Buying Guide for Convection Ovens
A convection oven has a fan and exhaust system that a regular oven does not. The fan and exhaust helps blow hot oven air over and around the food, then vent it back out. As a result, this hot air surrounds the food so that it cooks evenly and more quickly. While cooking with a convection oven, be mindful that recipe times and temperatures may need to be adjusted.
Not everything is compatible with a fan of the convection oven. Delicate baked goods, like souffles, custards, angel food cake and even many quick breads are not suitable for convection. The air flow can cause cakes to rise unevenly, the tops of cupcakes to lean towards one side and dry out the top of custard, creating a crust that you do not want. Use convection for roasting meat and vegetables, baking cookies and pies, and anytime you want even browning. You can find the best deals on amazon for a wide variety of best premium convection ovens.
Benefits of Convection Ovens
Gives You More Evenly Heated Cooking Space
In a true convection oven, there are three separate heating elements along the top, bottom and rear of the cooking space. When a fan forces the heated air to circulate, it does not matter if the food is placed on a top, middle or lower rack. More food can be placed in the oven without fear of burning the bottom pan or having half-cooked food on the top rack.
Less Overall Time to Prepare Dishes
There is also a noticeable improvement in both cooking temperature and time. In the cooking industry, there is a rule dealing with convection ovens called the rule of 25s. When using the oven, the cooking temperature can be reduced by 25 degrees with the same end result. This in itself means a substantial savings in heat energy over time. Many foods cook 25% faster in a convection oven that also means less overall time is needed to prepare dishes.
Great For Small Spaces
Countertop convection ovens are much smaller and take less space. Besides, if you need to bring your oven from one place to another, having a countertop convection oven will make things easy for you, because it is compact, portable, and lightweight. Great for small apartments, campers, student dormitories, or simply a kitchen with limited space.
Quick Pre-Heating and Energy Efficient
Countertop convection ovens are usually smaller. They do not produce as much heat as traditional ovens while reaching the same temperature in a shorter period of time. A countertop convection oven that heats up faster and cooks your food in less time consumes less energy, saving a bit on your energy bills each month.
Factors to Consider Before Buying Convection Ovens
Your Menu
Your menu offerings are going to play a big factor into what features you will want in your convection oven. For example, if your chefs are going to need to see the food as it is being prepared, glass doors on your convection oven are a must. Or if you cook a lot of items of varying sizes, you will want to make sure your pan racks are adjustable. A lot of convection ovens also come with programmable cooking options to make things easier on your kitchen staff.
Speed Concerns
If speed is a major concern, you may want to consider getting a microwave and convection oven combination. Even though convection ovens will cook a lot faster than a traditional oven, the inclusion of the microwave feature can make it go even faster. If you are a fast food establishment, this feature will help you turn out evenly cooked food in a drastically reduced amount of time, and will definitely be worth the investment.
Electric or Natural Gas
This may seem like an obvious question, but it is still very important. If you do not have a natural gas line into your kitchen, you willl need to go with an electric model. You will also want to consider utility costs in your area. If both options are available, you will want to choose whichever option saves you money on utilities.
Go For Durability
Convection commercial ovens are made of stainless steel or galvanized steel. Stainless steel, which is corrosion resistant, is the material of choice for those who plan to use their commercial ovens for heavy-duty applications. Galvanized steel is a more affordable option, although it is not as corrosion resistant as stainless steel and will not last as long.
Conclusion
A convection oven has a fan and exhaust system that circulates hot air around the inside of the oven, making it ideal for multi-rack cooking. Like conventional ovens, these can be gas or electric and come in different models with various features. There are two types of convection ovens on the market, True or European convection, and standard convection. True convection ovens have both a fan and a third heating element, while regular convection ovens only have a fan, no additional heating element is included. If you want to learn more about your buying options, take a look at some of the best latest release convection ovens and best wolf gourmet convection ovens.
