The halogen oven may also be referred to as the table-top oven because it is compact enough to sit on the table where it may cook an entire roast dinner within the one pot. They are capable of sautéing, boiling, roasting…anything that can be achieved in a standard oven but much faster.
Halogen ovens work using halogen heating elements that convert electrical energy into high heat. Also at work when the oven is in operation are infrared waves and a fan that circulates the heat helping to speed up the cooking process. Not only do they perform quicker and use less energy than a standard oven, they also cost significantly less than a standard oven.
When you take a look at a halogen oven you could be forgiven for thinking you were looking at a food processor or a mixing bowl with a lid attached. They are indeed clear glass bowls and the lid contains the halogen bulbs and the fan. The glass container means that you can watch the food cooking and make adjustments to the progress if necessary.
There are quite a few different brands of halogen ovens available and they range in price from one to the next so it will be essential to do some shopping around. Features that you might consider essential include a lid stand to place the lid on when cooking is complete, temperature readings that are in both centigrade and Fahrenheit, an adjustable fan speed setting, easy to read dials or digital readouts.
As with all electronic devices you will find that some brands work more reliably than others. You will find that there are some halogen oven reviews that will give you a run down on the ovens that cook more completely than others. Seek out the reviews to get an idea which brand of oven does the best job of cooking the food in such a way that it both looks appetizing as well as tasting good.
The fact is that these ovens work perfectly well and have the potential to replace conventional ovens, particularly for small families or people living on their own. They are easier to clean after use and they can be put away in the cupboard, taking away the space requirements for one of the major appliances in the kitchen.
Although one would like to think that it may be possible that the kitchen of the future won’t come equipped with a large conventional oven, the reality that we have seen with the acceptance of microwave ovens is that most of us will use the halogen oven as well as a microwave and conventional oven.
The original halogen oven was released by JML Direct through television infomercials, advertised as an energy efficient cooker that produced oven-baked food in a fraction of the time of a normal oven. The speed you get is similar to that of a microwave oven but it doesn’t give you the variable heat spots that you get with microwaved food.
One of the brands of halogen ovens that has been getting good reviews has been the Coopers of Stortford Halogen Oven. This oven has a bowl capacity of 11.5 litres and the size measures a height of 18cm and a depth of 33cm. It comes with 2 racks so it is possible to cook two different meals at the same time. The food is cooked so that it is succulent and tender and it looks tempting, as you would hope it does. The reviews, no matter where the oven is sold are consistently glowing in their praise of this oven.
It’s the price of these ovens that are the real selling point. Enough people have already testified that the oven works and the food looks good and tastes good. But it’s the low cost that should have people flocking to get themselves one of the energy efficient time saving, space saving ovens.
Note For Australian Readers
If you are looking for one of these ovens in Austalia you should search for it under the name Flavorwave Oven Turbo (naturally the inclination would be to search using the spelling Flavour Wave). The name may be different but the product is exactly the same. They can be bought online through Danoz Direct although I have also seen them for sale at Harvey Norman, so it’s definitely worth shopping around if you’re looking for the best price.