Convection Oven Vs. Microwave

With the advancement of technology, new kitchen appliances are being introduced for the interest of homeowners. A useful device worth mentioning is microwave oven that was commercially released in the 1940s. Since then, it has become a standard appliance in nearly all modern kitchens. An instrument having more added features than conventional oven is the convection type. Before coming to the topic of our discussion, convection vs. microwave, let's take a look at each of the models.

What is Microwave Oven?

As the name signifies, conventional microwave oven involves release of microwaves for the purpose of cooking food. By using it, you can dry, heat, roast or bake foods within a short time. Types of food items prepared by using conventional oven include cakes, baked goodies, meat and casseroles. The same phenomenon is utilized for heating things in large-scale industries. Such a device is known as industrial oven or furnace.

What is Convection Oven?

Also known by the common names, turbos oven or fan oven, a convection oven is configured with a circulating fan in a separate enclosure. The fan aids in regular distribution of heat throughout the food item, thus ensuring an evenly cooked food. With this unit, you can randomly place food items in the cooking area. The major advantage of a convection oven is easy usage of the system, which is not so in case of microwave type.

Microwave Oven Vs. Convection Oven

By now, you sure to have understood the basics of convection ovens and microwave ovens. Taken at a glance, they share similar characteristics and are just perfect for quick fixing of meals. Both focus on two objectives - easy cooking and less preparation time. However, there are certain aspects that a convection oven differs in from the conventional unit. Following are the differences between a convection oven and a microwave oven, which you may find interesting.

Machine Configuration
It is understandable that the machine operation varies for both the systems. In a convection oven, heat is evenly circulated by the fan. In contrary to this, a microwave oven contains two heating elements, one at the bottom of the unit for heating and another at the upper portion for broiling. For the food to be cooked evenly, you need to place them at the center of the cooking area.

Cooking Method
When it comes to convection oven vs. conventional oven, the main difference lies in the way food is cooked. It is evident from the difference in machinery of these ovens. In the convection unit, cooking of foods is solely dependent on transfer of heat with the help of the circulating fan. Whereas, in case of microwave oven, food is cooked from the radiated heat released by the heating systems.

Cooking Time
The difference in cooking time in these two types of ovens is often focused on by dealers and suppliers. The cooking period is shorter in convection type, as compared to microwave cooking. This is because hot air forced by the fan strips away layer of cold air that covers the food items. Also, a microwave oven cooks food without browning or making it crisp like a convection oven.

Operating Temperature
Another feature that separates a convection oven from microwave oven is the temperature at which the units function. As microwave oven function with the help of heating elements, it operates at a higher temperature. While in case of a convection type, heated air is used for cooking and consequently, the machine operates at a lower temperature (about 50 degrees lower than microwave type). Make sure you through the convection oven cooking guide to understand the usage instructions.

This was a brief overview of convection oven vs. microwave oven. In the concluding note, both the oven models have their own pros and cons. A third type of unit that has features of both conventional microwave and convection type is convection microwave oven. Thus, the decision for choosing an oven unit, either convection or microwave oven, lies entirely in the cook's choice.