Microwave vs Oven – Which is Better For Your Cooking?
Team Mishry
Looking to buy a microwave or oven, but confused about what to buy? Let us help you out with that!
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In a country like ours, advanced kitchen appliances are still considered a luxury by a majority of the population. It is because typically; the inventions made by the western part of the world have taken longer to reach the eastern region. The same is the case when it comes to appliances like the microwave as well, which is the reason why, even today, most people do not know the difference between oven and microwave.
If you find yourself to be among that section of people, we are here to help you out with everything you need to know about the difference between OTG and microwave oven and OTG cooking.
Before you look for a buying guide for microwaves, we need to understand a little more about the different types of ovens and the OTG used in the kitchen. So let us begin with an introduction to this technology.
Table of Contents
Difference Between Oven And Microwave
Now, before we start, it is imperative to know that the world of electric cooking is more complicated than you think. However, that does not mean that it is out of a common man’s understanding. Today, in this article, we help you do just that.
To begin with, let us tell you about the different microwave ovens you can find in the market. The three main types of microwave ovens are – solo, grill, and convection microwave ovens. The grill microwave oven is also known as the OTG microwave oven.
Now, what are they?
They are the most popular category of microwave ovens that are sold in India. The word “OTG” expands as an oven, toast, grill, which are the basic functions of the oven. Now, let us understand the difference between the oven and OTG that will answer all your questions.
Here’s a guide to types of microwave ovens that you can purchase for regular use.
Prestige IRIS ECO 1200 W Induction Cooktop with automatic voltage regulator |Indian Menu option|Power Saver|Timer with User Pre-Set|1 year warranty|Black
GLUN Multipurpose Portable Electronic Digital Weighing Scale Weight Machine (10 Kg - with Back Light)
ATOM Digital Kitchen Weighing Scale & Food Weight Machine for Health, 10kg X 1gm, Fitness, Home Baking & Cooking, White. For Domestic Use Only (SF400) | 2 Batteries included
Pigeon Healthifry Digital Air Fryer, 360° High Speed Air Circulation Technology 1200 W with Non-Stick 4.2 L Basket - Green
Solo Microwave Oven
To understand the differences between the different types of ovens, let us first begin with the most basic one first, and cover all the types one-by-one. As mentioned above, the most basic type of microwave oven is the solo microwave oven.
The magnetrons in the solo microwave systems produce high-frequency microwaves that raise the temperature of the food by exciting the water molecules contained in the food. You can use this type of microwave only for essential functions like heating the food or defrosting the frozen food. Make sure you always only use microwave-safe bowls and dishes when using any type of microwave.
If you want a microwave oven with more functions and want to cook a variety of food in a microwave, we suggest you not opt for this kind of microwave and go for a more advanced type of technology available in an OTG Microwave with a convection oven.
OTG Microwave
Now that you have understood a bit about solo microwaves, you must know about the next type of ovens as well. OTG microwave ovens are among the most popular types of microwave ovens that are sold in our country. As mentioned above, OTG expands as an oven, toast, grill, which goes on to state that you can use these types of microwave ovens for cooking food, toast, and grill meat.
One thing that you should note is that this type of microwave ovens do not use microwaves for cooking. Instead, it consists of a heating element (typically a heating coil). The heating coil is placed at the top and/or the bottom of the oven. The coil heats up and cooks the food based on the temperature and the timing set by the user before starting the operation.
OTG microwave ovens do not solely use microwaves for cooking food. They depend upon the heat generated by the coils. Also, the uniformity of cooking is not comparable to the more advanced microwave ovens.
You should keep in mind that since these OTG microwaves do not contain a fan in them, you can expect improper cooking often, and some portions of the food may be undercooked as well. However, this is not a deal-breaker, as this happens on a rare occasion when you have not set the timer or the temperature correctly.
Also, if you have a baker in you and you are fond of baking food items more often, you will be left a bit disappointed with OTG microwaves. It is because these microwaves cannot bake food, and if you want the same, you might want to look at convection microwaves.
Convection Microwave Oven
These are the most advanced forms of microwaves that are made for domestic use. This type of microwave oven is a combination of all and is the best of both worlds. It is because a convection microwave can do all the tasks from reheating of food to cooking it, from grilling and toasting to baking, as well.
However, as you can expect from any feature-packed product, it is relatively more expensive as compared to the other two types of microwaves. But the price you pay for it is justified by the functions it has on offer. It is because if you just search on the internet for convection vs OTG, you will know that convection microwaves beat OTGs in every game.
The convection microwave ovens cook the food uniformly due to the presence of a fan. It uses electromagnetic waves to oscillate the food particles and produce heat. Additionally, the fan present in the oven makes sure the air is evenly spread for uniform cooking. The convection microwave ovens are available in different sizes and price-points as per your requirement.
Related Reading:
Know here the best OTG brands of India.
OTG Vs Convection
Now that you have very well understood the uses of different types of microwave ovens, it is time to compare the two best types – the OTG vs convection. As you already know, every product is unique and has its own pros and cons. Here we list them out for you and let you know the difference between convection and OTG microwave ovens so that you make the best choice.
The first difference is how heating is employed in a microwave. The OTG uses electric coils, whereas the convection microwave ovens use electromagnetic waves that cause the food particles to oscillate. This also means that the heat distribution in convection microwaves is more even as compared to the one during OTG cooking.
Also, the heating time of convection is around one-third of the OTG microwave oven. However, the power usage by convection microwaves is also higher than its inferior counterpart. One more feature about convection microwave ovens that you will like is the auto-cook menu option that you will miss on the OTG counterpart.
One good thing about OTG microwave ovens is that you can even use metal utensils for cooking, apart from glass, silicone, and ceramic. However, it is not possible with convection ovens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read here, a few interesting FAQs on microwave and oven.
1. Can I bake using a microwave?
Yes, you can bake cakes in a microwave oven. It’s better if it is a convection microwave. All you need is a microwave-safe utensil. Please remember, you cannot bake a lot of fancy things in a microwave oven, as it has its limitations.
2. Is a microwave oven safe to use, and is it healthy to use it daily?
Microwaves are said to be safe and convenient machines to cook food. While there are theories that it may cause ill effects on your health, there are not enough studies to prove just that.
3. How many types of ovens are there?
Essentially, four types are common and widely used; which include microwave conventional oven, convection oven, Oven toaster grill (OTG), and convection mode in a microwave oven.
Final Words
Now you know the advantage and difference between each, it will be easy for you to select one based on why you need. Both have different purpose and different way of cooking, baking or grilling the food.
I hope this article will act as a guide to you and help you in deciding the right type of microwave oven for yourself and your family.
