Microwave vs Convection

[JimC]

Ok guys and gals,

LOML wants to get rid of the microwave in the bus and replace it with a convection oven. I don't have a problem with that as long as I'm not making a mistake, I don't want to rebuild the cabinet to find out its not going to work. We do not have an oven, just the cook top and the microwave at this point.

If you have tried both, what do you prefer?
Can the convection oven be mounted in a cabinet? or counter top only?
Will the convection do most things the microwave will do?

1500 watts seems like it would be quite a drain on the battery bank, I would guess that for longer cooking times it means firing up the generator if not plugged into a power pole.


Thanks
Jim

[JackConrad]

Jim,
   When we set up the kitchen in our MC-8, here is what we did and why.  We installed a 3 burner
LP cooktop and a microwave/convection oven.  Part of our reasoning was that we were definately going to have a microwave, so why not make that space be the oven also. This freed up the space where the LP oven would have been below the cooktop. We use this space for storing pots & pans. 
   Although we, or should I say Paula (who is the cook in our family) does not do a lot of cooking in the oven, she has never had any problems when cooking in the convection oven.  YMMV, Jack

[JimC]

Jack,
What I get from your answer is that the convection oven is also a microwave?
Or is that just a better machine that combines both?
If thats the case it seems to be a no brainer to buy one.

Obviously you can tell that I don't cook a lot, (my body has benefited from good cooking over the years though)

Jim

[JackConrad]

Our unit is a Panasonic Microwave/Convection oven.  it is a single unit and can be used as a microwave OR convection oven.  I know what you mean about not cooking, fortunately for me Paula is a wonderful cook.  Jack

[DrivingMissLazy]

Jim, DML also has a combination convection oven/microwave oven. Although I was originally skeptical about the convection oven, it works great as well as the microwave. Go for it!

Richard

[prevost82]

The wife wanted a gas oven when I was building the kitchen ....I said "NO" ...I was pretty brave...LOL. I put in a 3 burner stove top and a Microwave/Convection oven /w hoodrange fan. She fought me tooth and nail on it until she cooked with it and she loved it.
Ron

[Dallas]

Walmart here was selling a Microwave-Convection Combination Oven for about $70.

Not real big, but it will do just about everything we need. I have it on my Christmas list.

Dallas

[bubbaqgal]

Microwave or coal. Microwave or coal.  Guess which one Santa's gonna bring him. Clue number one...it's Dallas doing the asking.

[Jerry Liebler]

My boss chose a conventional microwave and a toaster oven.  She really likes the toaster oven and it also makes toast which the combinations don't do.  If the microwave ever breaks though I'll probably replace it with a combination but we'll still carry the toaster oven.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120

[TomCat]

Jim,

Although I don't do too much baking type cooking in in it, I'm very pleased with my decision to install a GE, built in, Microwave/Convection oven. I installed it over the two burner cooktop, and it includes a built in vent/fan system.

If you have the room, I don't feel you can go wrong with a M/C oven, as they are easy to learn to operate, and can do almost any type of cooking you'll want.

Good luck!

Jay
87 SaftLiner

[Dreamscape]

That was one of the reasons to go to a rally, to learn. We decided after TBR 2007 that convection was the way to go. We purchased a three burner cooktop a couple of months back, next is the convection oven. The "Boss" said that's the way to go, I took her word for it as she is the main cook. I use the grill and that's about it. 

Just need to determine size and what flavor she wants!

Now I have to get rid of an older propane oven that was in the coach when we bought it, probably get more at the recycle place then to sell it.

Paul

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Jim,

I also did as the others stated. just a cooktop and a over the range Conv/Microwave.

It works very well and freed up space below the cooktop for lot of drawer space.

I choose the Dometic brand because they are made for rugged use as we are in moving vehicles..

link  
http://www.dometicusa.com/microwaves.php?product=58
leaflet
http://www.dometicusa.com/pdf/OS2212%20Convect-Micro[1].pdf

Good Luck
Nick-

[Greg Roberts]

After using one in my house I quickly decided that I must install one in my Eagle. I will put it in next week!

[DrivingMissLazy]

I do not care for a toaster oven in an RV. It is generally much bigger in physical size than a regular toaster and is really too small to do much in the way of baking anything.
Richard

[gumpy]

We installed a 3 burner stove with oven. We use the oven some. Mostly for cooking frozen bread, which raises really well when we put it on the hump over the engine while traveling. When we reach our destination, we pop it in the oven and have fresh baked bread in just a few minutes of baking.

My intentions are to get a microwave/convection oven to install above the stove when I get the cabinetry built. We have had micro/convection ovens in the house for years, and although we don't use the convection much in the house, I think I'll use it more
in the bus, especially when plugged in, or when I get my generator. We currently use a Kenmore unit in the house. I cooked the Thanksgiving pies in them this year because the turkey was in the main oven. It worked well, but at one point, it overheated and shut down. It came back on after it had time to cool (about 30 minutes). I think the problem was that there was too much stuff on the counter around it. Boxes of crackers and cereal and baking stuff and such. I cleared all that away, and after it cooled and came back on, I finished the pies with no more problems.

If you install a microwave/convection, make sure it has plenty of air circulation around it for cooling. Don't build it tight into the cabinetry. Better to mount it on an open shelf.

I've been wondering if there might be a way to mount it on pantograph arms such that it could be pulled down to use, and pushed up against the ceiling out of the way when not in use. Haven't figured out a good way, yet.

craig

[Songman]

This isn't much about buses, but I think it will apply. We cooked two turkeys for Thanksgiving this year. We cooked one in the conventional oven and the other in the convection oven (dual wall unit). The turkey in the convection oven only took a third of the time to cook. If you were on a bus where heat was an issue, the convection oven would be head and shoulders above the conventional oven.

I have a two-burner electric cooktop and plan to use a microwave/convection combo. The wife wants a toaster oven but I don't know how much we would use it. I'm planning on a small kitchen anyway and the toaster oven would take up a lot of space.

[Sean]

We chose a GE Advantium 120 (http://www.geappliances.com/products/introductions/advantium/) above-cooktop model.  Pricey, but much faster and more energy-efficient for many items than plain microwave/convection combos.  Since we're usually running from batteries, the energy issue was important to us.

That being said, 99% of the time we are just using it as a microwave.  We don't bake, and we certainly don't want to be cooking a turkey in there.

The Advantium will even broil steaks, although I prefer them cooked outside on the grill.

FWIW,

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[gus]

We are travelers, not campers, so Beth does not do any cooking. This is by design, it is her vacation as well as mine. We eat at restaurants or buy from a deli and eat in the bus.

We use the microwave quite a bit but the LP oven almost never. It is used for kitchen stuff storage but can quickly be emptied if needed.

This simplifies things and we can go to full time cooking in the LP oven if ever we decide to do so.

[Lin]

In our first RV, our first bus, and the new one, we have had a microwave and standard propane stove and oven.  However, I like the idea of the combination micro/convection instead of the oven.  Definitely a space saver and it is not something we really use a whole lot.  As everyone knows, the microwave is great for warming things up, but not so great for cooking.  Microwave baked potatoes are a real disappointment (it's great for chestnuts though).  I would guess though that the convection oven will require some reasonable venting though.

[JimC]

Thanks for the replys folks,
I have another question, the microwave  we are currently using is built into a cabinet above the refrigerator, basically its in a large plywood box with a face frame and there is a hole cut for the microwave to be used. There is plenty of room inside the box, 3-4 inches on each side, 6-8 inches above to the ceiling, and I have a vent cut at the top of the face frame for heat from the fridge and micro to escape. Will I run into problems with the convection oven combo with a set up like this? 
Jim

[DrivingMissLazy]

Thanks for the replys folks,
I have another question, the microwave  we are currently using is built into a cabinet above the refrigerator, basically its in a large plywood box with a face frame and there is a hole cut for the microwave to be used. There is plenty of room inside the box, 3-4 inches on each side, 6-8 inches above to the ceiling, and I have a vent cut at the top of the face frame for heat from the fridge and micro to escape. Will I run into problems with the convection oven combo with a set up like this? 
Jim

Jim,
I think you will find that units built to be installed in cabinets will have a built in exhaust at the top of the unit and an inlet at the bottom that will provide adequate ventilation for the unit. At least mine did.

Richard

[gumpy]

Thanks for the replys folks,
I have another question, the microwave  we are currently using is built into a cabinet above the refrigerator, basically its in a large plywood box with a face frame and there is a hole cut for the microwave to be used. There is plenty of room inside the box, 3-4 inches on each side, 6-8 inches above to the ceiling, and I have a vent cut at the top of the face frame for heat from the fridge and micro to escape. Will I run into problems with the convection oven combo with a set up like this? 
Jim

If it's strictly microwave, and not convection, I really don't think you'll have any problems with the space and vents you've described. My opinion.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Jim,

Convection micro's don't have to be vented but is sure is a good idea to. 

I vented my Dometic and it has the option to do both, either recirculate with carbon filters or vent

to the outside as I did. If you don't vent it outside another option is to have a Fantastic vent in the kitchen area.

Good Luck
Nick-