FAQ

If you have ever seen our bakers on a stand at an exhibition or in the coffee shops of the many businesses who use them you will understand why you should use a potato baker.  They instantly draw the attention of the customer looking to see what food is on offer and by doing so will often upgrade a sale from just a drink to a meal.

Our baker will become your silent salesman.  It will cook, store and promote the sale of baked potatoes at your venue and only requires a 13 amp socket.  Your customers know you care about the food you serve, they can see the potatoes are not microwaved and they can often choose their topping fresh from your servery.

Washed and graded potatoes need no preparation.  However, if you rub the raw potatoes in cooking oil and a little salt before baking the skins will be extra tasty.  Pricking the potato skin before cooking may help prevent a cooked potato from "exploding."

In our ovens a  typical 8/10 oz (226/283 gm) potato should be cooked for approximately one hour. If the potatoes are larger than this add more time, the longer a potato is cooked, the thicker the jacket becomes.

Yes, baked potatoes are nutritional (especially the skins) and provide a good source of fibre.   They also contain more potassium per gram than a banana.  The typical values of a raw main crop potato such as a Maris Piper, King Edward, Desiree and Cara have the following nutritional values:

Perhaps more importantly baked potatoes are Gluten free, which makes them a very useful addition to your menu.

Hot toppings such as baked beans, chilli and curries are all popular fillings for jacket potatoes and are easy to keep warm.  Our Compact and Compact Lite models have integral bain marie units specifically for hot toppings.  Alternatively we have a range of Prestige and Classic bain maries in colours and designs to match your King Edward potato baker.

Remember that while a Bain Marie will keep fillings hot it will not cook them from cold. The fillings need to be brought up to the right temperature before putting them in the Bain Marie.

Not really, although having extraction or ventilation nearby will of course take care of any steam the baker produces.  If the baker is going to be situated in a normally ventilated room there shouldn't be a problem, and you won't need any specific ventilation. 

If the baker has a steam vent and you can site it under an extraction unit then we recommend that there is at least 300mm (c 12") free space above it.

If budget will allow, always buy the largest capacity baker that you can, the difference in price, footprint and running costs is very little between the two sizes and you can always utilise any unused oven capacity for something else.

Get your first batch of potatoes in and cooking in plenty of time.  If you need to serve from 11.30am for example, have the first batch cooked and in the display oven for 10.45am.   Put the second batch in to bake and by the time the display oven is empty the next batch will be ready.  Once baked and on display, we recommend that you serve the potatoes within 1.5 hours of cooking.  Any potatoes not used can be refrigerated, sliced and sprinkled with oil and paprika and baked for 10mins to make tasty wedges or you can use the flesh to thicken soups or stews.

Certification shows that the oven has been independently tested and meets the required safety and performance standards for commercial use. It confirms the appliance is legal to place on the market and safe to operate.

What do UKCA, CE and UKNI actually mean?
These are the recognised conformity marks for different regions.
• UKCA applies in Great Britain
• CE applies in the EU
• UKNI applies in Northern Ireland when a UK approved body carries out the assessment

Does a certified oven go through extra testing?
Yes. Gas appliances undergo detailed checks on combustion quality, construction, materials, durability, efficiency and safe operation. These assessments are completed by an independent approved or notified body.

Why is independent testing important?
It protects operators by ensuring the oven meets strict safety requirements. It also supports insurance and inspection needs, because the appliance has been formally assessed rather than self declared.

What documentation sits behind these marks?
Every certified oven must have a full technical file and a Declaration of Conformity to show it meets the regulations. This provides clear proof of compliance if an issue is ever raised.

Are King Edward ovens certified?
Yes. All King Edward gas ovens are tested and certified to UKCA, CE and UKNI standards. This guarantees they meet the legal requirements for the UK and EU markets and have passed independent safety and performance testing.

As the inside of the oven can operate up to 250°C there is a clear potential for the outside of the baker to get hot to the touch.  King Edward ovens use convection to move hot air around the oven cavity, this is a more efficient means of cooking and requires less input from the element which reduces heat transference to the outer casing. Common sense should prevail when you site your baker and all staff using the oven should of course use an oven glove or gauntlet as you would with any other hot equipment.

If you are placing your baker counter top with potential for the public to touch it then the simple fitting of a low glass or perspex sneeze screen along the counter edge could be a consideration.  A sneeze screen may also serve you well if you have other equipment or foodstuffs you would like protected.