ᐅ Oven with built-in microwave

Created on: 19 Feb 2017 08:26
J
joho78
Hello forum,

I understand that the built-in microwave oven is functional and that using the oven and microwave combination can save time, but I’m curious whether this integrated version really performs as well as a separate microwave in everyday use (setting aside space advantages, as we have enough room). I’m not talking about large cooking tasks, but rather things like quickly warming a cup of milk or reheating lunch in the evening. Do you need to remove the trays first, or does it work like a standalone microwave (open, place item inside, start, done)? Is it easy to find the small cup of milk again afterward in the relatively large oven? And so on.

I’d be interested to hear about your daily experiences and whether you would choose a combination unit again.

Best regards
K
Knallkörper
28 Jun 2017 20:30
That doesn’t make much sense. The microwave heats the entire volume of the food more or less evenly, both the surface and the core. The oven, on the other hand, can only transfer heat to the surface, and from there heat conduction ensures that the core gets hot as well. (Wow, that sounds technical…) Ultimately, this is why bread develops a crust in the oven but not in the microwave. In the microwave, everything is heated through before it can become crispy or browned.
A
Alex85
28 Jun 2017 20:48
Knallkörper schrieb:
The microwave heats the entire volume of the food more or less evenly, the surface as well as the core.

The exact opposite is true. The waves cannot penetrate deeper than 5–6cm (2–2.4 inches) into the food. Additionally, the uneven radiation inside the devices makes a turntable necessary to at least compensate for this.

I don’t see the advantage of baking plus microwave (faster?). In my view, the benefit is having both functions in one appliance, also because of the pricing, which is quite interesting. Built-in microwaves are outrageously expensive and somewhat tricky to integrate into kitchen design.

What are your experiences with combi steam ovens? Do you use them, or do you lose interest after the second cleaning? Pure steam cookers seem to be somewhat better designed for that purpose.
K
Knallkörper
28 Jun 2017 20:56
Hello Alex,

I wanted to provide a clear comparison between the way heat is applied by an oven versus a microwave. In direct comparison, the microwave’s heat application is volumetric, while the oven’s is only surface-based, each having its own advantages.
Mycraft28 Jun 2017 23:39
Remove the turntable... immediately you can see and feel how it works particularly well...

The object will become hot on one side at the usual radiation dose and a certain depth, while remaining cold on the other side... essentially half and half.
H
Hendrik007
11 Jul 2017 13:53
That’s exactly what I find strange. How can the microwave function of an oven, where nothing rotates, be just as effective as in a standalone microwave? Wouldn’t the heat distribution inevitably be very uneven?
L
LostWolf
5 Feb 2020 13:33
I'll dig this up here:
What actually happens if you want to use the microwave immediately after using the oven?
Since the space is still hot, that would affect the microwave's cooking function, right?