Modern alternatives to the oven: multicooker, convection oven, bread maker, double boiler, microwave, mini-roaster oven

Footage of our kitchens sometimes so small that such an important and necessary appliance as an oven eats up a good half of the space. It also happens that the apartment is rented, the oven is old and does not work well, but the landlady refuses to change the equipment. What kind of house is it if it doesn’t smell of pies, buns and crispy baked meat?

In such cases, instead of a standard oven, you can purchase a more compact appliance by choosing a suitable “substitute”, keeping in mind the tastes of the family. For lovers of baking, roasters and bread machines are suitable, for supporters of a healthy lifestyle - steamers, gourmets - microwaves and convection ovens. Most of these devices do not need to be built in, so you can always put them out of sight, take them with you to the dacha, and even on a trip.

Roaster

The easiest way is to replace the oven with its miniature copy - a roaster. This small-sized appliance can bake pies, cook roasts, brown sandwiches, defrost food - in a word, you can do almost everything in it that you can do in a regular oven, from crackers to baked meat.

A mini roaster oven (volume from 5-6 liters) is suitable for preparing small portions. For a large family or dinner parties, they are too small (although there are models up to 20 liters), but for two or three people they are quite enough.

They are easy to control: unlike modern electronic ovens, roasters are still equipped with a mechanical switch. If your family doesn’t have a weakness for baking, you can save money and energy by choosing a roaster oven without convection or grill.

Microwave

The most common alternative option today is the microwave oven. This device saves the housewife’s time, takes up less space than an oven, and is not inferior to the latter in culinary talent, although it is often used only for heating ready-made dishes. In vain! Depending on the set of functions in the microwave, you can bake pies, make casseroles, stew chicken, steam rice and vegetables, or grill meat.

The operating principle of a microwave oven is different from an oven and a roaster. Products undergo heat treatment under the influence of electromagnetic microwaves (they are also called ultra-frequency, or microwave), which heat not the food, but the liquid contained in it (the water evaporates, rising upward in the form of steam).

It is believed that with this cooking method, food retains natural moisture, vitamins and salts. For lovers of buns, pizza, and pies, convection ovens are available. Meat eaters should take a closer look at models with a grill: chicken or baked pork turns out very tasty in it.

There are two types of grills in microwaves: heating element and quartz. The first is a metal pipe with a heating element inside, which takes up part of the chamber space and makes it difficult to clean. A quartz grill with a lamp hidden in the ceiling of the chamber is more convenient. It heats up faster, requires less space, and is easy to clean.

The size of the microwave also matters. If its task is not just to heat a plate of soup, but also to cook, then you can get by with a medium-sized model (20-28 l), which has both a grill and convection. A microwave with a capacity of up to 41 liters (there are some) can fit a huge saucepan or a pork leg, but in this case it is close in size to an oven and also takes up a lot of space.

general information

After the appearance of kitchen appliances on the Russian market, the original mini-oven with glass walls aroused genuine interest. Housewives were attracted not only by the ease of use, but also by the opportunity to observe the cooking process. Unlike a standard oven, chicken, casserole or juicy pork ribs in an air fryer are clearly visible from all sides.

In a convection oven, food is cooked through uniform and comprehensive processing of food using hot air. The convection oven was invented in the USA; in a short period of time, housewives from around the world appreciated the advantages of the new kitchen electrical appliance.

What is an air fryer:

the base is a transparent bowl made of tempered glass, some models are made of metal or heat-resistant plastic;
On the lid there is a heating element (heating element) and a fan for uniform blowing of hot air over the food. On top of the lid there is a control panel with controls or a display and buttons;
the container is closed with a glass or opaque lid;
When assembled, a convection oven looks like a cauldron with transparent walls and a voluminous lid. Some modern models have a futuristic design, a case made of stainless steel or heat-resistant plastic, opaque.

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The operating principle is simple:

under the influence of electricity, the heating element heats up, the fan moves the hot air upward, to the sides, to the central part;
food is evenly fried, boiled or stewed;
The constant movement of hot air masses speeds up the cooking process. A wide temperature range (from +60 to +260 C) allows you to boil food or fry it with the formation of a crispy crust.

Bread maker

If you only need the oven for baking, it can easily be replaced by a more convenient bread maker. This device will prepare muffins for breakfast, fresh fragrant bread for lunch, and scones and homemade jam for evening tea.

even forget about tedious kneading of dough; the bread machine can handle this too. Its lucky owner will only need to choose good flour (the quality of the bread depends on this), put the necessary ingredients into the chamber and set the program. When the baked goods are ready, the device will allow it to cool slightly and only then notify the owners with an audible signal.

You can refuel the device in the evening and get warm bread in the morning - for this, the device has a delayed start function. At the same time, the choice of bread can be like in the best bakery: honey, mustard, with nuts, herbs, vegetables, raisins. You just need to look at the recipe book that comes with the bread machine.

A special device for making preserves and preserves is a godsend for those with a sweet tooth. In addition, he can make jelly and cook porridge no worse than a village stove.

Double boiler

She is the best au pair for those who lead a healthy lifestyle. Just by the name it’s easy to guess how the device works: dishes are steamed. Cooking in a double boiler retains more vitamins and nutrients than frying or baking.

Modern appliances have up to three levels, on each of which you can cook different foods, and at the same time. It is better to place vegetables at the top (they reach readiness faster), and meat and fish at the bottom. This method will save cooking time and rid the kitchen of unnecessary odors: food on the lower level often absorbs the juice flowing from above. If this is undesirable, take a closer look at models with independent baskets located next to each other - odors will not mix in them.

Kinds

The air fryer is:

with mechanical control. A budget option for kitchen appliances, there is one mode, simple controls. Models in this category are gradually becoming a thing of the past, but anyone who does not want to spend a lot of money on purchasing a convection oven can recommend a simple device;
with electronic control. An improved version of a convection oven: there are several programs, you can adjust the temperature, cooking time, and select the optimal power. Additional functions: self-cleaning, timer for turning the device on and off at the right time, maintaining the set temperature for quick cooking, height adjustment (you can move food closer to the heating element).

Types of heating elements:

tubular. High quality, fast heating, maintaining optimal temperature. A tubular heating element in combination with a fan ensures active penetration of heat into the food. The tubular heating element is 2–3 times more durable than the second option, which will be discussed further;
halogen. The element also warms up the container well, reducing the risk of rusting and oxidation of metal parts, but the service life is shorter. The service life of a convection oven with a halogen heater is about 3 years, while a tubular heating element lasts longer – up to 10 years.

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Cover fastening:

removable;
on the bracket.

Flask volume:

standard equipment - 12 l;
for a large family - with a metal expansion ring.

Air fryer

An air fryer or oven is an equivalent choice. This device can work as a double boiler, as a grill in the microwave, as a deep fryer, and even as a mini smokehouse. It got its name from the principle of operation: cooking in a convection oven occurs under the influence of hot air pumped by a fan.

inside the glass bowl , but when cooking several dishes at the same time, you need to remember that the smells of different dishes are sometimes incompatible.

In this device you can

smoke or stew meat, cook ham and kebabs, fry fish, cook soup, porridge, mulled wine, jam, bake pizza and pies, dry mushrooms and fruits, sterilize jars for homemade pickles - it all depends on the chosen model.

The performance of the device is directly related to the number of fan speeds: the more there are, the more recipes the convection oven can handle.

How to choose: recommendations

Owners need to pay attention to the following parameters:

power;
flask volume;
type of heating element;
availability of additional functions;
Does the kit include a steaming rack, tongs, a chicken nozzle, racks of different heights, skewers and other accessories;
is there a timer built in?
what kitchen appliances does the housewife have so as not to buy an air fryer with the same functions;
There is a “Preheating” option in electronic models;
is it possible to regulate the level of convection;
presence of the “Heating” mode;
method of fastening the cover: on a bracket, more practical than the removable version;
the presence of a protective grille that covers the heating element from splashes of fat and the adhesion of food particles;
what type of cord? The best option is removable: this makes it more convenient to wash and store the household appliance.

Multicooker

This miracle pan

appeared on the market not so long ago, but has already managed to win the hearts of millions. Now this is one of the most purchased kitchen units. And all because the multicooker saves our time and cooks practically without our participation.

Load the ingredients, install the desired program, and you are free! Everything else is a matter of technique. You don’t need to stand over the stove, nothing will burn or run away, and the food always tastes excellent. The most amazing thing is that in a slow cooker you can not only cook soups, porridges, compotes and stew everything you can, but also bake biscuits, muffins, charlottes and bread. You just need to choose a model with a baking function.

In general, it is not surprising that modern housewives are increasingly asking the question: “multi-cooker or oven, which is better?”

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the air fryer:

saves time: with high-quality airflow from different sides, food cooks faster;
margarine, butter and sunflower oil are not needed: the products do not stick to the bowl, juice is released, replacing the fatty components;
transparent walls allow you to see how the chicken is covered with a crispy crust;
you can cook a variety of dishes in an air fryer: both popular recipes with fat and spices, as well as healthy foods;
The household appliance is easy to clean;
with good care and proper operation, kitchen appliances last from 3 to 10 years, depending on the type of heating element (see above);
in more often you can not only cook, but also heat up dishes;
There are budget models and more expensive options for household appliances for the kitchen;
simple controls;
An interesting design combined with a transparent base makes the air fryer a highlight in the kitchen.

There are few disadvantages:

additional energy consumption;
models with a halogen heating element last 3–4 years, then a noticeable heating element is needed.

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