Modern Microwave Combi Oven (Speed Oven) Experiences

[Fuss]

There was an earlier thread on this started back in 2005....but technology has moved on....
I just wondered if anyone has built in one of the modern combi microwave convection ovens, sometimes called speed ovens.
How energy efficient are they ....do they need much airspace around them when built in.
How do you find them?
I am sure that these days they should be very energy efficient....is this really the case?

[NativeUSAindian]

Ok it gos like this your looking for a microwave Convection oven? there on the Net just do a search and some start with power needs of a 1000watts.
I am not Autherized to put links or company names on this site.
So I hope you fine what you need.

[JanetGroene]

I have one and love it for microwaving and as a convection oven, but forget using it in combi modes. You're forever turning, switching, stirring, covering, uncovering and messing about. While it does speed up the entire cooking time, I don't think it's worth it. Too, any oven in which heat is produced also produces baked-on mess that needs stronger cleaners. I use mine in convection mode only in emergecies (like Thanksgiving dinner). Any mess produced in microwave mode can be cleaned off with a mild cleaner and sometimes plain water. If you want to do combi cooking, the best cookbooks are written by Janet Sedlack. I'm guessing her books are found on Amazon.

[sailnautilus]

Janet:
I purchased a micro/convection combo oven for my Kanter; I love the one I have at home and thought it would be perfect on the boat.
It requires 3 to 5 inches or clearance on the side/ back /top to allow for heat dissipation. After contemplating significant cabinetry remodel, and looking at the one at home, I returned it because I realized how hot it got and it would cost a fortune to remodel a place for it with ample ventilation around it.
Hope this helps... Love your recipes!!!!
Regards,
Michele

[Fuss]

Thanks for the posts so-far.... thats exactly the information I was looking for.... my thoughts at the moment are that I will stick (no pun intended) with my combination microwave/grill as the large clearance and the comments by Janet make it look like I wont be completely satisfied with it.
Thanks again
John

[JanetGroene]

Michele brings up an important point about looking at installation requirements before buying any new appliance. My microwave-combi oven also has a built-in overboard exhaust (rather than a recirculating fan with filter) and the ducting has to be taken into consideration. That feature would be great on some boats and a disaster on others.

[CarlF]

We've had great luck with a .9 cubic foot unit combination oven from Sharp. Costs less than $250US. Requires 2" of space on sides, top and back but it's quite small. The temperature is much more accurate and even than our propane oven. Too many butttons but it's easier than most to figure out. Uses almost 1500 watts of power so you wouldn't run it off batteries for long even with a big inverter.

Carl

[R2boat]

If you are going to power it with an older inverter for short periods of time, it may not work. Seems the newer units do not 'like' the modified sine wave...so perhaps you may want to be sure you can return it easily....as for smaller microwaves, I was told by someone at Sun Electronics to look for one that had 'dials' instead of buttons...

[Fuss]

I still don't find any good solid reviews on them... which normally is a sign that they are not as good as one would hope.

[Pmary]

Originally Posted by Fuss

There was an earlier thread on this started back in 2005....but technology has moved on....
I just wondered if anyone has built in one of the modern combi microwave convection ovens, sometimes called speed ovens.
How energy efficient are they ....do they need much airspace around them when built in.
How do you find them?
I am sure that these days they should be very energy efficient....is this really the case?

We have successfully used a Sharp Convection/microwave for five or six years.

[JanetGroene]

I love my combi but only because I use it as an oven or as a microwave. Read one or two recipes for combi cooking and you'll see that it's a very demanding routine.

[Amapola]

I have a Sharp Microwave / Convection oven and I love it. I've never used the Princess oven that came with the boat.

[svBeBe]

Our boat is 240v 50hz. We ruined the original Ariston microwave by using it at a marina in the Caribbean with 240v 60z. Replacement was purchased in Bonaire in July 2007. This one is a Midea brand. It works as standard microwave and also has convection, grill and combination features. It is a pretty basic unit and I think it cost around $200. The convection feature is great for warming up crusty breads. The grill with combo convection feature is good for warming up pizza or leftover fish.

The number one thing cooked in our microwave is baked potatoes. I would never burn gas for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours just to bake 2 potatoes -- and heat up the entire boat. We would never enjoy baked potatoes if we did not have the microwave. Secondary use of the microwave is just to heat up leftovers for quick lunch.

An alternate electrical outlet next to the microwave is wired to our built-in 1800w inverter. We plug the microwave into the regular outlet when using shore power or the generator, and switch to the alternate outlet when using the inverter. Works great.

The grill feature is especially nice when in tropical climates -- doesn't heat up the boat like the propane oven/grill would. Convection is great to bake partially pre-cooked baguettes sometimes sold in larger surpermarkets or sold frozen. The bread browns nicely and has a crispy outer crust.

I think both the grill and convection features are fairly standard features in any newer microwaves.

Judy
S/V BeBe

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by Amapola

I have a Sharp Microwave / Convection oven and I love it. I've never used the Princess oven that came with the boat.

Just to give some feedback as I eventually installed a panasonic combi microwave, grill and fan oven.

Its easy to use and uses very little power.
An example...
To cook a 1.5 kilo chicken

push button for chicken, dial weight, press start.

Then 23 minutes and 22ah @24v later its done.... run it off your batteries and inverter if they are big enough. Used less power than the fridge.

I found that quite amazing.

So my opinion so far is that they are very worthwhile.

Ok, onto the downside.
If you install instead of freestanding then heat is a problem... I'm installing a thermostat fan to try to solve this.

Back to the upside.
Baked potatoes are cooked in a very short time in an extremely energy efficient way. Maybe 10 times faster and more efficient than any other means.