efficiency of convection ovens?
 

In the line of AC's thread on induction cooking those that have convection do you think they are worth it? Though I am not a great baker but my wife likes to when she has time. I really like the spilt ovens with a smaller convention unit on the top 1/3(lower 2/3 is regular or another convection, no broiler). Never used a broiler for anything but storing pans, lol. Would rather grill outside.

I highly favor the non combustion of electric appliances as well especially in a tight living space. And only will have LP gas.

I know this isn't what you were asking but hopefully there is some useful information.

From personal experience a convection oven cooks food more evenly in less time. That would tell me it is more efficient right there but also there is no need to spin the pan... This mean there is no opening the door and losing 30 degrees or more!

There are a few techniques I use to reduce energy usage. One is to keep the oven squeaky clean. Another thing is to keep the door closed as much as possible. Last thing is when it is almost dinner time the oven is turned off and all of the keep warm items go in the oven with the item that was baked. This keeps everything piping hot using residual heat from the oven. Just make sure you don't use pots and pans that have plastic...

Ditto on it cooking more evenly and faster. I think thats where your efficiency benefit comes from.

I have a high-end, used convection oven down cellar that is meant for being built in. My kitchen is pretty small, and so far my kitchen stoves have included a normal oven. The convection oven mostly gets used for overloads, like Thanksgiving, etc. I have done some batches of cookies, and they turned out as great as I expected, but I'm really not so big on eating cookies (which is why I'm really not so big!).

But my convection oven has some features that are surprisingly useful, like a much larger range of operating temperatures, especially handy on the low end. Because of this, I have successfully pressed the convection oven into service as a food dryer, and it worked just great, even more interesting, the low temps (around 115F) are ideal for using the oven as a 'proofing oven' to maintain specific low temperatures & humidity for raising dough (a water pan should also be in there to supply moisture). Works just great. The dough goes in, rises under ideal conditions, punch down, second rise, then turn up to baking temperature, and home-run! Way more satisfying than those horrible Japanese bread making machines.

There are also the counter-top convection units, which I have used successfully. They also have the same low temperature range, and I have used them as small proofing boxes, and also as yogurt cultivation chambers (dough proofing, too).

I have some definite preferences regarding ovens... I have read on this forum, some posts to the effect that, "serious cooks prefer electric ovens". Well, I am a serious cook and I strongly think that gas & electric each have their place, electric's big advantage is that temperature control is potentially much better than gas (I did say potentially)... that's a good thing. But gas ovens have a higher humidity that is very favorable when you do nice roasts and meat broiling, and you really want those juicy, just-like-grandma results.

But as you know, my CO2 jihad has my cooking practices in serious flux at the moment. I am also in the midst of a major personal diet revamp (details available upon request).

Bottom line, If I could only have one oven, I'd get a convection oven, because it can do everything a regular oven can do and much more. I also wouldn't buy one new. I don't know how things are where you live, but here in Portland, my fair city, there is a very well developed second hand infrastructure, and I see very desirable convection ovens going for $125... such a deal.

But if you have the space, two ovens are actually more than twice as useful as one oven... In that case, and ventilation and HRVs in place, I'd make the second oven gas, no hesitations on that one... I just love them.

P.S. I have also used my expensive second hand convection oven that is down cellar, for drying paint on projects to a durable, hard finish... (please don't tell anyone about this).

-AC

A lot of us know the irritations of the Microwave Oven; "Beep Beep"; Lasagna is ice cold on one side but by the time that's heated the other is rock hard; How the hay does this thing work anyway?; "Evil Air"...

We got a convection oven for this last Christmas to replace the microwave, Mostly. We weren't using the Microwave much in weeks prior to replacing it and we don't use the convection oven a lot but when we do use it, I believe it's more effective than the gas stove due to the smaller space and air blowing around. I'm glad my parents heat their coffee in a kettle on the stove now, Too.

Doesn't microwaved water have "Dead nutrients" in it or something like that? I once heard that one may microwave water and after it's come back to room temperature and one tries to wean a plant on it, The plant will die as opposed to a plant weaned on water that hasn't been microwaved recently. (I say "Recently" Rhetorically; I imagine after sufficient time, Microwaved water will be fine again but this is after it's evaporated and come back down out of the clouds.)

And on the occasion that I'd like ice cream to be softer, Sticking the carton in the convection oven helps it soften quickly but one might leave it sit at room temperature for longer as well.

"Doesn't microwaved water have "Dead nutrients" in it or something like that? I once heard that one may microwave water and after it's come back to room temperature and one tries to wean a plant on it, The plant will die as opposed to a plant weaned on water that hasn't been microwaved recently"

Same thing happens with any means of boiling water and watering plants. I use that trick to kill weeds. More efficient to not use the microwave to do the same thing.

A microwave with a convection feature is kind of like having a screwdriver on a pocket knife... it works... kind of...

A convection microwave DOES NOT use the magnetron when on the convection setting. Think of it as a giant easy bake oven. The idea of a convection microwave is you have an oven and microwave. Using both technologies you can cook something super quick but still make it brown and crispy. You can still use it as a regular microwave or you can use it just as an oven.

Microwaves can zap away certain nutrients but it isn't as bad as the raw foodies want you to believe. I haven't heard of "dead nutrients" in water... However in a microwave you can superheat water which can have very horrible consequences!

Our regular oven is rarely used
 

Our Euro-Pro convection oven gets used, when we don't want to use the regular oven.
We use our Inverter-technology Panasonic microwave 5 or 10 times a day.
So far this morning, I've used it three times for hot drinks (Inka) and once for my egg sandwich,
using toast from a regular lo-tech toaster. :)
My wife used the microwave once this morning to make hotwater for her instant coffee..
But she used the power-hog stove top to make her easy-over egg.. :eek:

Xringer-Branding!
 

Hey Xringer,


You used so many brand names and advertising feature 'buzz words' that the ad-bot has you targeted for a big-stakes kitchen remodel.

Better open the wallet and bend over, 'cause the trucks are on the way!

(why didn't you mention the brand of instant coffee?)

-AC

Okay..
 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ili0ejzrc7vkovb/P1010270.JPG

I've never seen any of those ads.. Maybe because I'm using Firefox..