Microwave vs Oven

[Timon]

What is the different between a microwave and an oven?

I am a guy and intend to cook some simple dishes with either one of them. Anybody can advise me, please!

[ginaphan]

Reply from layman:

A convection oven (regular oven) uses heat to cook. It generates heat from electricity, or gas and the heats up the oven chamber. You need to use containers that can withstand the heat without breaking: metal or heat resistant plass (e.g. pyrex).

A microwave oven does not use heat. It gives out small waves (micro) in high frequency. These waves penetrates into your food (e.g. meat). The cells move about because of the waves which then generates heat. Hence the food is cooking from within, if your may. The container you use must not reflect the waves ie. you cannot use metal. Else the waves would be reflected and you get sparking.

In the microwave, you actually can use plastic or glass or ceramic. The container get hot only because the food gets hot which then transfer the heat to the container. (I won't open up the discussion about safe plastics and paints et al but I'm sure someone will point you to a website that will have all the dos and don'ts).

I normally use normal tableware when I can just reheating food and pyrex if I am cooking or baking with microwave.

Note that the external/sides tend to get dry when you cook or reheat with microwave. You need to add a little more water and cover partially for best effect.

Please also be warned: do not cook anything in a tighly sealed container in the microwave. It will explode due to the rising pressure inside. Same with eggs (unless you have pierced the egg yolk) and whole unpeeled potatoes. Bread or pau becomes very hard when heated in a microwave oven and not consumed soon after.

Long winded answer. I'm a layman so if some scientists answers you, he/she is probably more accurate than I am.

Hope this helps.

[Firefly]

If you like baking and stuff like that, then get one that have both. I am using a Sharp unit for the last 18 years. All of my baking is done on it plus my kids use it to heat/ microwave food in it.

[kwchang]

May I supplement Gina's excellent description.
One correction though, the microwaves actually make water molecules vibrate (not the cells) and that heats them up to boiling point and it is the heated water that cooks the food. Thus, if the food is dry, it will not heat up. For example, if you were to microwave a curry puff or the MacDonalds' apple pie, you will find that the crust (which has almost no water content) to remain cool but the internal filling gets very hot. Hence the warning on the MacDonalds apple-pie wrapper which cautions you about the hot internal contents.

Therefor if you were to reheat a plate of fried rice or fried meehoon (which gets very dry in the fridge), you need to add some water to the food before micro-waving.

If you use plastic containers for the microwave, make sure it is certified microwave-safe because the heat from the water can melt plastics that are not certified for microwaves. Similarly for cling-wrap. If you use plasticised cling-wrap (not microwave safe), the wrapping will melt and you will end up with plastic-encased food.

Basically, if you want food cooked as if it was steamed, then that is what microwave ovens do as it basically employs hot water molecules or steam to cook the food.

If you want food that is baked (ie with a hard or crunchy yellow crust), you will need convection ovens.

[fRaNkY]

Why dont you buy a microwave oven?

I love to oven bake my chicken wings

[Timon]

Why dont you buy a microwave oven?

I love to oven bake my chicken wings

You have wings ??

[Firefly]

fRanky..na..but firefly have them wings...see avatar.

[LMei]

i saw the latest microwave oven by panasonic that has steam and grill function with inverter technology. I am used to using a normal convection oven and have ordered an electrolux oven for my new place. But hubby says if we can get this panasonic microwave that has steam & grill function then we do not need the convection oven.

What is your opinion? Can a microwave works in the same way as a convection oven? meaning i can toast garlic bread with a microwave?

[bslee]

Can a microwave works in the same way as a convection oven? meaning i can toast garlic bread with a microwave?

Plainly speaking, microwave heats from inside to out, whilst convection heats from out to in. Microwave can suitable for small roasts of meat, chicken or lamb, or most suitably reheating foods. Cakes, pastries and cookies are best with convection oven (rules of temperature and time applies for best results). Buy a toaster oven (RM100+??) and suited for your toast garlic bread and reheat pastries. One have watch over and careful with oven toaster as it can burn the food easily. I've got all 3 at home.
BTW, convection oven can be a killer on electrical consumption. Those that fit the kitchen cabinet can consume up to 5kilo Watt.
Buy one that suit your needs. I bought and still use a table top model from Tefal. Its perfect for small chicken or lamb roasts and annual baking of cookies. Sorry, I don't bake cakes..not good at it!. I'd rather buy my favorite choc cake from Taipan area cake shop. Sorry, Secret Recipe too pricy lah!

[LMei]

I've got all 3 at home.

I'd love to have all 3 as well. But hubby wants to save space and highly question the purpose of having even 2!

[EricK]

but food from a microwave oven is so tasteless and rubbery .. or am i microwaving wrongly?

[LMei]

but food from a microwave oven is so tasteless and rubbery .. or am i microwaving wrongly?

looks like you cook it too long.

[AllUrban]

I just moved into a new place and it has a microwave oven that also has a grill option.

I think it is a "sharp" microwave oven...older model...and I am just not sure how to use the "grill" feature.

Any ideas? I already have a small counter top convection oven that I use for baking and light toasting - but I wonder if the microwave/grill would work better.

Cheers, m

[syltel]

Basically, the grill feature is for grilling...I've grilled a few dishes with my microwave cum convection/grilling oven. Works great

[AllUrban]

Basically, the grill feature is for grilling...I've grilled a few dishes with my microwave cum convection/grilling oven. Works great

do you mean that it can also work like a convection oven? If I have a rack and a drip pan I can roast something?

I just realized that life can be tough without an instruction manual. This microwave/grill (I realize now it is a Sanyo, not so "sharp") has the option of microwave, grill, or both, with 5 different temperature settings...How interesting...and complicated

Ok, syltel, any specific guidelines I have to be aware of? Do's and dont's when using it/

Cheers, m