Speedcook ovens: worth the cost . . . and upkeep?

[joeekaitis]

Prices on 120-volt GE Advantium and similar speedcook over-the-range ovens are falling below the thousand buck mark and, darned, if I'm not tempted to replace the range hood with one.

Consumer Reports tested them when they came out and concluded that speedcook ovens deliver on their promise: food nearly indistinguishable from conventionally cooked in much less time, but there's a price to pay when dinner's over.

Since they cook with a combination of regular heat, convection, microwave and reflected halogen light, you have to clean the interior to a mirror finish after every use. If I remember correctly, CR prepared the same dish (turkeys of the same weight, if memory serves) twice in a row without cleaning the oven. The second turkey suffered from irregular browning and lacked the full roast turkey flavor profile.

You own one? You use the speedcook feature regularly? Love it? Hate it? Let's go to the phones!

 

[mysteryclock]

Before even getting into cleaning, my impression is that the 120v ones are only marginally better than a microwave due to the limited amount of power you can actually get from a 120v outlet... there's only so much you can do with that amount of watts. Now the 240v ones can run full-out and really be a "speed" oven since your power budget is much higher.

One day down the road I'd like to tap into the gas line that runs directly beneath my stove to the outside HVAC to install a gas range and pull the 240v up to replace the microwave with a speed oven, just to have another cooking option. But alas, that day will have to wait for better funding...

 

[brisnat81]

I've got a Panasonic Microwave Convection that we love.

If I roast in it, I use Bessemer Backing dishes (No Microwave) or Oven bags to contain the splatter.

Otherwise for Baked Veg, Casseroles, Lasagne etc, I just dial up 200DegC, Med/Low power and get things out in about 1/3 to half the time of conventional only.

If you were reliant on the Halogen for Browning, I could see how cleaning would be important, but with the Panasonic, I clean every other month. Just wipe on some lye based oven cleaner, let it sit and then wipe off. It's not too bad to keep clean.

Ours are 240V though, so I cant comment on how the 110V panasonic version would work.

 

[dj-gabriele]

Don't they sell combination microwave-convection ovens in full size in the USA?
Say a "standard" capacity oven that can be built-in but with the added benefit of microwave power other than forced convection and standard grilling you see in all the normal ovens?

Something like the one in my link?

http://www.smeg.it/International/Catalogue/Product/S201X.aspx?SID=5663590

 

[launderess]

Yes, Convection Microwave Combination Ovens

Have been on these shores for ages, IIRC Amana Radarange was one of the first.

Consumer Reports (a US consumer product testing group, similar to "Which?", hasn't had much use for convection/microwaves, and gives the modern offerings low grades. That is being used as a microwave they are fine, but for things one wants a bit more,a standard oven is a better choice, well that is what they say at least.

Problem with combination microwave/convection ovens is the domestic versions cannot get around using only 120v/15amp power. That limits the amount of electric power available to run both the microwave, heating element or elements (to generate heat), and the fan to blow it all around. Oh then there is still the motherboard/sensors, timers, light and so forth. That is quite allot to run on just 1500 watts of power.

To get more "juice" the unit would have to run on 120v/20amp service, then it could go up to perhaps 1800 watts, but not all homes want or have such an outlet for a countertop microwave.

 

[tolivac]

I have a GE Advantium oven and have used it for over 10yrs-no problems.Mine runs on 240V.-6Kw,about half the wattage of most traditional electric ovens-and yes it cooks faster and better.I don't have to clean mine to "mirror" finsh after each use.A razor scraper is provided with the oven to scrape debris off the cooking lamp lenses.Keeping the heat lamps lenses clean is the most important.and of course if you cook food with a lot of fat in it-the fat will spatter all over the oven walls and element lenses.GE claims the halogen elements will last the life of the oven.10 yrs-mine still work fine.I really like the Advantium-of course its a mcrowave and range vent too.And yes the microwave cooking and speed cooking can be used together.You can use the cooking programs programmed into the machine-or use a "manual" function and set your own.I haven't seen Advantiums out in the market now-are they still available?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Electric ovens with a magnetron operating on 240 volts are great. Cakes bake in half the time. I can do frozen French fries under the broiler in three to four minutes on full microwave power in my range, but you cannot do that on 110 volts because under the constraints of 110 volt power, the oven has to alternate between heating and zapping.

You can give lots of foods a boost by starting them off in the microwave on full power for about half the time they would take to cook in the microwave, maybe while the oven is preheating, and them put them into the oven to finish. Baked potatoes and meat loaf are two things that cook especially well this way. Casseroles would also work with this procedure.

Microwaving makes foods bubble and spatter a lot. Doing that in a cavity where you also have high heat makes cleaning more of a task than either washing out a microwave or self cleaning an oven.

 

[48bencix]

Advantium

When the Advantium was introduced, I talked to the local GE service parts person, and she said they would be bring out all sorts of variations. One was to be a double oven, one would be and Advantium and the other possibly another Advantium or a regular oven. I would like that. I currently have a double oven and do not want the 120volt Advantium. A double would go in and feed from the existing circuit (240volt).

Yes GE still offers them, but all are single ovens.

It is good to hear about the actual use of them, I always thought the concept was interesting. I think there is a computer in them that tells you how to set the light and microwave.

GE Appliances: Shop for Home, Kitchen, & Laundry Appliances

GE Appliances is your home for the best kitchen appliances, home products, parts and accessories, and support.

products.geappliances.com

 

[tomturbomatic]

I seem to remember that when CU and other orgs. tested them they stated that all of the cooking selections were geared to packaged and frozen foods like brand name entree X ozs, not actual settings to help you cook from scratch recipes. Is this true?

 

[combo52]

240 VOLT SPEED OVENS

look up GE Trivection ovens or Thermador combination full size wall ovens both are still making these and the whole thing is SELF_CLEANING. Next best is the GE 240 Advantium ovens but they do get messy inside. I have always liked these full sized combination ovens and I don't think I would want to live with out them. The frist thing I did when I started doing a lot of cooking at my partners house was to throw out his 1990 WP electric range and replace it with a 1980 Coloric electric ME range this is the same range that Tom has in his home. AT home here I have the Thermador Thermatronic double wall oven in the kitchen and the Coloric gas ME range on the screened porch. These both bake very well but I am not a fan of gas ranges and am glad the gas one is outside. I cannot imagine having a gas range in my house.

 

[coldspot66]

Can't say enough good things about my Sharp convection/microwave full size oven. 13 years old and only a door switch has been replaced. It will sear a roast crispy on the outside and medium rare on the inside...something like 12 mins to the pound. It bakes as well..cakes, pies and muffins...all without adding alot of heat to the kitchen.