive approach reduces downtime and extends equipment lifespan through early intervention — keeping your kitchen running when you need it most.
Quiet Operation for Customer-Facing Environments
Noise levels stay remarkably low, with some models producing just 45.3 dBA in standby mode. The Connex range operates virtually silently, whilst the eikon e1s produces only 52-55 dBA. This quiet performance matters in customer-facing environments where background noise affects the dining experience. Your customers won't even notice the oven working.
Performance and Efficiency: What You Don't See at First Glance
Every piece of kitchen equipment tells a story about your business — and the real story of Merrychef ovens unfolds in the details that matter most when you're serving customers day after day. These performance metrics don't always grab attention in the showroom, but they're what determine whether your investment genuinely improves your daily operations.
Speed Tests: Beyond the Headlines
The Connex12 transforms kitchen workflows with speeds that genuinely change how you serve customers. A refrigerated burrito reaches serving temperature in 60 seconds, whilst a fresh pizza cooks perfectly in just 2 minutes. More importantly, a four-cheese panini takes merely 50 seconds — allowing cafés to maintain rapid service even when the queue builds during peak hours. The triple heat technology ensures thorough cooking without compromising the texture or flavour your customers expect, which means speed doesn't come at the expense of quality.
Energy Efficiency That Impacts Your Bottom Line
Your energy bills tell their own story, and Merrychef ovens help write a better one. These units consume less than 0.7 kWh in standby mode — significantly lower than conventional commercial ovens. During typical operation, you'll use approximately 70% less energy than traditional counterparts, primarily because shorter cooking cycles and targeted heat application work more efficiently. For a medium-volume establishment, this efficiency translates to roughly £900-£1,200 in annual energy savings that go straight to your bottom line.
Consistent Results Through Smart Programming
Multi-stage programming capabilities eliminate the inconsistency that can plague busy kitchens. Each cooking profile includes up to six distinct stages with individual settings for time duration, microwave power percentage, fan speed, and temperature control. This programmability removes human error from the equation — regardless of which staff member operates the oven, every dish maintains identical quality standards. For multi-location businesses, this consistency becomes essential for protecting your brand reputation.
Space-Saving Design for Tight Quarters
The Connex12's compact footprint — just 35.5 cm high × 35.5 cm wide × 62 cm deep — requires minimal counter space whilst replacing multiple traditional appliances. This consolidation allows you to maximise productive kitchen area without sacrificing menu variety or quality. Zero-clearance sides mean you can install the unit directly adjacent to other equipment, making the most of every square centimetre in space-constrained environments.
Choosing the Right Model: Connex12 vs Connex16 vs Eikon Series
Every business has its own rhythm — and we're here to help you find the model that fits yours perfectly. Your choice depends on three key factors: daily volume, menu style, and kitchen space. Each model serves different environments, and understanding these distinctions will guide you to the right investment.
Connex12: Best for Medium Volume Cafés
The Connex12 tells the story of thoughtful design — a 30.5cm × 30.5cm (12″) cavity nestled within a slender 35.5cm (14″) width unit that sits comfortably on standard 600mm worktops. This model adapts to your electrical setup, whether you need the standard 13A plug version for cafés and mobile catering, or the 32A single-phase option for busier environments. Perfect for businesses serving cheese toasties in 60 seconds or Chinese prawn stir fry in just 50 seconds, it handles medium-volume service with remarkable consistency.
Connex16: Ideal for High-Volume and Pizza Menus
The Connex16 offers something special — the largest cavity-to-footprint ratio available, with a 41.3cm × 41.3cm (16″) cooking area in just a 45.8cm (18″) width oven. This model still fits standard 700mm worktops whilst delivering the power you need for high-volume operations. Pizza-focused businesses will appreciate its ability to cook a 16-inch chilled thin crust pizza in just 90 seconds. Built for demanding environments, it requires hard-wired power connections but delivers exceptional performance through simultaneous microwave and convection heating.
Eikon e1s and e3: Compact and Versatile Options
Sometimes smaller businesses need big solutions in compact packages. The Eikon e1s represents one of the most space-efficient high-speed ovens available, designed specifically for businesses adding hot food options from limited space. Its stylish black finish and minimal footprint work beautifully in front-of-house placements. The Eikon e3 offers slightly more capacity whilst remaining stackable — perfect for shops, bakeries, smaller restaurants, and pubs looking to expand their hot food offerings without major kitchen changes.
Warranty and Support Considerations
Protection matters when you're making this investment. The Connex series comes with 2 years parts and labour warranty, whilst the Eikon models include 1 year parts and labour coverage. We recommend factoring these differences into your total cost calculations — sometimes the longer warranty justifies the higher initial investment, especially for businesses with heavy daily use.
Conclusion
Every successful food business tells a story — and yours deserves the right equipment to help write the next chapter. These ovens do more than cook food quickly; they create opportunities. Twenty times faster cooking means you can serve more customers, reduce wait times, and build the kind of reputation that keeps people coming back.
The features we've explored together go well beyond obvious speed advantages. Ventless operation saves you thousands on extraction systems, whilst cool-to-touch exteriors give you placement flexibility that can change how you design your entire space. These aren't just technical specifications — they're solutions to real challenges you face every day.
Yes, the initial investment sits higher than conventional ovens. But consider this: energy savings of up to 70% add up month after month, year after year. When one unit replaces multiple appliances, you're not just saving money — you're reclaiming precious counter space and simplifying your operations.
The right model depends on your story. Whether you're running a cosy café that thrives with the compact e1s, building a medium-volume business around the Connex12, or scaling up to the Connex16's capacity, each choice opens different possibilities. What matters most is that programmable recipes ensure consistency — your signature dishes taste the same whether you're cooking them or your newest team member is.
Food quality never takes a back seat to speed with these ovens. The triple-heat technology maintains every texture, every flavour, every element that makes your menu special. This combination of speed, consistency, and quality makes Merrychef ovens essential for businesses ready to meet rising customer expectations whilst building something sustainable for the future. Your customers are waiting — and now you have the tools to serve them brilliantly.