“What’s the better option – an OTG, a microwave oven or a conventional oven”
So here are the different options you need to consider. All of them differ in cooking method, price, etc. Consider the space you have in your kitchen, your budget and what sort of use you have for your oven before zeroing in on one.
(a) Conventional ovens
Conventional ovens work on an electric element for cooking or a gas burner. In this type of oven, heat radiates up and pushes cold air down which can lead to uneven cooking or baking. However, this type of oven is very common and usually inbuilt in kitchens or come as part of the kitchen range.
(b) Convection ovens
Convection ovens cook food a bit differently. There’s a fan at the back that forces air circulation throughout the oven, cooking food more evenly. This also results in quicker heating and is said to consume less power. The cooking time will differ from that of a conventional oven.
(c) Microwave Ovens
These are the ‘ovens’ that most of you probably own. They are most popularly used for heating and defrosting and use radio waves for this. There are some microwave-oven-specific recipes that are best for baking in a microwave. If you try a normal recipe in the microwave, it may not work out well so don’t make that mistake.
(d) Microwave cum Convection Ovens
(e) Oven Toaster Grill (OTG) Oven
These use old-fashioned filament coils for heating and cooking (much like a geyser). Although they work fantastic for making toast and even grilling, baking in them doesn’t work out as best as in the other ovens. Before I moved to Singapore, I had an OTG in which I used to bake and although the food turned out just fine, sometimes, the crust used to dry out or the cake used to get unevenly cooked. I made these Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies and my first No-Knead Bread in an OTG and although they tasted just fine, I am sure they would have come out much better in a convection oven.
**Disclaimer**
This post and information on it is based on my research. I claim to be no expert so if you find anything wrong or unclear, do drop a note.
Hi Nags
This is a very useful Post. I’m in Kerala
I am in the same confusion. I want to buy an oven
for all my baking needs, not just cakes but also for
Lean dough breads.could u pls suggest which one is best, conventional (gas) or convection electric.
Thanks in advance.
go for a convection oven, that’s best in my opinion
Hi Nags,
Indeed an insightful write up, especially for someone like me,who is going t o set up a new kitchen. I went through all the comments, but still have a few queries regarding what would be the most suitable for me. I have a small kitchen. Also, I bake quite often, I also take a few orders here and there. Very few, but they do trickle in. I love baking for myself and my family, and bake a lot. Currently I have a microwave, convection oven, which serves my purpose right, but it is very small in size, and i feel it bakes more on one side, resulting in a little uneven browning of stuff. I wanted a bigger one, which could lessen my effort of baking small batches of cookies or cupcakes, and could bake a bit bigger batches.
Please suggest, whether i should take just a bigger microwave convection oven, or take separate ones, a microwave and an oven. I have a 2 year old, so I don’t think i can do way with the microwave too.
Kindly suggest, it would be helpful!
Thanks,
Ravijot
A larger microwave convection oven should work for your purposes and also saves space. I recommend going to a retailer and checking out all options, prices before deciding. Ultimately it’s up to you of course
Hi iam from India,planning to start a vry small bakery, kindly suggest what type of oven to buy and the capacity of the oven.probably I might bake 2 -3 cake, some 100-150 cookies and 10-15 breads that’s all….pls help
hi , i am laitis from kerala
i am planning to buy an oven, i mainly want to cook south indian recipies ( both veg and non veg), fried rice and cakes.so can u please suggest the type of oven for me
regards
laitis
Hi, I bought a convection oven recently and I have trouble baking with it! My oven has an option to turn on/off the fan. I baked muffins yesterday and it turned out to be burnt on the outside and uncooked inside. Do you know if I need to follow the recipe for the temperature and timing, or do I have to adjust accordingly? because i am using a dark pan to bake, do i have to lower the temperature and reduce the baking time? and do i need to turn on the fan? i am really worried about my future baking 🙁 please help me!!
-Fei
Debaleena, i am really not an expert in this. but i think looking at your usage, go for a conventional table top oven that does only baking. OTG in my experience doesn't work too well and most of my friends who have a convection cum microwave find it ok to use although its not as good as conventional ovens.
i am not familiar with brands and models available in the market so please go to a good electronic store and weigh in the options.
Hi I am completely confused with which oven I need to buy and whether I should buy a convection microwave or an OTG.My main purpose is as follows-
Grilling/roasting/Broiling non veg (chicken, fish, beef etc)and vegetables.
Browning
baking cakes and cookies and pies.
As you can see I am looking mainly to cook non Indian recipes after getting inspired from Top chef and master-chef Australia programme.Pl
let me know whether I should go for a convection microwave or an OTG
or both.
As you are an expert in this field I
am really looking forward to your answer. I am going through the net
but have been receiving contradictory opinions.
I will decide my option based on your answer . Kindly help. Pl give the
make and model number too.
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY
Thanks
Debaleena
91 9845473102
Hey Nags,
Thanks. It is nice and cute .
this is what i have, but smaller size
http://www.delonghi.com/sg_en/products/aov-842/
Nags,
could you pls tell me the model and features of your oven?
Good luck Sita! 🙂
Nags,
Thanks for answering my questions so patiently.Actually I am new to baking and hence hesitant to choose the right oven.Am doubtful whether this type of electric oven would give better results for baking or the food would get burnt.hope i settle with the right one.
Honestly, I don't know enough about this model to recommend one for you. I have a Delonghi oven and it works well. Why don't you go with the model that's in stock?
Hey Nags,
Kindly scroll down the page
http://www.cornellappliances.com/page/4/?s=oven&x=37&y=9 and compare the Electric Oven: (1)CEO-TS30L
with (2 ).model cco33 in the page
http://www.cornellappliances.com/page/2/?s=oven&x=37&y=9.
Both are of 28l.first one is 28l 1500w. It is having holes on the right side from top to bottom.the second one is 28l 2000w with holes on the top only.Which one would be a better one.Kindly reply.
42L seems too big. I use a 26L and that's a decent size for home baking, so I would recommend the smaller size. Of course, I claim to be no expert 🙂
Dear nags
Sorry for confusing you. Kindly compare
Electric Oven: CEO-TS30L
in the page http://www.cornellappliances.com/page/4/?s=oven&x=37&y=9
and model cco33 in the page
http://www.cornellappliances.com/page/2/?s=oven&x=37&y=9.
waiting for your reply.
I see that both the ovens you are considering has the same serial number? Unless you bake everyday or very frequently, your power consumption will not go up too much. I would suggest you go with what's in stock and fits your budget.
Hi Nags,
Your post regarding the various types of oven had helped me a lot in clarifying the different aspects of oven.I an in Chennai and my mother has gone to Singapore for a small trip.Since i wanted to purchase an oven she had been to a shop which had displayed Cornell oven 28l.The site is http://www.cornellappliances.com/page/2/?s=oven&x=37&y=9.Could you please help me in deciding the better oven among these.Actually she had booked for 28l oven 2000w (cco33).When I went through the site i found another 28l oven(cco33) with power consumption of 1500w(CEO-TS 30L).Since I am concerned about the electricity bills and the product is not available at present and may take 2-3 daysI want to reconsider the option .Does the oven cook fast if power is high? S he is not able to ask the sales person since they talk Chinese.kindly give your suggestions and help me choose a better oven.Kindly reply soooon.
Hi Nags!
This is a very useful post and its part II too! Thanks!
So glad this post on types of ovens helped 🙂
Thats a really useful post. I have been experimenting with my oven as I was not sure if it was exactly a proper convection oven. However, ur post and links to other posts from it have helped clear my doubts 🙂
Thanks, Naga. Didn't know of Onida having microwave ovens:D..Now you know how ignorant I am when it comes to Ovens:P Will check it out when I go, I tried to find the IFB model, and couldn't at a few stores. Only Samsung, same price range. Will look for Onida next time I go:-)~Shreya
Very useful post nags 🙂
Shreya, you can definitely bake in that. You may also want to look at Onida Black Beauty. I have heard that works well too and you get a lot of variety in prices too.
Hi Naga, very useful post indeed! Especially for someone who has still not used a microwave and never baked:-) I so want a microwave, and also want to start baking. So, I am still confused whether to buy a microwave and an OTG or a microwave with convection + grill. I found this product:
http://www.ifbappliances.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&storeId=10001&productId=19509&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=11507&top_category=11506
and would love to buy it, if baking works in it! This has preheat facility as well. If anyone has used this product, please let me know if it will serve my purpose:-)
If you love baking i think you should go for a Convection oven. I had a combo and didn't like it and went again for a Convection. A very informative post.
Nags…such a useful post! It clears all my doubts abt the oven types.Didnt even know conventional and convection are 2 types 🙂
I own a OTG and all my bakes are with it and am totally satisfied with the outcome. But still there are some cases cakes turned out utter flop….the same ones I had baked so well in the previous days which had got me many appreciations. As a baby baker….to me the batter consistency also matters a lot, next comes the settings and the oven type.
My entry is still pending for MMKT……will try to send in atleast by this month end 🙂
Thanks Jeyashri!
That's great Sowmya, hope they find it useful!
this is a good post..many of my friends ask me about this..will direct them here:))
very useful post