Convection ovens

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italia8369

Assistant Cook
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Nov 13, 2008
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Hi everyone. I am about to purchase a GE 30" Double wall oven and the top oven is a convection oven and the bottom a conventional one. i never worked with a convection oven before but I am hearing great things about it. I know how it works and everything but I wanted to know if its ok to cook casseroles or lasagna or a deep pan covered in? I heard that its not good for those things but then was wonder how people who only have a convection oven cook? I am excited to use it for Thanksgiving but was wondering this before I buy it. Thanks for your help.
 
As far as I understand, the convection oven is great for baking and for roasting meats. With a convection oven the hot air is blown around the whole outside of the food so its evenly cooked and is quicker. You can also put more than one tray in the oven at a time. I just relized that the one I am getting has the option of using the convection feature with the top oven. I thought I didn't have the option. Therefor, I wouldn't be able to cook lasagna and covered things like that (because the hot air can not get to the top). So, I guessed I answered my own question :rolleyes:. I still will use the convection feature when I bake cookies and roast my meats. Hope that helped...
 
After 16 years, our conventional 30" range/oven unit was in need of repairs that would have been 1/2 the cost of a new one, so we opted for a new unit because we were remodeling the kitchen and going over to black appliances. When we looked at convection ovens, we learned that they take the same floor space, but the interior space of the oven is reduced to allow for the fan unit inside the oven. For the inconvenience of food taking a little longer to cook (which we've done for 36 years already), we opted to stay with a conventional unit so all of our pans and baking sheets would still be usable.

If we had the option for a double oven like you are getting, we would jump at the opportunity. Good luck with your new toy!;)
 
my microwave has a convection oven setting. i have done several things in it. didn't like the results. didn't get as brown as i thought it should. and always had trouble with how much time to cook anything.
 
I use my convection oven for just about everything. The trick to cooking something in a deep pot is to put it on the "convection roast" setting, if that is an option. In my other house I had a TriVection GE oven--thermal, convection, and microwave--and you could use all of them or one. If you used all of them you could roast a 4-pound chicken in about half an hour. It was good, too!
 
I find convection excellent for roasts and sheets of cookies etc.

I do not use it for breads, casseroles etc. Such ovens give you the choice.
 
Italia, I have to 30" GE double convection wall oven - LOVE IT! Convection is not just for speed but the finished product, IMO, is better. The convection roast feature is great too! I also have convection on my microwave too - doesn't compare - I do quick things, chicken nuggets, bagel bites, quesadillas - it cooks faster than the wall oven and qualify is good. However, we tried things like cookies and pizza - no go - wall oven for that. Italia, I think you will enjoy your oven! Good luck!
 
I use my counter top 1.5 cu. ft. Franklin Chef convection over more than I use the oven on my commercial Wolf stove. I just love it and would replace it immediately should it ever break down.

A 1.5 cu ft. over is large enough for a 1/2 sheet pan. Of course there is no benefit to convection cooking anything that is covered, either with a lid or aluminum foil. But I use the convection feature for everything else.

One interesting side effect with convection baking muffins, however, is that several of them are slanted on top due to the air currents. But they taste great.

Here's some oven fried chicken and crispy potato slices I made last night. Fresh brussel sprouts and Warren pear sauce. Healthy, crispy and delicious.

Shelly
 

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Hello italia8369
I'm wondering what the benefit is in having both ovens, perhaps I'm missing something.
Although, a month or so has passed, I don't think anyone ever responded to attie's point. Having both ovens makes no sense unless you need the space or are cooking with convection and normal simultaneously. Since you can set a convection oven for normal baking as well as convection, it will double as both types of ovens, or am I missing something?
 
We purchased the double oven for the simple reason of having two ovens. We opted for convection on top because we wanted to try it - I do see a difference in the roasting of meats and baking -- the microwave convection cannot be compared to the wall unit at all - however, in its defense I have not used the microwave convection as much as the wall unit. My microwave is also a regular oven too so that makes three ovens -- I cook/bake a lot and believe it or not, all THREE come in quite handy!
 
HI, I have a regular oven and a microwave/convection oven. The microwave/convection oven is 20 years old. Mostly I use it for microwaving and my other favorite thing is to dehydrate things in it. I make jerky, dehydrate tomatoes, dehydrated fruits. I use to to warm coffee and warm up leftovers and to thaw frozen meals and meat at say 30% power.
I like cooking in a traditional method, like roasting and baking, but the convection oven offers me more alternatives, so I like having both.
I wouldn't want to give up either method. That is just me.
 
I may be confused. Are we talking about 3 types of ovens? 1 being a regular thermal oven, 2 being a thermal/convection oven and finally a convection-microwave oven? If so, the original discussion involved having a regular thermal oven and a convection oven.
Micowave ovens, whether normal or convection are an entirely different topic, as their use and results are very different than thermal heat.
 
My microwave is an actual oven too - you can set the temperature you want, wait for it to preheat and use it just like a regular oven. Of course, it is also a microwave too.
 
I may be confused. Are we talking about 3 types of ovens? 1 being a regular thermal oven, 2 being a thermal/convection oven and finally a convection-microwave oven? If so, the original discussion involved having a regular thermal oven and a convection oven.
Micowave ovens, whether normal or convection are an entirely different topic, as their use and results are very different than thermal heat.
Yes, and if I had a chance to design a kitchen or buy a top and bottom oven, I'd get a convection/microwave top with a normal oven below. I'd do it because it would do all the things I want done. Counter space is always at a premium and this would save space while allowing for more functionality.
 
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