Microwave Oven vs OTG: When to Use a Convection Baking Oven

Two appliances in the home which are used for heating up food and sometimes carrying out other cooking processes are microwave ovens and OTGs. They are indispensable kitchen equipment that is needed to cook, bake, and prepare several meals in a day.

These appliances are different from each other. However, there are a lot of people who don’t know the difference. When they need convection microwaves, the end up buying OTGs and vice versa. The end result of this is that they are left unsatisfied by the performance of their purchase.

In this article, we will be talking about the differences between a microwave oven and an OTG as well as when to use a convection oven.

A microwave oven is an appliance that uses watts, electromagnetic waves, infrared radiation, and radio waves to heat, cook, bake, and grill food.

Instead of a fan to evenly distribute the heat, a microwave oven has a turntable. This turntable rotates the food so that every part of it can be evenly cooked by microwaves.

A microwave oven makes use of special containers because of the nature of the electromagnetic waves it uses. What this means is that you can not use metal or containers that are not microwave-safe in a microwave.

Microwave ovens generally come in three different types.

Basic Microwave Ovens

As far as microwave ovens go, this kind of microwave does not really have much to offer. Its functions are very limited. The only things it can be used for are; reheating, defrosting, and some light cooking. While there are claims that you can bake in a basic microwave oven, it is physically impossible.

Grill Microwave Ovens

Some days, you just find yourself in the mood for a good barbecue, but you are just too tired for a charcoal grill. This is where a grill microwave oven comes in.

A grill microwave oven is basically a microwave with a coil on top for the sole purpose of heating. It usually comes with a tall rack in order to get the food closer to the heat source. It can be used to toast, roast, and grill food. It also comes with a turntable for reheating and cooking.

Convection Microwaves

Also referred to as a combination microwave, a convection microwave, is a basic microwave oven with the function of a grill and an oven. What this means is that it can be used to bake, grill, reheat, toast or roast practically anything. It comes with a fan, a coil, and electromagnetic waves for the quick and distribution of heat.

An Oven-Toaster-Griller is an appliance that performs virtually all the functions of a microwave oven but in a different manner. Instead of using electromagnetic waves, it uses heating coils. It can be used as an oven, toaster, or grill.

Like a microwave oven, it also uses infrared radiation, but the preheating function is considerably slower. OTGs are also smaller in comparison to microwave ovens, and they mostly make use of buttons or lights instead of led displays.

Since all microwave ovens cannot perform the functions of an OTG, here for comparison, we have taken a convection microwave.

Heat Source

Heat in a microwave oven is generated by the Magnetron. This heat is created in the form of watts, which is then absorbed by food.

In an OTG, heat is created by the heating coil through the conversion of electricity. This heating coil keeps getting hot until it reaches the preset temperature, after which it turns itself off.

When it comes to preheating, microwave ovens take only 5 minutes to preheat while OTGs can take up to 15 minutes.

Size

While a microwave oven and an OTG performs virtually the same function, the mode of calculating their size is always different. For example, microwaves are always calculated in cubic feet, while OTGs are usually calculated based on the number of bread slices you can put in it at once or width.

For microwave ovens, the larger the microwave is, the more likely it is to perform better than other microwaves.

Lastly, microwave ovens are usually heavier than OTGs because they have more parts.

Price

This particular feature is very important when it comes to buying a budget-friendly appliance. OTGs because of their limited functions and the cheap cost production are usually cheaper than convection ovens.

Although the brand sometimes matters when it comes to price range, OTGs are always the cheaper option of the two appliances.

Capacity

OTGS can be used to make more things than convection ovens. The maximum capacity of an OTG is around 60 liters, while the maximum capacity of a microwave is just around 32 liters. What this means is that with an OTG, you can make more.

If you need an oven for commercial use, the best one to get is definitely an OTG. If the oven is for home use, then you might want to consider a convection microwave.

Apart from the vague knowledge that a convection microwave can be used to bake, a lot of people don’t know exactly when to switch on the convection setting in their microwave. This sometimes leads to overheated or overcooked meals.

Roasting

Unless you are roasting your meat, fish or any other food that can be roasted, you don’t need to switch on your convection setting.
Roasting in convection mode enables your food to cook faster. It also gives your cooking a crispy and caramelized touch.

Baking

The temperature of a conventional microwave can not be used to bake a cake. In the convection mode, a microwave oven can go as high as 225° to 400°, depending on the maker and capacity of the microwave. This means that you can completely control the amount of temperature you use to cook, and that’s a great thing when you’re baking.

Grilling

Convection microwaves are good for grilling in the house. They are fast, and the barbecue maintains its moisture. It is also a safer method of cooking as it uses electricity instead of charcoal and smoke.

Whether you choose to use a convection microwave or an OTG, what matters is that the appliance fits your purpose for buying it. If you have the money and the kitchen space to put both, buying a convection microwave and an OTG is a greater investment than just buying one of the two.