Anybody used a halogen worktop oven?

[Nottseagull]

I saw this and wondered if it would be a more economical alternative to my existing miniature electric oven. What advantage does it have over a microwave, e.g. does it brown food?
ALDI - Sunday Special Buys 15th January 2012

 

[matt]

I saw this and wondered if it would be a more economical alternative to my existing miniature electric oven. What advantage does it have over a microwave, e.g. does it brown food?
ALDI - Sunday Special Buys 15th January 2012

YES. Very useful. Great for roasting meat including whole chicken (but you have to topsy-turvy that mothafucka a couple of times), and cooking things like fish fingers, chicken pieces, etc. We use ours a lot. Not good for pies or pizza as the heat is top down. Buy one.

 

[clippedgull]

Yep. One of the best things I have got in my kitchen! Advantages are that it cooks faster than conventional ovens (approx 40% in my experience). Contrary to matt, I find it cooks pies just fine (just have to lower the heat settings from the recommended settings on the packet) Juices are maintained well in all meats that I cook in there. Recommendation: BUY! I paid £60 for mine last year.

 

[Surrey_Albion]

Yep, I love mine, conveinint qiuck and easy

 

[BensGrandad]

We use one in our trailer tent as it is easy to transport low on energy and efficient.

 

[Nottseagull]

Yep, I love mine, convenient quick and easy

But so is a microwave. What I'm really getting at is what advantages are there over my existing (but ageing) microwave?

 

[BensGrandad]

More energy efficient, self cleaning well most are, food browns better in them and you can cook a complete meal in one just put it all in and go for a beer or watch TV and then when its done dish it up and eat it.

 

[Max Paper]

Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook 200 Halogen Oven Recipes: Amazon.co.uk: Maryanne Madden: 9780600622123: Books

 

[matt]

But so is a microwave. What I'm really getting at is what advantages are there over my existing (but ageing) microwave?

You ever tried to roast a chicken in the microwave?

 

[Nottseagull]

You ever tried to roast a chicken in the microwave?

Actually yes, I have a large bowl with a drainer inside it designed just for that. Cooks OK, but with no crispy skin (which I don't eat anyway).
So do your fish fingers etc. come out crispy?

 

[skipper734]

I've had mine for a couple of years, Microwavable stuff is done in the Microwave Oven stuff is done in the Halogen oven. (Cooks stuff lovely.) You just need a gas ring and that does everything you can think of without recourse to a massive oven.
Oh! Self cleaning is a bit of a stretch, but it's simple enough to wash up. Wouldn't be without it.

 

[severnside gull]

We use one - does almost everything a traditional oven can do and to the same standard (just quicker) - highly recommended.
We probably use the halogen more than the conventional oven (except for baking and cakes) whereas the microwave only ever gets used for cooking frozen peas and warming milk for the occassional bowl of weetabix! Conversely we used to have a halogen hob which I hated with a vengance and eventually ripped out to replace it with a gas hob.