Combi Microwave or Mini Oven.....?

Tiddlywinks

Needs some opinions please as I've been pondering this for weeks and want to crack on and get something.

I've just had to return my Remoska as the handles came loose and the pan stained - all within two months of using it. Now I've got no faith in the new design so am looking for an alternative for baking without putting the main oven on.

I could get a combi microwave but then I wouldn't be able to steam veggies etc in it if it was already being used for baking the man dish. I've also read reviews that say they can take a long time to cool down and some can't be used for baking and then nuking without cooling in between.

So, now I'm pondering getting a mini oven - not a huge one to fully replace the main oven - but a smaller one that's still big enough for cakes or pasta bakes.

Anyone got any thoughts, ideas or recommendations to help me decide?

Thank you.

PasturesNew

I can't help .... but, as you say, the transition between foods is a major drawback.

As I saw it when I looked into it, I'd end up struggling to cook 2-3 differently cooked foods at the same time or one after the other. I'd need more/different dishes to cook some foods. e.g. in my microwave I use plastic pots to reheat half a tin of beans - I'd need new little pots that'd go into the oven. So then you're wondering how long the beans will take in a pot alongside the main dish too...

I've currently got a mini oven and a separate microwave and I don't wish the two were one at all. I've no room for both, I put the mini oven in place "on demand", but even so I find it works better for me to have separate units.

I like to, say, cook my pie in the mini oven - and when that's finished I let it sit there "to rest" so to speak, while I put my plastic steamer into the microwave to make up the accompanying veggies.

Having one unit seems convenient.... but is it really.

I think I'd struggle to have the correct mix of pots/dishes that fitted so I could pull together 2-3 differing items at the same time.

caronc

I ditched my combi microwave - I hated it took ages for the oven to heat and cook stuff. Just have very basic microwave now though I do use my oven a fair bit so probably should consider a mini oven

karcher

I have a combi microwave and have never got the hang of it. I only use as a microwave and certainly won't get another when this one gives up on life.

Quite fancy a mini oven myself as there is only me and it's a waste putting a big oven on just for one thing...I avoid using it as much as possible because of the cost.

culpepper

Our combi gets used for casseroles, chicken,pizza ,rice etc.
The convection gets used about 50% and the microwave about the same but we dont use the grill at all.
I wouldn't mind getting rid of the normal oven as it only gets used for mixed grill and christmas turkey.
I love being able to heat up tea and zapping the morning porridge and the speed with which it can blitz a baked spud.

VfM4meplse

I've never once used my mini-halogen oven, but my dad uses his standard sized one at least 5 times a week (usually for fish and veg).

Tiddlywinks

I've got a Breville Halo which I use for making chips but I'm after a kind of mini oven that has slide in racks and is like a miniature version of a normal oven... but for use on the worktop.

Unless someone can tell me that a combi is better than a microwave and a mini oven... experiences are useful to hear.

I'm just worried by the reports that they get too warm to use for follow on jobs.

joedenise

Definitely can't use it as a microwave following using as a convection oven as it's far too hot.

If you need to use both functions then separate microwave and mini oven is probably the better option for you.

Denise

Tiddlywinks

I've been Googling and reading all day about mini ovens and it's really doing my head in now... who knew there were so many .

Can anyone recommend a model or steer me away from something not so good?

Thanks

Tiddlywinks

joedenise wrote: »

Definitely can't use it as a microwave following using as a convection oven as it's far too hot.

If you need to use both functions then separate microwave and mini oven is probably the better option for you.

This seems to be the common negative feedback on some of the review sites I've been reading.

As I want to be able to bake a main dish and then nuke some veggies to go with it then that sort of rules out a combi, doesn't it?

culpepper

Ours has a cooling function after using it as a convection oven. It runs a fan to get it back to being useful for the MW function.
It turns itself off between uses too so there is no electricity running a clock or anything . Opening the door triggers it to wake up so there must be current going to a switch operated by the door I suppose.
It is one of the pricier ovens from sharp though and the biggest one we could find(almost £200 ) It just about fits in the width of a kitchen unit and is almost as deep.