Easy Bake Oven vs. Easy Bake Ultimate Oven: What’s the Difference?
The Easy Bake Oven has been a beloved toy for budding chefs for decades. Originally introduced in the 1960s, it gave children a safe, fun way to bake treats with the help of a small heating element. Over the years, the Easy Bake Oven has gone through several upgrades and redesigns.
One of the most notable upgrades is the Easy Bake Ultimate Oven, which was released in 2011. While both the classic Easy Bake Oven and the newer Easy Bake Ultimate Oven serve the same purpose—introducing kids to baking—they have some important differences in design, heating method, capacity, and cooking capabilities. Let’s explore these differences to help you decide which model might be best for you or your young baker.
1. Heating Mechanism
One of the biggest changes in the Easy Bake Ultimate Oven is the way it generates heat:
- Classic Easy Bake Oven: The original and early versions of the Easy Bake Oven used a 100-watt incandescent light bulb as the heating source. The bulb produced enough heat to bake small treats but required careful monitoring and had limited temperature control.
- Easy Bake Ultimate Oven: With the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs, Hasbro redesigned the oven to use a small electric heating element instead. This new heating mechanism allows for more consistent heat distribution, better temperature control, and faster baking times. It’s also more energy-efficient and safer, as there are no bulbs to replace.
2. Cooking Capacity and Pan Size
The cooking capacity and size of the pans differ slightly between the two models:
- Classic Easy Bake Oven: The traditional Easy Bake Oven pans are relatively small, holding around 3-4 tablespoons of ingredients (about 2 ounces). These pans are best for miniature portions, so recipes need to be adapted to fit the smaller pan capacity.
- Easy Bake Ultimate Oven: The Ultimate Oven has a slightly larger baking chamber, allowing for larger pans and more food to be baked at once.
This means you can make slightly larger portions or experiment with more complex recipes without needing to scale down ingredients as much.
The Ultimate Oven pans typically hold around 1/4 cup (4 ounces) of ingredients, allowing for a bit more creativity in the kitchen.
3. Cooking Speed and Consistency
The Easy Bake Ultimate Oven has a significant advantage in terms of cooking speed and consistency:
- Classic Easy Bake Oven: With the light bulb heating element, baking times can be longer, and the heat may not be as evenly distributed. Baking a small cookie or cake could take 15-20 minutes or more, and results can vary depending on the wattage of the bulb and how well it’s heating.
- Easy Bake Ultimate Oven: The electric heating element in the Ultimate Oven provides a more consistent heat, reducing baking times and delivering more predictable results. This makes it easier to follow recipes without worrying about undercooking or overcooking. Most items in the Ultimate Oven bake in about 10-15 minutes, depending on the recipe.
4. Recipe Options and Versatility
With the Ultimate Oven, Hasbro expanded the range of recipes and versatility:
- Classic Easy Bake Oven: Earlier models were limited to a few basic mixes for cookies, cakes, and small treats. Recipes had to be tailored for the oven’s smaller capacity, and the baking options were more limited.
- Easy Bake Ultimate Oven: The Ultimate Oven comes with a broader variety of pre-made mixes, including options for cookies, brownies, pretzels, and even pizza. Additionally, it’s easier to adapt regular recipes for the Ultimate Oven’s larger pan size and better heating capabilities.
The Ultimate Oven also accommodates a wider range of textures and consistencies, allowing young bakers to try more complex recipes like layered cakes, brownies, and savory snacks. We offer more than 250 Easy Bake Oven Recipes on our site!
5. Design and Appearance
The design of the Easy Bake Oven has evolved to be more modern and kid-friendly:
- Classic Easy Bake Oven: Early models of the Easy Bake Oven had a simple design and came in various colors over the years, often reflecting the styles of the era. The oven was typically rectangular and featured a slot to slide the baking tray in and out, using the light bulb as the main feature.
- Easy Bake Ultimate Oven: The Ultimate Oven has a sleeker, more modern design, often with rounded edges and brighter colors. It features a larger, transparent baking window so kids can watch their treats as they bake. The design of the Ultimate Oven feels more like a “real” kitchen appliance, making it even more exciting for young bakers.
6. Safety Improvements
Safety is a major consideration for any toy, especially one that involves heat:
- Classic Easy Bake Oven: While relatively safe, the original models did require some caution with the hot light bulb, and there was a risk of kids touching the hot bulb or improperly inserting the tray. Some models also required adult assistance to remove the hot baking pan safely.
- Easy Bake Ultimate Oven: The Ultimate Oven’s electric heating element is enclosed, reducing the risk of burns. Additionally, the door and baking chamber are designed to prevent kids from reaching the heating element directly, adding an extra layer of safety.
7. Ease of Use and Maintenance
The Ultimate Oven is generally easier to use and maintain, thanks to its upgraded design:
- Classic Easy Bake Oven: Bulbs needed to be replaced periodically, which could be tricky and required adult help. The smaller pans also required more frequent cleaning, and finding compatible replacement parts could be a challenge.
- Easy Bake Ultimate Oven: With no bulbs to replace, the Ultimate Oven is lower maintenance and easier to clean. The larger pans make it easier to handle and wash, and replacement parts are more widely available.
The Lightbulb Model worked Best, Why did they Get Rid of It?
Hasbro discontinued the light bulb model of the Easy-Bake Oven primarily due to changes in energy regulations that led to the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs in favor of more energy-efficient lighting.
In 2007, with the energy-efficient lighting standards coming into effect, it became challenging for Hasbro to rely on traditional 100-watt incandescent bulbs as a heating source, as these bulbs were gradually removed from the market.
Additionally, safety concerns were a factor in Hasbro’s decision.
While there wasn’t a specific lawsuit that led directly to the discontinuation, there were some safety incidents involving children getting burns from the classic Easy-Bake Oven models.
In 2006, Hasbro did face a recall of nearly 1 million Easy-Bake Ovens after reports of children getting fingers and hands stuck in the oven, which led to serious burns in some cases. The recall prompted Hasbro to enhance safety features and reconsider the heating mechanism.
As a result, Hasbro introduced the Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven in 2011, which uses an electric heating element instead of a light bulb. This change not only aligned with regulatory standards but also improved the overall safety and efficiency of the product.
Summary: Which One is the Best?
Both the classic Easy Bake Oven and the Easy Bake Ultimate Oven offer fun and educational baking experiences for kids, but the Ultimate Oven has a clear edge in terms of efficiency, consistency, safety, and versatility.
If you’re looking for a simpler, nostalgic experience or have a classic model on hand, the original Easy Bake Oven is a fantastic choice for small projects. However, for more extensive baking possibilities, faster cooking times, and a greater range of recipes, the Easy Bake Ultimate Oven is ideal.
Unfortunately, unless you plan to shell out several hundred dollars and search for old lightbulbs, you’re pretty much stuck with the newest model available, which isn’t particularly cheap either, at just under fifty-dollars.