Why we put IR heaters in our deck ovens
Most deck ovens do the basics: you’ve got stone slabs for the bottom heat and hot air swirling around for the rest. For most people, that’s fine. But if you’re chasing that perfect, professional crust, you’ll find it’s just not quite enough. That’s why we add Shortwave Infrared (IR) heaters. Think of it like this: instead of waiting for the whole oven chamber to soak in heat, IR beams energy straight onto the dough. It’s instant. The second the loaf goes in, the surface reacts.
The secret to that “oven spring”
Here is the thing about radiant heat: it doesn’t just sit on the surface; it actually penetrates the dough. This is what triggers that rapid “oven spring,” giving your bread that beautiful lift. We wrap the tungsten filaments in quartz glass to keep the heat focused and beaming downward. It’s a high-intensity hit of energy that caramelizes the sugars and browns the crust way faster than air ever could. It’s the difference between a pale loaf and one with that deep, rich color.
Keeping it simple (and fixable)
When we build these, we focus on power density. We usually set them up for high-voltage industrial grids—230V or 400V—so we can pack a lot of punch into a small space without overloading your system. And because we know things break in a busy kitchen, we use R7s or SK15 connectors. They’re basically plug-and-play. If a lamp burns out, you don’t have to call an electrician to rewire the whole machine. You just pop the old tube out and slide a new one in. Simple.
A few things to watch out for
Now, IR heating is powerful, but it can be a bit aggressive. If you use a lamp with too much wattage in a shallow oven, you’ll end up with a charred crust while the middle of your bread is still raw. To stop that from happening, we pair the heaters with a PID controller. It handles the power cycles quickly so you get a steady, controlled bake. One last tip: be careful with those quartz tubes. They love the heat, but they hate surprises. A splash of cold water or a hard bump during cleaning can crack them right open. We install protective guards to keep them safe, but it’s still worth being mindful when you’re scrubbing down the oven.