Traditional microwaves cook food using electromagnetic waves, while convection microwaves have an additional heating element and fan to circulate heat throughout the cavity. Because of this oven-like heating element, you can use a convection microwave to bake, broil or roast smaller portions of your favorite recipes.
You can expect faster cook times on certain items as the convection element and microwave cook simultaneously, and convection microwaves come with racks that let you microwave multiple dishes at once. Roasting, baking, cooking and crisping are all possible when you upgrade to a convection microwave.
Not as good as a conventional oven for some foods
The most notable disadvantage of convection microwaves is their inability to bake some items as well as standard ovens. For example, biscuits baked in a traditional oven have a better texture than those baked in convection microwaves.
Thanks to their versatility, convection microwave ovens can bring a number of advantages to your kitchen and cooking style. This includes: Faster cooking times due to a combination of convection and microwave cooking. More even cooking with the convection setting.
Microwaves are generally smaller and less expensive, making them a practical option for those with smaller kitchens or tighter budgets. However, if you want more cooking capabilities, larger cooking capacity and have the space for it, a convection oven may be the better option.
Can you put metal in a convection microwave oven? Yes, you can place metals like aluminum foil or small baking sheets in convection microwaves, but only when the appliance is in convection mode. Never use metal inside a convection microwave while it is using traditional microwave heating.
Convection microwaves vs air fryers
Convection microwaves can cook similar foods to air fryers, but they have a slightly larger capacity than a standard air fryer so you can cook more food in one go.
Air fryers cook food faster than convection ovens. For starters, there's that shorter preheat time. But because of their smaller cooking chambers, air fryers are also more efficient at circulating air around food, leading to faster cook times.
Because the fan blows air around the inside of the oven, moist foods prone to shifting or splattering (like quick breads, custards, and other baked goods) can come out dry and unevenly baked. Sometimes cookies or cakes will show a "sand drift" pattern from the moving air.
Delicate baked goods, like souffles, custards, angel food cake and even many quick breads aren't suitable for convection. The air flow can cause cakes to rise unevenly, the tops of cupcakes to lean towards one side and dry out the top of custard, creating a crust that you don't want.
The short and sweet answer is that convection microwaves offer the quick-cooking features of a microwave, with the browning, crisping, and full “cook-through” of a traditional oven.
Metal will not allow microwaves to penetrate the food so any food behind the metal will not be cooked. The metal could also cause arcing in the oven. Metal and foil can be used safely and effectively with the convection cooking feature in a microwave convection oven.
You would need to check your Microwave-convection manual to know more about how to activate the convection mode. Close the door of your Oven/Microwave and put it on 200° C (392° F) baking for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, Switch Off the Microwave/Oven and take out the Pizza.
The hot, dry air produced in a convection bake setting is ideal for pie crust and puff pastry because the water in the fat evaporates quickly creating the beautiful, crisp flaky layers.
Yes, your convection oven allows you to air fry and still achieve the same results. In fact, there are additional benefits to using your convection oven, such as convenience courtesy of their extra cooking capacity. Both convection ovens and air fryers use a convection fan to circulate hot air around the food.
Did you know that air fryers function similarly to a convection oven? In fact, if you own a convection oven, you may not need a standalone air fryer to get the crispy results that these countertop appliances are known for.
Does a convection oven make food crisp? Compared with a conventional oven, a convection oven will make your food much crispier—especially if you cook it on a perforated tray or oven-safe cooling rack so the air can circulate around the entire surface of the food.
The interior should have a bright light, which is easy to view through a sizeable window, so that you can check on your food regularly while its cooking. The interior should also be large enough to accommodate larger dishes. The clearance should also be large enough on the outside of the dish for proper ventilation.
As previously mentioned, the ideal materials for convection microwave cookware are ceramic, glass, or aluminum. Some models may have a combination of these materials, with the core or body made of ceramic, glass, or aluminum, while other components like the lid and handle are made of different materials.
Basic microwave functions : There are three basic functions a microwave can perform - cook, bake, grill. Microwave function for regular cooking, de-frosting, re-heating and even some instant mug cakes (more below). Convection function to literally bake anything - from cakes, cookies, breads, pizzas - I mean everything!
Plus, with the versatility to bake, grill, roast, and even dehydrate foods, a microwave air fryer combo can expand your culinary options for everything from frozen snacks to homemade desserts. In short, these appliances offer a convenient solution for healthier cooking that doesn't skimp on taste.
The air fryer basket tends to cook foods a little faster than the air fryer oven, and the amount of time will differentiate between machines and kinds of food cooked. The air fryer oven can hold more food. Although not pictured here, we use our air fryer oven to make pizza in the air fryer.
The Best Overall Air Fryer Microwave Combo: Panasonic HomeChef NN-CD87KS. If you want an all-in-one microwave air fryer that can do it all, this Panasonic model is the best solution. This HomeChef 4-in-1 Microwave Oven with Air Fryer function is so versatile and has a consistently high performance.