Speed ovens have been around from more than 10 years, but they haven’t made their way into most households just yet. It may be their price tag or their “gadgety” feel that’s prevented them from going mainstream, but chances are they will be finding their way into more homes soon. What is a speed oven, you ask? Take a look at what they are and what makes them such a fun tool to use.
3 Technologies
Speed ovens combine the operational technologies of three types of common ovens. They feature a fan on the back wall of the cooking chamber to move hot air around the space, known as convection cooking. They also use radio waves to cook just like a microwave oven does, though usually only in short bursts of time. Finally, speed ovens use infrared technology for their broiling or grilling applications.
How They Work
When added to residential kitchens, speed ovens tend to be mounted similarly to a wall oven or double oven. This makes them easy to access and puts the controls at eye level. Home cooks can use the control panel to select a cooking cycle that is appropriate for the food being prepared.
For the most part, the oven’s programming chooses how hot and how long to cook the food using the information the user has entered. There’s always the option for the cook to make personal adjustments after checking the food periodically. For example, someone roasting a whole chicken might expect the oven to choose high heat with occasional blasts of radio waves for speedier cooking that won’t dry out the meat. Then, for crispy chicken skin, the infrared broiler might turn on for the final five minutes of cooking.
Benefits and Drawbacks
As with all appliances, there are benefits and drawbacks to buying and using a speed oven. On the plus side, there is, of course, the benefit of short cooking times. For someone who wants to prepare full meals quickly but at a high quality, a speed oven is a great tool to have. Plus, they can make a truly sleek and stylish addition to any home kitchen.
The main drawback is the cost of a speed oven. Even the least expensive models come in at several thousand dollars, and the high-end options can be triple that amount. Plus, the wall-mounted configuration may mean a kitchen remodel is required to make room for the speed oven. There are only a few models to choose from as the appliance is new to the market.
Speed ovens are impressive and useful appliances that just about any home cook would love to have in his or her kitchen. However, the price point is a special consideration. Still, the popularity of the stylish machines is likely to blossom in coming years as cooks value time and high food quality over money.
