Which Bake-Off Ovens Are Used in Greggs’ Kitchen?

Has anyone ever thought what’s behind the perfect golden crunch on a Greggs sausage roll, or how on earth that cheese and onion bake comes out so consistently delicious across more than 2,300 stores? I’ve been down that rabbit hole, and honestly, the answer is far more fascinating than I expected.

The secret? It’s not magic. It’s TurboChef — a range of professional rapid-cook bake-off ovens that Greggs has been rolling out across their stores for several years now, and which now sit right at the heart of their “hot to go” product operation. Greggs introduced the TurboChef product range to their stores several years ago and have seen great success in terms of product quality and customer satisfaction.

If you are planning to open an outlet like Greggs, you can get all the details here regarding the bake-off ovens. Let me take you through every model Greggs uses, what makes each one special, where you can buy them, and how prices compare across different UK suppliers.

Why Greggs Switched to TurboChef?

Before we get into the individual ovens, it’s worth understanding why Greggs made the switch in the first place. Greggs required an efficient and effective method for heating hot-to-go products. The oven needed to be user friendly, faster than their existing mono oven, able to futureproof the range as new products launched, and have a small footprint on the back bar.

That last point is key — Greggs stores are busy, compact environments. Every centimetre of back-bar space counts. When Greggs replaced older sandwich ovens with TurboChef models, they were able to fill extra space on shop back bars with additional coffee machines, and sometimes even more TurboChef ovens — the TurboChef ovens are significantly smaller than models supplied by alternative suppliers.

The result has been transformative. TurboChef’s innovative nature and knowledge of the industry has enabled Greggs to explore new opportunities with new products and reduce labour costs across thousands of stores through faster cook times.

The TurboChef Models Greggs Uses

TurboChef has supplied SOTA, Tornado, and most recently, Eco ST and i3 ovens to Greggs. Each model was faster, smaller, and more user friendly than other sandwich ovens in the market.

Here’s a deep dive into each one:

1. TurboChef Sota (i1)

The Sota is TurboChef’s smallest rapid-cook oven and one of the most widely deployed in Greggs stores. Don’t let its size fool you — this thing is a workhorse.

The Sota i1 has a fully customisable smart menu, implemented with its touchscreen display, that can be adapted to suit individual needs and can store up to 256 unique recipes — all achieved with an oven that has a width of just 406mm.

The independently controlled dual-motors for vertically recirculated air impingement and microwave technology offer absolute precision whilst reducing cook times by an impressive 80%. That means a product that might take 10 minutes in a conventional oven is ready in under two minutes.

Key specs:

• Dimensions: 635(H) × 406(W) × 757(D) mm
• Weight: 71.1 kg
• Power: 13Amp single phase (27Amp twin magnetron available)
• Cook chamber volume: 15.4 litres

USP: Smallest footprint in the TurboChef range. Perfect for high-street locations where back-bar space is at a premium. Ventless operation means no extraction hood needed.

2. TurboChef Tornado 2

The Tornado 2 is Greggs’ workhorse for toasting and browning — think sausage rolls, bacon baps, and hot wraps delivered at pace during the breakfast and lunch rush.

The Tornado 2 cooks up to twelve times faster than traditional ovens using a patented combination of speed technologies, has a 29.9-litre cavity, a 15-minute pre-heat time, and can be programmed with up to 128 menu items via smart card.

Its triple-technology cooking — microwave, radiant, and impingement — ensures that whatever Greggs staff put in comes out evenly browned, properly heated throughout, and consistent every single time.

Key specs:

• Cavity: 29.9 litres
• Dimensions: 483(H) × 660(W) × 723(D) mm
• Weight: 86 kg
• Power: Single or 3-phase, 3.5kW
• Smart menu: Up to 128 programmes

USP: The fastest all-round performer in the range. Up to 12× speed vs conventional ovens. Stackable design doubles output without increasing counter footprint.

3. TurboChef Eco ST

The Eco ST is Greggs’ compact efficiency champion — ideal for smaller sites or as a secondary oven in busier locations. The Turbochef Eco High Speed Electric Oven offers the perfect balance between speed and economy.

At just over 400mm wide and with simple plug-and-play power, the Eco can be installed in the narrowest of spaces, making it ideal for sites with very limited room such as food courts, kiosks and convenience stores.

The ECO ST stores up to 256 recipes, has a single motor that vertically circulates air impingement, an integral recirculating catalytic converter for ventless operation, and customisable menu settings via Wi-Fi, USB, or manual entry.

Key specs:

• Dimensions: 546(H) × 409(W) × 559(D) mm
• Weight: 50 kg
• Power: 13Amp (16 or 20Amp available)
• Recipe storage: 256 programmes

USP: The most energy-efficient model. Plug-and-play convenience with no extraction required. The smallest and lightest in the Greggs-used range.

4. TurboChef i3

The i3 is Greggs’ high-throughput solution — and it’s where the real magic happens for their more recent menu innovations like customised pizza. Most recently, the TurboChef i3 oven has helped to reduce dead time on bundle pizza products by 65%.

The i3 oven maximises throughput and versatility with its large cavity size and ability to cook with almost any metal pan up to a half-size sheet pan. It features independently controlled dual motors for vertically recirculated air impingement and a smart menu capable of storing up to 200 recipes.

The i3 maximises throughput and versatility with a large cavity, offering throughput equal to larger ovens without the space or energy requirements. It can cook a variety of foods ranging from roasted fish to mixed vegetables.

Key specs:

• Dimensions: 540(H) × 622(W) × 792(D) mm
• Weight: 111 kg
• Power: 230V / 50Hz / 40Amp (3-phase available), 9,200 watts max
• Recipe storage: 200 programmes

USP: The power player. Fastest cook times in the Greggs arsenal. The go-to model for Greggs’ pizza and higher-volume products. Reduces dead time by 65% on pizza bundles.

Price Comparison Across UK Suppliers

One of the biggest questions anyone researching these ovens has is: what do they actually cost? Here’s what I’ve found across online and physical suppliers in the UK.

Key observations:

• The Eco ST offers the most accessible entry price — ideal for smaller food businesses wanting to replicate Greggs’ setup.
• The i3 and Tornado 2 are premium investments, typically purchased by large chains or franchises.
• Lease options are available from around £89.99 per week for the Sota i1 making these accessible to smaller operators.
• Prices vary significantly between suppliers — it always pays to compare.

Where to Buy: Online vs Offline

Online suppliers:

• Eco Catering Equipment (eco-catering-equipment.co.uk) — full range, listed prices, UK delivery
• CEOnline (ceonline.co.uk) — competitive pricing with frequent sales, next-day delivery
• Next Day Catering (nextdaycatering.co.uk) — stock subject to lead times
• Nisbets (nisbets.co.uk) — wide stock, business accounts available
• eBay UK — refurbished/used units from £1,730 (Fire model), great for budget buyers

Offline / direct:

• Middleby UK (Wigan, WA3 3JD) — official TurboChef distributor in the UK; direct sales, installation and training. Tel: 01925 821280
• Empire Supplies (empiresuppliesonline.co.uk) — price includes delivery, training and set up
• Target Catering Equipment — direct demo and purchase available

Final Verdict

If I were equipping a bakery-style food-to-go operation in the UK today and wanted to replicate what Greggs does, here’s my honest take:

For a startup or small unit, the Eco ST is the smart entry point. It’s compact, efficient, requires no extraction, and delivers the speed advantage at the most accessible price point.

For a growing multi-site operation, the Sota i1 is the sweet spot — proven across thousands of Greggs locations, ventless, programmable, and compact enough for almost any back-bar setup.

For high-volume sites — especially where pizza or complex hot food is on the menu — the i3 is the serious choice. The 65% reduction in dead time on pizza products that Greggs achieved speaks for itself.

The TurboChef partnership with Greggs isn’t just a product deal — it’s a strategic relationship that has helped Britain’s favourite bakery chain grow, diversify its menu, and serve better food faster than ever. That golden sausage roll has some seriously impressive technology behind it.