Table-top halogen ovens

k66yla

ksh123 - I've that model, bought it about 6 weeks ago. Its great have'nt used my cooker since, infact I'm seriously considering getting rid of the cooker as I've a Microwave, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker and now the HO, so don't really need the cooker anymore. You also get a lid holder with that model which is a good idea. I've cooked a few roast dinners in there, Chicken, Beef & Gammon. Baked potatos take half the time of the normal oven. I've baked cakes and quiches in it. Oh and it makes lovely cheese on toast. Also to clean it I normally put a couple of inches of warm water in it with a few drops of washing up liquid and put it on 200c for 10 mins, drain out and dry with kitchen towel.

ksh123

k66yla & johnnyshuttle Both great replies, exactly what I needed, thanks very much. Argos it is then I'll be a bit nervous when I start out tho.
I haven't seen the pizza mesh you talk about - I presume its silicone or something is it?
Thanks for the cleaning tip too,:)

johnnyshuttle

ksh123 wrote: »

k66yla & johnnyshuttle
I haven't seen the pizza mesh you talk about - I presume its silicone or something is it?
Thanks for the cleaning tip too,:)

Hi,
The mesh is like some kind of heat proof material that is woven together to create tiny grids.
It's something like this..

ksh123

johnnyshuttle wrote: »

hi,
the mesh is like some kind of heat proof material that is woven together to create tiny grids.
it's something like this..

thank you!

rhoobarbcrumble

Okay, I have read the old thread about halogen ovens and I hope this doesn't get stuck on the end of it.

I have three questions considering new technology, cooking and also tried and tested stuff.

First question is are the new halogen ovens better than the old as they have infra-red and convection as well as the halogen light? Also I have an A+ rated oven that reckons it does .78kw an hour. Does this make it worse or better than a halogen cooker that is 1.3kw. I'm trying to work out if I am better off using my oven or the halogen cooker(which I haven't used yet but I am planning to use it tomorrow for a roasty).

Second question is why can some people cook bread loaves in it and the majority can't, cakes too seem to have this problem. Is it user error (completely understandable with the lack of instructions), or is it the versatility of the oven (i.e. infra-red, convection blah-blah).

The third one is more about tried and tested recipes of complete meals you can cook in the halogen oven. And I hope that you experts out there that do cook complete meals can give full instructions and recipes and stuff - especially the basic things like the best roast, cake or bread loaf etc.

Thank you in advance, I did notice on the previous thread that people were doing whole roast dinners or loaves, cakes etc, but they never mentioned how they managed it or their personal method.

Sorry, I've asked a lot of questions, but In my defence, I've only just got one and haven't dared turn the plug on yet. There definately seems to be more failures than successes. I want this thing to be a success and not just another gadget stuck in a kitchen cupboard. (anyone want an actifry by the way?)

Don't get me wrong I did get on with the actifry but me, hubby and the kids could definately tell the difference in the chip department, so I used it a lot for a while and then I just didn't bother using it anymore.
I'd sell it on ebay but it's been seriously used, it has burn marks that don't jif off. So that's it, can't do anything but give it away.

taxsaver

Hi,

I can't help you with most of your questions as I don't have an halogen oven (although I do have what is probably it's predecessor - a Flavorwave table top infrared oven, of many years age and use!)

As far as the energy usage is concerned the answer is it depends on the cooking times. To keep it simple lets say a unit of electricity (1kw) costs 10p (I wish!). If you run your main oven for an hour it will cost you 7.8p whereas the halogen oven will cost you 13p; so on the face of it the halogen is more expensive to run.

However, if you can roast a chicken in the halogen in 30 mins (cost 6.5p, being half of 13p), but it takes an hour in the normal oven, then you can see that the halogen will be cheaper. Given that you have such an efficient main oven the use of a halogen might be a bit marginal for you, but it's likely your savings would mostly come from doing small and quick things, where heating up the main and slower oven will cost more. In the case of a full roast dinner, you might find that the space in your main oven, allowing you to do the meat, the yorkshire puds and the roast potatoes etc., all at the same time will be the cheapest option.

Hope this helps.

reeree

Does anyone have a halogen oven I was thinking of buying one of these but would welcome others opinions before buying one first

PLRFD

Had one of these sent it back,was very dissapointed with the results,also they take up a huge amount of space,it's one of those looks like a good idea things to me but when i actualy got it i knew it would end up in the back of a cupboard gathering dust.If you do really do want one have a look at Ideal World they have just started doing one that's sort of a cross between the Halogen Oven and a Tefal Actifry it has a rotating paddle so you don't have to keep turning things.Hope that helps.

McKneff

Not sure about the Oven but I bought a microwave with a halogent grill in it. It worked but nothing like a conventional grill.
bacon was cooked but just limp. Only ever used it once.

k66yla

I've a Halogen oven. Got it a few months ago and it gets used every day. Things cook quicker, you are not using so much electric as it heats up quickly. Easy to clean. I've baked cakes, jacket potatos in it. Done a whole roast chicken with all the veg. Glad I did buy it in the end as my fan oven decided to conk out, so the Christmas dinner will be cooked in it this year.