Convection Oven Vs. Infrared

Infrared ovens and convection ovens come in small, tabletop models.

Cooks and chefs have several alternatives to conventional cooking devices. For example, convection ovens and infrared ovens which both offer faster cooking times. Some users even report that they brown food more evenly and leave dishes more moist than conventional electric or gas ovens.

Function

Convection ovens combine a conventional heat source, such as natural gas or electric heating elements with a fan that circulates the heated air evenly around the food being cooked. Infrared ovens heat food with infrared light waves. They are invisible to the eye but heat food when they contact it.

Usage

Convection ovens cook more quickly than conventional ovens and must be used differently. Cooking times or temperatures must be reduced and food must be placed in low-sided dishes for air to circulate well. Cooks also have to often reduce cooking times with infrared ovens and either little or no preheating time.

Applications

Convection ovens are popular among professional chefs and are available to home cooks as well. Convection ability is also added to some small ovens, such as toaster ovens. Tabletop infrared ovens are becoming available for home cooks, but larger-scale infrared ovens are used in various industrial applications.

References

• Process Heating: 7 Questions and Answers About Infrared Ovens
• Epicurious: Cooking with Convection Ovens
• Casso-Solar Corporation: Infrared-How Does it Work?
• Consumer Reports: NuWave Pro Infrared Oven Draws Mixed Reviews