Convection Or Conventional Microwaves?

Are you in the market to look for a replacement for your old or damaged microwave oven or to search for new appliance for your new home? Perhaps, you’ve noticed that this device come in different types, sizes, and designs, making it harder for you to choose the one that’s perfect for your needs and for your kitchen’s aesthetics.

The two most popular types of microwave ovens are conventional units and convection ovens. These types work in the same manner: heat is produced either by natural gas or by electricity and they enable you to prepare almost all types of food. They are also widely available in most home improvement and appliance stores. What makes them different from each other is the way heat is circulated inside the oven. In a convection microwave oven, there is a fan that blows hot air to ensure heat is dispensed evenly.

• Conventional Ovens

Almost all American kitchens have modern conventional ovens. This is in fact the most common type of oven for household use and it is utilized by most Americans not just to heat but also to cook their meals, desserts, and other types of food. A conventional oven cooks food by means of heat and it is powered by either gas or electricity. Some models of this type are designed to be gas specific or electricity powered.

The downside of a conventional oven is that air is not distributed evenly on a constant basis. Circulation of heat can also be obstructed by the pans and pots placed inside the oven, causing uneven cooking. Such problem is more noticeable when the bottom and top racks are used at the same time. Food on the top rack will be cooked faster since heat goes up and when the racks are filled, heat usually gets trapped there. This is the reason why this type of oven typically has hot spots. Its benefit, on the other hand, is it lets you broil food. This is a fast method of cooking poultry, tender meats, and fish.

• Convection Ovens

In a convection model, there’s a fan on the back side of the unit which forces hot air inside the oven and distributes it evenly and constantly on the items being cooked. Because of this, food is cooked faster. You can also choose to have the food cooked thoroughly at lower temperatures. Since they cook food faster and they are more efficient than conventional units, they come more expensive.

Convection ovens are commonly used in restaurants and other commercial cooking facilities. Professional chefs also rely on this type of microwave to produce delicious food. Another advantage of this type is that it doesn’t have hot spots and the constant circulation of heat lets you cook numerous, dissimilar items at the same time and without affecting the tastes of every foodstuff.

Moreover, this type of oven is a real energy saver because it needs lower heating temperatures compared to conventional models. In fact, you can even set it at 25 degrees lower than what the recipe recommends.

Both types of microwave ovens have pros and cons and it’s really up to you to choose the unit you’ll get. Remember however that what matters most is their ability to meet your needs.