How well does infared work over microwaves for reheating food? What about convection? I'm seeing microwave ovens that have this feature. I want to know more.
Infared vs Microwave
- Thread starter Chetlaham
- Start date
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Infrared is more like a grill.
Technically every broiler uses infrared radiation ("heat radiation") for browning etc.
Microwaves are the typical microwaves, electro-magnetic, no ionizing radiation.
Convection is like your oven.
Technically every broiler uses infrared radiation ("heat radiation") for browning etc.
Microwaves are the typical microwaves, electro-magnetic, no ionizing radiation.
Convection is like your oven.
rolls_rapide
Well-known member
Infra-red is just heat by another name.
Unfortunately, advertisers and marketeers try to convince folk that it is the latest all-singing-all dancing 'thing'. It's not. It has been around since time began.
Infra-red is emitted from all cookers, hobs, ovens, candles, light bulbs, electric fires, real-flame fires, gas fires, paraffin heaters, convector heaters, fan heaters, hair dryer, central heating, vacuum cleaner, iron, toaster, kettle, car engine, the Sun, volcanoes, hot springs, you, the cat, and your cup of coffee.
Some microwave ovens combine a grill or convection elements to brown the food. These can be conventional metal elements, or possibly quartz-halogen tubes. Some microwave ovens have turbo fan forced air heating.
Unfortunately, advertisers and marketeers try to convince folk that it is the latest all-singing-all dancing 'thing'. It's not. It has been around since time began.
Infra-red is emitted from all cookers, hobs, ovens, candles, light bulbs, electric fires, real-flame fires, gas fires, paraffin heaters, convector heaters, fan heaters, hair dryer, central heating, vacuum cleaner, iron, toaster, kettle, car engine, the Sun, volcanoes, hot springs, you, the cat, and your cup of coffee.
Some microwave ovens combine a grill or convection elements to brown the food. These can be conventional metal elements, or possibly quartz-halogen tubes. Some microwave ovens have turbo fan forced air heating.
They're both electromagnetic radiation.
Infrared and Microwaves are both just forms of electromagnetic radiation, so is visible light.
Microwaves: 1 and 100 GHz (wavelengths between 0.3 m and 3 mm)
Radiowaves: 300 MHz – 3 kHz
Visible light is 400–790 terahertz (380 nm and 760 nm) - visible to our eyes.
Far-infrared, from 300 GHz to 30 THz (1 mm – 10 μm)
Mid-infrared, from 30 to 120 THz (10–2.5 μm) (tends to be where most heat radiation occurs)
Near-infrared, from 120 to 400 THz (2,500–750 nm) (Detected by heat-sensitive cameras / film)
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Ionizing radiation (ionising radiation) is radiation, traveling as a particle or electromagnetic wave, that carries sufficient energy to detach electrons from atoms or molecules, thereby ionizing them.
They're : Alpha, beta, and neutron particles, and gamma and X-rays and also the higher part of UV spectrum - why it causes skin cancer ...
Radiowaves, microwaves, visible light and infrared are not ionising.
Microwaves are still just really a way of quickly transmitting energy to heat a substance. In this case they use
A flame, your grill elements, your toaster etc all emit primarily infrared to heat surfaces.
A microwaves oven, uses high energy microwaves in a box to produce a heat effect. It's still just a way of transmitting heat. You're just exiting water molecules to produce thermal energy using a dielectric effect.
Convection cooking is basically using hot gas i.e. heating the air and using that to transfer energy to the food.
Infrared and Microwaves are both just forms of electromagnetic radiation, so is visible light.
Microwaves: 1 and 100 GHz (wavelengths between 0.3 m and 3 mm)
Radiowaves: 300 MHz – 3 kHz
Visible light is 400–790 terahertz (380 nm and 760 nm) - visible to our eyes.
Far-infrared, from 300 GHz to 30 THz (1 mm – 10 μm)
Mid-infrared, from 30 to 120 THz (10–2.5 μm) (tends to be where most heat radiation occurs)
Near-infrared, from 120 to 400 THz (2,500–750 nm) (Detected by heat-sensitive cameras / film)
----
Ionizing radiation (ionising radiation) is radiation, traveling as a particle or electromagnetic wave, that carries sufficient energy to detach electrons from atoms or molecules, thereby ionizing them.
They're : Alpha, beta, and neutron particles, and gamma and X-rays and also the higher part of UV spectrum - why it causes skin cancer ...
Radiowaves, microwaves, visible light and infrared are not ionising.
Microwaves are still just really a way of quickly transmitting energy to heat a substance. In this case they use
A flame, your grill elements, your toaster etc all emit primarily infrared to heat surfaces.
A microwaves oven, uses high energy microwaves in a box to produce a heat effect. It's still just a way of transmitting heat. You're just exiting water molecules to produce thermal energy using a dielectric effect.
Convection cooking is basically using hot gas i.e. heating the air and using that to transfer energy to the food.
Good stuff! Thanks everyone!
Does a halogen tube make any difference over a calrod element?
Does a halogen tube make any difference over a calrod element?
Love my little Panasonic Flashxpress toaster oven. I bought it for my mom over 10 years ago and she used it daily.. I brought it home last year after she died and we use it everyday.. Mom wasn't a gadget person but she loved it.. It cooks with two levels of infrared, low and hi,, toast is always evenly browned and faster than any other toaster oven and most toasters.. It reheats anything really well, there is no pre heating, it starts heating immediately.. For example if you put frozen fries on the tray, you just put them in , set if for around 400,, and they are done in about 17 minutes, It's quirky but I highly recommend it
rolls_rapide
Well-known member
"Does a halogen tube make any difference over a calrod element?"
I think quartz-halogen tubes are supposed to be quicker (instantaneous heat from switch on, more or less). I suppose they're more fragile than traditional elements; more expensive to buy too.
One benefit of the quartz tubes though, was supposed to be that they gave out an even heat across the whole grill.
I think quartz-halogen tubes are supposed to be quicker (instantaneous heat from switch on, more or less). I suppose they're more fragile than traditional elements; more expensive to buy too.
One benefit of the quartz tubes though, was supposed to be that they gave out an even heat across the whole grill.
Typical Calrod elements in microwaves over here are about 1000W.
My mum has a cheapo supermarket microwave with such an elment.
I have an upper line Panasonic with no turntable but 2 quarz tubes each about 500W that I can have set at 3 levels that cycle the tubes on and off as needed.
I often make myself Nachos with the broil funtion.
In my case, I have them done in about 2min on medium level until well melted and bubling, on high they are somewhat browned then.
In my mums microwave, it takes 2min until the calrod gets even close to redish, 4min for well melted cheese, 5 for some browning.
The Panasonic has an oven function as well with a lower heat element.
While it dosen't have the eveness top to bottom I wish it had, it cycles the upper units often enough that I can make perfectly fine bread rolls, fries, let cuts of meat rest to temp or even make cupcakes without any excessive browning.
My mum has a cheapo supermarket microwave with such an elment.
I have an upper line Panasonic with no turntable but 2 quarz tubes each about 500W that I can have set at 3 levels that cycle the tubes on and off as needed.
I often make myself Nachos with the broil funtion.
In my case, I have them done in about 2min on medium level until well melted and bubling, on high they are somewhat browned then.
In my mums microwave, it takes 2min until the calrod gets even close to redish, 4min for well melted cheese, 5 for some browning.
The Panasonic has an oven function as well with a lower heat element.
While it dosen't have the eveness top to bottom I wish it had, it cycles the upper units often enough that I can make perfectly fine bread rolls, fries, let cuts of meat rest to temp or even make cupcakes without any excessive browning.
