The microwave oven is, with time becoming a common item in everyone’s kitchen. Be it grilling, baking, or heating; this appliance will enable you to unleash your culinary skills and make your family happier.
If looking for a new unit for your home, you might find it a little hard to get the best. This is because, currently, there are different types of microwaves available.
In this post, we’ll help you understand the difference between a solo and convection microwave so that you can bring home the best.
The main difference between a solo and convection microwave is that you can only defrost, reheat, and cook food with the solo oven. But with the convection oven, you can bake and roast food, in addition to what the solo microwave does.
A Comparison Table Show the Differences Between a Solo and Convection Microwave
| Category | Solo Microwave oven | Convection microwave oven |
|---|---|---|
| Compatible utensils | Microwave proof glass and plastic | Microwave proof glass and metal utensils |
| Ideal for | Basic reheating | Advanced cooking |
| Uses | Reheating, cooking, and defrosting. | Cooking, reheating, defrosting, baking, grilling, roasting, and browning. |
| How it works | Heating of the cavity | Heating of the cavity and circulation of hot air. |
| Cost | Budget-friendly | Expensive than solo microwaves |
| Technology | Uses the magnetron to vibrate water molecules, produce heat to cook food | Blowing fans create hot air and circulate it around the outer layer of food, heating evenly on all sides. |
| The food you can prepare | Steamed vegetables, tea, coffee, milk, pasta, boiled potatoes, pasta, reheating rice, and pizza | Roast meat, cakes, cookies, and bread, make brownies, cook rice, and do any other activity you can perform with a solo microwave. |
What is a Solo Microwave?
A solo microwave is a basic model of the microwave oven. It is an entry-level unit in the microwave category for simple cooking.
It uses microwaves to heat food.
Solo microwaves can only perform basic cooking and can therefore not grill, roast, or bake. To cook perfectly in a solo microwave, you need a microwave-proof glass or plastic utensil.
New models of these microwaves are easy to use as, unlike traditional models, they come with digital control panels that you can operate with the simple touch of a finger. They also boast a child safety lock for your kid’s safety.
How Solo Microwaves Work
A cavity magnetron is a magnetron used in a solo microwave. It’s actually the key element when it comes to the unit’s heating process.
A huge magnet runs beneath the microwave’s magnetron, circulating electrons from anode to cathode. The electrons pass over the magnetron’s cavities forming waves.
The waves pass via a waveguide and to the oven’s cooking chamber. Here, they are reflected by the unit’s cooking wall chamber and penetrate the food.
These waves cause water molecules and produce friction. It’s as a result of his friction that heat is produced.
Uses of a Solo Microwave
You can use a solo microwave to:
- Reheat and defrost food
- Perform basic cooking that doesn’t involve baking or roasting
- Set the time of the whole cooking process to your preference.
Advantages of a Solo Microwave
- A solo microwave is ideal for daily chores, including defrosting, reheating, and cooking.
- You can safely cook with plastic utensils or microwave-proof glass in the unit.
- It has a programmable timer that is easy to operate.
- It is the most budget-friendly microwave in the industry.
Disadvantages of a Solo Microwave
- It provides limited cooking options. You can’t bake or roast in it.
- You can’t use metal utensils in a solo microwave oven.
What is a Convection Microwave?
A convection microwave provides you with a combination of microwave and convection cooking. These appliances use hot air and microwaves for cooking, thus capable of performing all cooking operations.
With a convection microwave oven, you can bake, grill, roast food, and perform basic operations like defrosting and reheating food.
You can use glass or metal utensils for cooking in a convection microwave.
How a Convection Microwave Works
A convection microwave cooks food in 2 ways at once. If you set it just to microwave your food, it works just like a basic microwave.
The magnetron converts energy into microwaves, which are broadcast towards the food. They vibrate the water molecules in the food, causing friction that generates heat to warm your food.
When you use the convection settings, the unit works more like an oven. The heating element in the unit converts energy to heat uses the fan to blow hot air at your food for faster results.
Convection cooking creates a crispy brown coating on foods like roast chicken.
When using microwave and convection at the same time, food cooks faster and evenly(1).
Uses of Convection Microwaves
You can use a convection microwave oven to:
- Grill, bake, and roast food
- Perform basic microwave operations like defrosting and reheating
- Cook with metal and micro-wave proof utensils
Advantages of Convection Microwaves
- They are space-saving
- Heat is dispersed evenly in the oven
- Makes pastry to brown well
- A pre-programmed menu makes cooking easy for everyone
- Cuts the cooking time in a half
Disadvantages of Convection Microwaves
- They are a little expensive
- It can’t be used for deep frying
Which is Better, a Solo or Convection Microwave?
A convection microwave is the best. It’s actually an upgrade of the solo microwave. In addition to carrying out the activities of a solo microwave, the convection microwave oven can also grill, roast, and bake, brown and crisp food.
If you need a microwave that does more than heat meals, a convection microwave will suit you best. A solo oven will work for you only if you are a simple user.
Conclusion
To get the best microwave for your home, you need to consider your family’s needs. If you do a lot of cooking, a convection microwave oven will do you good.
Get a solo microwave if the most you do with a option is warm your food or prepare a cup of tea/coffee. And before paying for one, assess your needs to ensure that you end up with an appliance that will address them.
