Convection Microwave: Is It Really Worth It?

A convection microwave offers the best of both speed and oven baking in a single appliance. But is it really worth it, or just another desired kitchen item? As more homeowners want to save time, space, and energy, it’s fast becoming a hot kitchen topic.

In this primer, we break down what a convection microwave is really about, where it excels, where it lacks, and whether it deserves space on your counter to begin with. Let’s dive in and separate the real advantages from the hype.

What is a Convection Microwave?

A convection microwave is a two-in-one appliance that acts both as a regular microwave and a convection oven. It uses microwave energy to heat food quickly. Then, a fan and built-in heating element circulate heated air to bake, roast, and brown dishes—something a regular microwave cannot do. These features make it a versatile, space-saving way to cook a greater variety of meals.

How Does a Convection Microwave Work?

A convection microwave combines a pair of cooking technologies – convection baking and microwave heating – in one appliance. In microwave mode, the microwave provides electromagnetic waves that go into the food and heat it from the inside out very fast. It’s perfect for reheating, defrosting, and cooking in a hurry.

In convection mode, the appliance turns on a heating element and uses a strong fan to circulate hot air evenly throughout the cavity, creating a consistent cooking environment, just like a conventional oven, allowing food to bake, roast, crisp, and brown appropriately.

Certain models are equipped with a combination mode, which utilizes both microwave energy and convection in a single cooking cycle. Cooking with both types of food energy cuts down cooking time and produces evenly cooked food with the desired texture; crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This multi-functionality is what makes convection microwaves so convenient and effective to use in the modern kitchen.

Goods of Convection Microwave

• Multi-use – Functions as a microwave, oven, and sometimes a grill.
• Space-saving – Suitable for small kitchens and in situations where a full-blown oven is not available.
• Faster cooking – The combination mode reduces the amount of time spent baking and roasting compared to a conventional oven.
• Consistent heating – Cooking and browning are even due to the hot air circulation.
• More energy efficient – Uses less energy and is cheaper to operate than a regular-sized oven.
• Baking success – Cakes, cookies, breads, and pizzas will all turn out well.
• Crisps and browns food – Something that a regular microwave cannot do.
• Convenient for reheating food or cooking – In one machine, two minutes to reheat and then oven cooking efforts that are virtually instantaneous.
• Less preheat time – Gets to cooking temperature quicker than a larger oven.
• Versatile cooking options – Roast, bake, grill, reheat, defrost, and many more options!

Bads of Convection Microwave

• Has much less capacity than a full-size oven for larger amounts of food.
• Not the best option for heavy baking, such as baking a large cake, loading and baking multiple baking sheets, or roasting for a long time.
• More expensive than a regular microwave.
• More learning time due to multiple modes and settings.
• Some users find using metal trays for convection mode inconvenient.
• Not as fast as a microwave when only using convection mode.
• Can heat the kitchen more than a regular microwave.
• Using a range hood is recommended for the best performance.
• May not yield the same results as an actual oven for professional bakes.
• Challenging to clean, especially around the fan and the inside of the unit.

Schedule an Appliance Repair Near You

If your appliance stops working, Appliance Medic is one call away! Our trained, certified technicians are standing by to provide fast, professional, and reliable appliance repair on all major brands and appliances in your neighborhood.

It could be a microwave that isn’t heating, an oven that isn’t baking, or a refrigerator that is on the fritz, and we will diagnose and repair the appliance as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Appliance Medic has flexible scheduling, up-front pricing, and plain experienced trusted experience to get your appliance back to original equipment manufacturer performance reliably and smoothly. Call Appliance Medic now and schedule your in-home appointment for hassle-free appliance repair service by trained certified professionals in your neighborhood!