Convection in the microwave: what is it, how to choose

The microwave oven has already become quite firmly established in the homes of almost all families. We are used to using it to heat and defrost food. Now advertising and all the stores present us with: a microwave oven with convection, grill and many more new functions. So what is convection in a microwave oven and is it really necessary, or is it just another marketing ploy? Below we will try to understand this issue.

What is this function and how does it work?

Convection is a function that promotes uniform heating of air and its distribution throughout the chamber of the device. Heating elements installed in the chamber produce heat. Using a fan (convection), the heated air is evenly distributed over the entire area of the chamber. This way the food is cooked evenly both inside and outside.

A microwave with convection is currently, if not a full-fledged replacement, then at least a worthy alternative to ovens.

Previous models of microwave ovens were equipped with a maximum grill, thanks to which it was possible to cook, for example, golden brown chicken in it. A microwave with convection significantly expands the list of microwave recipes. You can bake pies and pastries in it, cook soups and bake the main course, and so on.

Most often, a microwave with grill and convection is of interest to housewives who do not have the opportunity to install an oven in the kitchen (small space or rented housing), but want to cook complete and tasty food.

Naturally, models with convection and grill are larger in size and, accordingly, more expensive than their non-convection counterparts, but cheaper and more compact than ovens, so they are just right for a small kitchen.

What is convection in a microwave oven

Today you can increasingly find microwaves with additional functions. These are no longer just household appliances for heating or defrosting food. These are full-fledged ovens that can replace a conventional stove and oven.

Increasingly, modern models of these household appliances are equipped with a grill. And recently - a convector. This is a ring-shaped heating element. It is located in the cavity of the back wall of the microwave oven. This element is necessarily equipped with a fan.

It sets the warm air that comes from the heating element into motion. Thanks to this, heat is distributed evenly throughout the microwave. The products are well baked. In this case, the holes in the back wall of the microwave allow only air to pass through. If you turn on the combined mode of microwaves and convection, the former will not penetrate the wall cavity.

Thanks to convection, the air temperature inside the oven can reach 200˚C and even higher. At the same time, you should not be afraid that the oven will overheat. Microwaves of this type have temperature sensors

As soon as the set temperature is reached, the convector turns off. If the temperature inside the oven begins to drop, the sensor turns on the convector heating element again.

Convection is suitable for those who are used to baking. And also for those who like to cook dishes with a golden brown crust. In such a microwave you can easily bake chicken, fish, and vegetables. Pies and buns will turn out no worse in it than in the oven. This occurs due to forced circulation of hot air. It allows any product to bake evenly.

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Some models are equipped with multiple fans. This greatly increases the quality of cooking. For clarity, watch a video about such a phenomenon as convection.

The difference between forced convection and natural convection is the ordered movement of air.

Microwave oven with convection - how to “make friends” with it?

So, we figured out what convection is and why it is needed. Now let's look at how to handle it.

Not all containers can be used for convection cooking. Usually the instructions for the device indicate which dishes are suitable for this.
It is best to cook in small portions. Then the dishes turn out very tasty.
Be sure to use a special stand with legs, it is usually included in the kit. The need to use a stand is to ensure access of heated air from all sides of the dishes, including from below.
If you like golden brown crusts, you need to use the combined grill + convection mode. Only in this case will the baked goods be golden.
Also, its use significantly reduces cooking time, and therefore saves electricity.
You should also use preheating of the chamber - most modern models are equipped with this function. Just 7-10 minutes is enough, and you can safely add the dish. It is advisable to set the heating temperature to 150 degrees.

If you follow these recommendations, you will quickly “make friends” with your new assistant, and cooking even complex dishes will become a joy.

How to use convection?

A microwave equipped with a convection mode can replace an oven. It makes delicious casseroles, stews, meat in pots, and you can also bake pies, muffins and make meringues. The main rule is not to forget about the lattice stand. With it, air can move freely throughout the chamber, covering the future dish from all sides. This allows the food to bake evenly.

Interesting : most often microwave ovens with convection also have a grill mode (like the GE711KR). In them, programs can be combined, which allows you not only to reduce cooking time, but also to get a tasty, crispy crust.

It is not advisable to cook a lot of food at once: if you need to create a dish for several servings, it would be good to do it in two or three batches. Too large a portion is unlikely to bake evenly.

Useful: TOP 15 most popular microwave ovens: review of the best models

If you come across a microwave with a preheating mode, then it would be a shame not to use it. You can warm up the oven chamber for a few minutes, and then the food will cook faster.

Tip : For families with small children, a safety lock option works well. LG MH6353H has this.

Choosing a convection microwave - what to look for

We have already figured out what convection in a microwave is, why it is needed and how to work with it. If you understand that you need such a useful device, it’s time to understand how to choose it correctly.

In addition to the fact that when choosing, we always focus on user reviews, we also need to take into account our own capabilities and needs.

So, modern microwave ovens with convection can combine three main functions:

microwaves (defrosting, heating food);
grill;
convection.

Devices with the maximum range of functions are, accordingly, more expensive and more efficient. In addition, all modern microwave ovens can be divided according to the type of heating element. There are two of them:

heating element - a spiral with an internal heating element. Widely used in grill ovens, in some models it is movable;
quartz is a more compact and convenient heater to use and maintain. It is fixedly mounted on the top of the chamber.

Otherwise, the choice of displacement, set of functions, as well as the brand of the device is yours.

More modern and expensive models have a number of cooking programs. Here you just need to select a product or dish, and the device will select the cooking time on its own. Even an inexperienced housewife can cope with such a task.

Pros and cons of convection devices

Each piece of household appliance has its own pros and cons. The same is true for grill and convection microwave ovens. To understand whether you really need these features, let's look at the pros and cons of this technique.

The positive aspects include the following:

such a stove can easily replace an oven, taking up less space in the kitchen;
the ability to combine different cooking modes;
built-in programs for some products and dishes;
saving time, and with it energy (compared to an electric oven);
preparing healthy food;
convenient control;
multifunctionality.

Negative traits include:

small (compared to an oven) volume;
Not all dishes can be used;
high quality models are expensive.

Here you need to look at what exactly in your case will outweigh the pros or cons.

The most modern microwave ovens are equipped with six functions - microwaves, grill, convection, microwaves with steam, also known as grill, and convection with grill. Well, they will cost, accordingly, a lot.

Solo and convection - what's the difference?

People who have never worked with technology may often not know what household appliances are capable of. In the case of the apartment owner, it turned out to be not enough to just let him taste the meat cooked in his own microwave, which he had previously used only for heating. He asked to show everything clearly.

Let's remember what a solo model is - it is equipped only with a heating element and is only capable of heating and defrosting. In such an oven you will never bake fish, make a pie or get an evenly heated dish. All this can be done using a grill, but there is a danger of burning and drying out the product at high temperatures.

What does convection give us:

An opportunity to forget about tough meat, burnt on top and raw inside.
Uniform heating of food and fast defrosting. In solo models, part of the product has time to cook on the outside while there is still a block of ice inside.
An additional method for baking flour products. This option is very appropriate in a rented apartment where a simple electric stove without an oven is installed.

Thanks to the fan, hot air circulates freely around the food, heating it gradually. Therefore, a microwave oven with convection promotes the formation of a delicate golden crust without a burnt residue. Thus, such a model can replace a full-fledged oven.