What is a Convection Microwave?

October 27th, 2011

Appliance Questions Ovens & Cooking

Convection microwaves are the can-do microwave alternative. They incorporate convection oven and microwave capabilities into the one package – the perfect combo of quality cooking plus quick-fire convenience.

Amazingly versatile, you can use them for roasts, Christmas turkeys, cakes, pies, cookies and more.

Obviously, that’s a class above the traditional microwave, which often seems restricted to producing unevenly heated, soggy or tasteless grub even when it’s reheating last-night’s left-overs.

Since my cooking is invariably unevenly heated, soggy and tasteless no matter what I do, it’s not such a big deal for me. But for those who aren’t klutzes in the kitchen – the microwave has its limitations.

Why is that so?

Well, microwave technology works by bouncing electromagnetic energy waves around the inside of the cooking cavity, “exciting” the molecules within any food you’ve placed there. The friction caused by the molecules bopping around like this generates the heat to cook the meal.

There are a few drawbacks to this method.

My favourite gripe is that since molecules closer to the surface of whatever you are heating are hit with a greater concentration of microwaves than ones deeper on the inside, you often get a frosty interior even if your exterior layers are hotter than the sun.

Oh and let’s not forget that the steam created by microwaving often reduces pies and pastries to soggy mush.

Convection Microwaves solve these issues by giving you the option to also employ cooking elements to generate heat that is then fan-circulated evenly around the cavity.

By incoporating the convection capabilities into your cooking, you’ll find browning and crisping in your microwave is a cinch.   

Personally, I’ve never been able to produce browned or crisped food myself – my skills lean more towards blackening and goo-ifying – so I think I’ll buy myself one of these new convection microwaves pronto. I’ll be checking out the great range at Appliances Online. They offer the best in the business from leading brands Asko, Bosch, Delonghi, Electrolux, Euromaid, LG, Omega, Panasonic, Sharp, Smeg and Whirlpool.

Plus watch this video find out how to bake a cake in a LG convection microwave: