Halogen Oven vs. Microwave

One of the most common questions I hear on the subject of halogen ovens is "why would I want a halogen oven when I already have a microwave?".

It's a fair question - microwave ovens have made life a lot more convenient for many people. There can't be many kitchens that don't have one these days.

The fact is that microwave ovens are absolutely brilliant devices. They save us a lot of time by helping us to heat pre-prepared food quickly.

They are absolutely ideal when you get home from work late and you feel too tired to set about preparing a lovely (but time consuming) meal. However, that is what most people use them for - heating up already prepared food quickly. Not many people actually use their microwave ovens for cooking - a quick heat up is about as taxing as it gets for most microwaves.

Halogen ovens, on the other hand, can be used for heating things up and defrosting frozen items - just like a microwave. However, because they are so versatile, you can also use them to actually cook meals - not just to heat them up.

You will find that you actually cooks stuff (quickly) a lot when you get your first halogen oven. You get the results of a traditional oven in a fraction of the time - and using a lot less energy (up to 75% less according to some manufacturers).

Halogen ovens are absolutely perfect for roasts. You'll see many of them advertised showing an image of a lovely, golden, roast chicken or turkey - and why not? It looks mouth-watering and is a great advert.

Don't forget that you can cook absolutely anything in a halogen oven. You can cook muffins and bake cakes. You can steam fish, rice and vegetables. You can even put casserole dishes inside your turbo oven and make stews (slow cook them if you want).

So, when it comes to halogen oven vs. microwave - if all that you want to do is heat up already prepared meals and defrost things, then a microwave might be all that you need. On the other hand, if you want to actually cook meals quickly, economically and in a healthy manner, then you should really consider getting yourself a halogen oven.

They are very inexpensive - and they make a great addition to any modern kitchen.