# Unox Cheftop Combi Ovens: How They Work and What to Check > An explainer on Unox Cheftop MIND.Maps combi ovens: how air flow and dry air work, how to read model names, and what to check before ordering. Explainer by Norpex. Published 2026-10-15, updated 2026-10-15. Canonical: https://norpex.ca/guides/unox-cheftop-combi-oven-basics ![Countertop combi oven with a glass door and touch screen controls](https://norpex.ca/m/0d/cc/0dcc3630c2ad38dd3febf4fafec8eb3127f8ddb1ff0b03df0b43e217791a98dc.jpg) Pictured: [Unox XAVC-06FS-GPRM ChefTop MIND.Maps Plus Liquid Propane Countertop Combi Oven with 120V, 1Ph – Full Size](https://norpex.ca/product/unox-xavc-06fs-gprm-cheftop-mind-maps-plus-liquid-propane-countertop-combi-oven-with-120v-1ph-full-size) A Cheftop MIND.Maps combi oven runs dry heat, steam or a mix in one chamber. This guide covers what Unox's course videos say about air flow and dry air, how to decode the model names, and what to confirm before ordering. ## Key takeaways - A combi oven runs dry heat, steam and mixed cycles in one cooking chamber. - Unox's course videos AirFlow and Dry Air cover how the fan moves air and how steam is cleared without dropping the temperature. - Cheftop MIND.Maps model names state the pan count, tray size, electric or gas power, and countertop or trolley format. - Match voltage, phase, gas type, water and ventilation to the spec sheet for your model before ordering. - The manual for your model sets the cleaning and descaling routine; follow it instead of a generic schedule. ## What a combi oven does A combi oven is one cooking chamber that can run dry convection heat, steam, or a controlled mix of the two. Instead of separate convection and steam equipment, a single unit covers both kinds of cooking, and the operator sets how much humidity each cycle uses. That is the idea behind every model in Unox's Cheftop MIND.Maps range. The humidity question is what makes a combi flexible. Unox's course video Dry Air, How a Commercial Combi-Oven Works Course \#4 names grilling, baking, frying and dehydration as processes that require no humidity, while other jobs depend on steam held in the chamber. One cavity serves both, which is why air and steam control matter. The Cheftop MIND.Maps listings that name a control panel give a 9.5-inch touch control panel for setting those cycles. This guide sticks to Unox's own series; if you are still weighing a combi against a plain convection unit, our convection versus combi oven guide covers that comparison in general terms. ## What Unox's course videos say about air flow and dry air Unox publishes a course series called How a Commercial Combi-Oven Works, and two episodes are embedded below. The episode AirFlow, How a Commercial Combi-Oven Works Course \#2 explains the operation of a fan, the air flows it generates, and how they move inside a combi oven, according to the episode's description. It is the second instalment of the series. The episode Dry Air, How a Commercial Combi-Oven Works Course \#4 explains how to get all the steam out of the cooking chamber without decreasing the temperature in the combi oven. Its description states that this is necessary for the cooking processes that require no humidity, such as grilling, baking, frying and dehydration. It is the fourth instalment of the series. Put together, the two episodes point to the two things an operator manages on a combi oven: how air moves through the chamber, and how much humidity stays in it. Watch both before planning a menu around a Cheftop. ## How to read a Cheftop MIND.Maps model name The codes look dense, but the catalogue names decode them. Codes beginning XACC are CHEFTOP MIND.Maps COMPACT PLUS models, codes beginning XAVC are COUNTERTOP PLUS models, and codes beginning XAVL are BIG PLUS trolley models. The two digits after the prefix are the pan count, and the list runs from 5 to 20 trays. The tray format is stated in the product name and in the tray line of the spec. XACC-0513-EPLM is a 5 Pan Half-Size model listed with 5 trays GN 1/1, while XAVC-10FS-EPRM is listed with 10 trays 18 x 26 inch, which the name marks as Full Size. GN 2/1 appears on the six-tray and twenty-tray models, and GN 1/1 on the half-size models. The letters around the number cover power and hardware. E marks electric (D on the electric BIG PLUS trolleys) and G marks gas, L and R mark left- and right-hinged doors as the product names spell out, and suffixes such as -3PH-240V state the phase and voltage of that variant. Codes ending HPLM or HPRM are the higher-voltage electric versions, listed as 480V 3~ / 440V 3~. - XACC: CHEFTOP MIND.Maps COMPACT PLUS countertop models. - XAVC: CHEFTOP MIND.Maps COUNTERTOP PLUS countertop models. - XAVL: CHEFTOP MIND.Maps BIG PLUS trolley models with 20 trays GN 2/1. - E (or D on the trolleys) or G: electric or gas heat; gas models still list a 120V connection for the controls. - L or R: left- or right-hinged door, as the product name states. - -3PH-240V, -1PH-208V and similar: the phase and voltage of that variant. ## Pan counts, power and formats across the range Countertop Cheftop models run from 5 to 10 pans, and the BIG PLUS trolley line takes 20 trays GN 2/1. Power scales with size. The spec sheet for the 5-tray COMPACT PLUS XACC-0513-EPLM lists 7.7 / 5.8 kW at 240V 3~ / 208V 3~, and the 10-tray full-size XAVC-10FS-EPRM lists 28.7 to 21.8 kW. For the 20-tray trolleys, the spec sheet for the exact variant gives the figure. Gas versions sit alongside the electric ones. The 5-pan COUNTERTOP PLUS gas model lists a nominal gas power max. of 15 kW, and the 10-pan full-size gas model lists 42.5 kW. Each gas model also lists a 120V 1N~ connection for the controls, with listed electric power from 0.6 kW to 2.6 kW depending on the model. Product names state natural gas or liquid propane, and some codes carry an LP or NG marker. The trolley format changes the kitchen plan. XAVL-2021-DPLS is listed at 45 inches long, 35 inches wide and 73 inches high, weighing 748 lb (339.3 kg), and the name for XAVL-2021-GPLS describes a mobile trolley. The catalogue lists the smaller units as commercial countertop combi ovens and the XAVL line as commercial trolley combi ovens, so plan floor space and loading around that difference. The catalogue also lists the Unox Speed-X, sold as XAPA-0523-EXRS, a countertop combi speed oven with 5 trays GN 2/3 and a 16-inch touch control panel. It is a separate line from Cheftop, so do not apply the Cheftop decoding rules to it. ## What to check before you order Most Cheftop models exist in several electrical variants, so match the code to your building's service before ordering. The list includes 208V and 240V in single and three phase, plus 440V and 480V three-phase versions. Gas models are listed as natural gas or liquid propane and still need the 120V 1N~ connection for the controls. A qualified, licensed installer must make the electrical and gas connections, to local code. Water and ventilation come next. Because a combi oven generates steam, the spec sheet for your model gives the water supply, drain and ventilation requirements; confirm them against your kitchen before the unit arrives. Do not carry a spec from one model to another, because the requirements change with pan count and power. Finally, check the physical fit. The spec sheet for your model lists length, width, height and weight; the 20-tray trolley, for example, is listed at 748 lb, so plan the route from the door to its final position. If you are unsure which variant matches your service, ask Norpex before ordering. - Voltage and phase: 208V or 240V, single or three phase, or 440V and 480V three phase. - Fuel: natural gas or liquid propane, plus the 120V control connection on gas models. - Water, drain and ventilation: confirm against the spec sheet for your model. - Space: compare listed dimensions and weight with your doorway, counter and floor. - Door hinge: the L and R codes set which side the door opens, as the product names state. ## Cleaning, descaling and care Follow the cleaning and descaling instructions in Unox's manual for your model, including the products it names and any water treatment it requires, rather than a generic schedule. This guide gives no intervals because they belong to the manual for the exact model. Keep the manual with the oven so staff follow the model's own routine. For any fault, use Unox's authorized service network, and ask Norpex if you need help finding the manual for a model. ## Videos from the maker - [AirFlow, How a Commercial Combi-Oven Works Course \#2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggUhsL_U-a8) (Unox) - [Dry Air, How a Commercial Combi-Oven Works Course \#4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYje9Ggftjs) (Unox) ## Common questions ### What do the letters in a Cheftop MIND.Maps code mean? XACC, XAVC and XAVL mark the COMPACT PLUS, COUNTERTOP PLUS and BIG PLUS trolley lines. E and G mark electric and gas, L and R mark left- and right-hinged doors as the names state, and suffixes such as -3PH-240V give the phase and voltage. ### Do gas Cheftop models still need an electrical connection? Yes. The spec sheets list a 120V 1N~ connection for the controls, with listed electric power from 0.6 kW on the 5-pan model to 2.6 kW on the 20-tray trolley. ### What tray sizes do Cheftop ovens take? Depending on the model, GN 1/1, GN 2/1, or 18 x 26 inch full-size sheet pans; the Speed-X line takes GN 2/3. Each product name and spec sheet states the tray count and size. ### How often should a Cheftop combi oven be cleaned and descaled? Unox's manual for the model sets the cleaning and descaling intervals and the products to use. Follow it rather than a generic schedule. ### Who should install and repair a Cheftop combi oven? A qualified, licensed installer must make the electrical and gas connections to local code. For repairs, use Unox's authorized service network. ## Related guides - [Convection Oven vs Combi Oven: Which Does Your Kitchen Need?](https://norpex.ca/guides/convection-vs-combi-oven) - [Restaurant Equipment Checklist: What to Buy to Open in Canada](https://norpex.ca/guides/restaurant-equipment-checklist) ## Shop the catalogue - [Combi Ovens](https://norpex.ca/products/combi-ovens-convection-and-combi) - [Convection Ovens](https://norpex.ca/products/convection-ovens-convection-and-combi)