Free Recipes on Your iPhone: Big Oven App Review

The iPhone as a multi-faceted reference tool is becoming more of the standard among users. Instead of just making phone calls, listening to music, and browsing the internet, people are now finding that there is a surplus of applications that in and of themselves contain a library of information directed toward a certain subject. From drink recipes to dictionaries, the idea of having to search online for your information has been reduced to using a solitary application for such a use. The reason for this is that complex internet searching is difficult on a mobile device and from this position it is much easier to use software that already finds or provides this information for you. In the field of cooking we have also been given one of the world’s largest cook books.

Big Oven is a free iPhone application that allows you to search for types of dishes and then a series of recipes will be delivered. You are given a basic menu with a search function. From here you enter in a type of food and then search for it. You will be given a number of search results that match up with your query. Each has a proper title and associated photos to give you an idea of the type of food you will be working with. Once you open a selected recipe, you are then given a detailed recipe which includes a list of ingredients and step by step instructions. You can also create a log in and password to allow you to save favorites and leave comments about each particular recipe.

The application really does let you do a number of searches, including help in finding healthy dishes and recipes for single ingredients. You are also able to add recipes on their website, which can be both a positive and negative because this has the possibility to lead the catalogue to become filled with less than stellar dishes. The program itself boasts over 160,000 recipes, so there are likely food ideas for almost any situation. Beyond this there is a nice food glossary and also suggestions for shopping lists.

The application is really just a search tool for the Big Oven website, which means that you are not actually downloading much content onto your phone. It is easier than manually searching their website, but it is not a self-contained library. This also makes your search ability limited by your internet access. Beyond this it is difficult to find certain types of recipes, especially if you observe certain dietary restrictions such as Veganism. The issues aside, this application is still one of the better applications for such a function and will give you the majority of applications you would want. Six and a half out of ten stars.