Brandt BOP7542X test: the built-in oven is amazing in more ways than one

It’s hard to think outside the box from an aesthetic point of view in a compact device, from the top priorities oven. We can of course try to play on the color, the material or the shape of the handle, but basically, the architecture remains very similar from one model to the next. The BOP7542X is quite classic with its pull-down door located under the control panel. Not only does the black glass door, as well as the various polished stainless steel parts, add a touch of originality, but everything looks good enough to allow it to cook cakes and other preparations for many years.

Immediately we notice the two large wheels placed on either side of a set of sensitive switches and a sectional electronic screen. As a rule, the mode on the left is used to select the cooking mode (natural convection, pulsed heat, etc.) and the one on the right is used to adjust the temperatures or cooking time. This is not the case with the BOP7542X. If the left rotating button retains its functionality, this time the right button is used to choose a cooking parameter to adjust, such as (accurately) the temperature or the duration of the process. And thanks to the sensitive keys Plus and Minus, those we mentioned a little earlier, the user optimizes its settings, to 5 ° C for heat and to the minute for everything related to durations. Cooking start and end time.

Thus one passes from the left of the appliance to choose the cooking mode to its right to choose the parameter to be adjusted, and finally back to the center to make the adjustments. Without this being insurmountable, we all have a much more comfortable and instinctive experience. What doesn’t really help, it is necessary to check the temperature or cooking time by touching the OK sensor button. If this last step is not respected and you turn the wheel to adjust another parameter, the changes will not be taken into account: it irritates.

Despite the somewhat outdated display technology (found in many clock radios in particular), the information distilled is relatively complete. Please note that there is no issue of texts being too long or too complex as the cooking recipe, but rather to indicate the name of the preparations available to the cooking assistants, called Flavor Guide or Auto Cook Function on this model. Small precision, the first still asks the user to enter a weight after selecting the lotion, and the second takes care of everything, on its own thanks to the presence of sensors in the cavity.

In addition to the names in full, Brandt introduced light icons. The combination of the two makes it possible to do without a paper instruction manual; The one we tend to put away in a certain place so we don’t forget, but which we obviously eventually will never find…

As was the case with the Sauter SOP6615LX built-in oven, the BOP7542X can be paired with a smartphone. The process is very simple as it is enough to scan the QR code and enter the wifi code for the home network, however it requires you to first create an account on the manufacturer’s website. In return, we have a remote interface that allows you to prepare your cooking in a tangible way.

The application does not stop there and sends notifications at various key moments of cooking: when preheating is over, for example, or at the end of cooking. Good point, you can choose the information that will be sent and ignore the irrelevant ones. Of course, simplified access to after-sales service is provided, as well as a digital user manual in PDF format. Finally, Brandt has definitely moved into the future where you can now connect your oven to a Google Assistant-compatible smart speaker, once again thanks to the app.

The Brandt BOP7542X Oven comes with a minimum when it comes to accessories. You will have to rely only on the grill and the drip pan.

The cooking modes on the Brandt BOP7542X are not numerous, but the choice made by the manufacturer seems adequate, which is sufficient in any case to handle the various situations you encounter in the kitchen. So, the seven modes are heat (the toroidal resistance at the bottom heats up and the fan spins), natural convection (the upper and lower resistances work alone), sole spring (the bottom resistance works, as does the fan), and eco, BBQ, ventilated grill, vent (works). upper and lower heating elements while the fan is running).

As we already mentioned, the Cooking Assistant is divided into two main categories, BBQ flavor and auto cooking, powerful with 12 settings. In fact, they are very similar from one mode to another. We find, for example, pizza, quiches, cakes, soufflés, etc., on each tab, and therefore we wonder why Brandt did not choose slightly different dishes or did not group everything under one category. So the choice is necessarily limited compared to certain models of built-in ovens with cooking assistants with 30 or 40 automatic programmes.

Brandt BOP7542X has managed to contain its power consumption.

To complete our 45-minute test to go from 25°C to 200°C and maintain this temperature, it needs 0.64 kWh in static heat mode, which is very reasonable.

In the pulse heating mode, we climb up to 0.79 kWh for 45 minutes of use. Thus, the difference with the static heat mode is significant (0.15 kWh is the same), but this consumption is quite acceptable when compared with the consumption of other built-in ovens under the same conditions.

Finally, the consumption of the eco mode (0.68 kWh) remains higher than that of the static heating mode, and as we explain below, the cooking performance is very disappointing. So there is no real reason to use it.

Brandt BOP7542X provides very good cooking performance.

First of all, it is easy to preheat the speaker. In convection mode, you need 9 minutes 20 seconds to raise the temperature from 25 ° C to 185 ° C. To reduce this time, you can switch to the static heating mode because, paradoxically, it is faster in this configuration: only 5 minutes and 30 seconds. We also measured the time required for this exercise with the rapid preheat option, and a 160 °C difference between 25 °C and 185 °C is generated in 4 min 45 sec.

As the temperature curves show, those required are well respected. And even if there are slight differences in temperature, it does not seem to us that they are enough to interfere with the proper cooking of delicate preparations. Good point, this is true if we use constant heat or pulsed heat, at 200°C or 250°C. However, in any case, it will be necessary to wait 20 minutes before benefiting from the almost perfect heat stability.

The temperature appears to be well distributed throughout the muffle. In fact, the different curves representing the temperature at different places of the cavity are close to each other. In fact, this means that cookies on a sheet will all bake evenly, whether they are placed near the door or at the bottom of a muffle. Again, the observation is valid regardless of the selected cooking mode (pulse or static heat) or temperature (200°C or 250°C).

Like many environment modes before it, the Brandt BOP7542X’s mode didn’t really convince us. The required temperature (200 ° C) is not respected, the heat is not as stable as in traditional cooking methods, and there are very large differences between different areas of the cavity.