Indesit vs Whirlpool Built-in Ovens

Indesit and Whirlpool overlap closely in the middle of the market. Indesit's prices run from £234 for the IFW 3841PIX UK single to £349 for the IDU6340IX built-under double, while Whirlpool's go from £349 for the Absolute AKZ96220IX 73-litre electric oven up to £599 for the W7OM44S1P 73-litre single. The Whirlpool Absolute AKZ96220IX and Indesit IDU6340IX both cost £349, but they are different types of oven: one is a single cavity and the other a built-under double. The Whirlpool AKL309IX 109-litre double costs £210 more than the Indesit IDD6340BL.

Whirlpool's technology is the main differentiator. The W7 OM5 4S P adds 6th Sense automatic cooking, which adjusts temperature and cooking time for you, along with eight multifunction settings and pyrolytic cleaning. The W7OM44S1P also uses pyrolytic self-cleaning, with Cook4 functionality and an assisted display. Indesit's ovens are simpler. The IDU6340IX has a digital display with instant feedback, a twin grill and a defrost and slow cook function, while the IDD6340BL offers 74 litres in its main oven and 42 litres in its second.

Indesit suits anyone who wants a low-cost double oven for family cooking or a single oven for a rental property. Whirlpool suits households that cook regularly, want automatic cooking help or prefer pyrolytic cleaning to scrubbing. The AKL309IX makes sense if you need two cavities of different sizes, such as a 70-litre main oven and a 39-litre second oven. Check the housing measurements before buying, because the Indesit IDU6340IX is a built-under oven for a 72cm housing, while the Whirlpool AKL309IX is a built-in double.

Bottom line: choose Indesit if you want a double oven or a single oven at the lowest sensible price, and choose Whirlpool if you want 6th Sense automatic cooking, pyrolytic cleaning or the 109-litre AKL309IX double for a busy family kitchen.