Convection Oven/Microwave Combo Above the Range

[PrincessShmoo]

I am the OP.

And so you are

The oven in our fifth wheel is pretty small, but I could cook a turkey in it. The microwave/convection combo we have there, I could not.

As to whether you'd regret purchasing a home with only the microwave/convection combo vs a "regular" oven, only you can say. Many people only use microwave, and/or convection ovens all the time. Others swear by having a full size oven.

I have no clue how to use a convection oven, so in the fifth wheel, only the microwave and regular ovens get used. At home I have a full size oven and microwave oven. That works for me.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

And so you are

The oven in our fifth wheel is pretty small, but I could cook a turkey in it. The microwave/convection combo we have there, I could not.

As to whether you'd regret purchasing a home with only the microwave/convection combo vs a "regular" oven, only you can say. Many people only use microwave, and/or convection ovens all the time. Others swear by having a full size oven.

I have no clue how to use a convection oven, so in the fifth wheel, only the microwave and regular ovens get used. At home I have a full size oven and microwave oven. That works for me.

Neither do I, which is why I came here for advice. I would say the size of this combo is between my full size oven & the oven we had in the RV. There's also a built-in toaster oven, but I'd have to learn to use that too.

ETA: I could have cooked a turkey in the RV, but it would have been a tighter fit than the combo would be.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Over-the-range microwave/hood fan combos are pretty much the standard here for years as a design element, which totally ignores function. I'm short too, so is my DS and it's a precarious situation for sure. Not to mention the hood fan is way, way less efficient that an actual hood fan and doesn't protrude out far enough over the stovetop to be effective for anything cooking on the front burners. I hate it.

@tarheelmjfan if it can be changed I'd have the whole set up removed and replaced with a free-standing range (cooktop and oven) like a pp up-thread mentioned and a good quality hood fan. What you give up in cabinet space you will more than make up for in functionality. Good luck.

Sorry to quote the same post twice, but I started thinking about what you said. We live in snowbird land. It's very possible that the current home owners are Canadian. That would make the setup make more sense.

 

[ronandannette]

Sorry to quote the same post twice, but I started thinking about what you said. We live in snowbird land. It's very possible that the current home owners are Canadian. That would make the setup make more sense.

Maybe not. I've never actually heard of the set up you have. What I'm talking about is one of these (microwave with a hood fan built-in), which you'll see in 9-out-of-10 houses built within the past 15 years. It's placed over the range or cook-top but there's always an actual oven as well:

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Maybe not. I've never actually heard of the set up you have. What I'm talking about is one of these (microwave with a hood fan built-in), which you'll see in 9-out-of-10 houses built within the past 15 years. It's placed over the range or cook-top but there's always an actual oven as well:
View attachment 424614

That's the typical setup here also & what I'm used to. The home we're looking at is different. Sorry, I misunderstood your post.

 

[ronandannette]

That's the typical setup here also & what I'm used to. The home we're looking at is different. Sorry, I misunderstood your post.

Just for my own curiosity, do you have a picture of the set-up you're talking about?

 

[3lephant]

The main advantage of an over-the-range microwave is the space-saving capability. Which is good for a small kitchen where the space is an issue.

Admin: BakingReview.com

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Just for my own curiosity, do you have a picture of the set-up you're talking about?

Sorry, I don't. If we go back, I'll take one. I can't find an image online that I can copy, so I'll try to describe it. Imagine the microwave you posted mounted underneath oak cabinets. The convection/microwave combo is basically the same, but larger. Now, imagine oak cabinets with a granite top. Placed on the granite is a flat black plate with 4 stove eyes that are directly underneath the convection/microwave oven combo. (At least, that's the way it appears from the top of the cabinet.)

 

[mnrose]

Can you think of any situation where a convection wouldn't work? As I noted, I know nothing about them.

No. Like I said, I've had one for 15+ years, and I do not recall EVER using the non-convection feature (except for the rare time we "broil" something. It is awesome for roasted meats, and all sorts of baking (which is the major reason I use an over). For baking cookies/muffins/cakes, it's perfect, and no rotation of pans necessary.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

No. Like I said, I've had one for 15+ years, and I do not recall EVER using the non-convection feature (except for the rare time we "broil" something. It is awesome for roasted meats, and all sorts of baking (which is the major reason I use an over). For baking cookies/muffins/cakes, it's perfect, and no rotation of pans necessary.

Thanks for the feedback. That makes me feel better about it. I'm assuming I could use the toaster oven for anything I need to broil.

 

[QueenIsabella]

You could also consider buying a counter-top roaster for doing a holiday turkey or roast. My SIL has one--she has a conventional oven, but the roaster frees her up to do sides in her regular oven. If you don't do a lot of major cooking, you'll probably be fine with this set-up. It wouldn't work for me, but I have 3 kids currently at home, and I cook and bake a lot.

We are finishing a kitchen remodel, and I replaced the cooktop and wall oven with a range (with microwave/vent over it). I'm still getting used to the new range, which has an induction cooktop and convection oven. I already like it better than my previous set-up--my stove top was fine, but I had to have the world's smallest wall oven. I couldn't fit half my cookie sheets in there! Which reminds me--if you do go back, you might want to consider bringing a cookie sheet if you bake, make sure it'll fit.

 

[Christine]

Sorry, I don't. If we go back, I'll take one. I can't find an image online that I can copy, so I'll try to describe it. Imagine the microwave you posted mounted underneath oak cabinets. The convection/microwave combo is basically the same, but larger. Now, imagine oak cabinets with a granite top. Placed on the granite is a flat black plate with 4 stove eyes that are directly underneath the convection/microwave oven combo. (At least, that's the way it appears from the top of the cabinet.)

If I were to place my microwave over my cooktop, this would be how it would look. Personally, I don't feel there's enough room between the bottom of the microwave and my cooktop to be good. My cabinets over the cooktop are smaller so it can happen, but it's not a good look.

Also, since the house has cabinets there now (as my house does), I'm betting that your cook top ventilation system is not an upper hood based one, but a "downdraft." That's what I have also. The exhaust for this cooktop is underneath it in the cabinets (that I also use for storage of my pans). I can get a range to go in it's place but I get about 3 choices of downdraft ranges.

Worse, is that the kitchen you're looking at has NO exhaust for the cooktop. Sometimes you need it.

Also, where I work, we have large microwaves that are also dual convections. When I lived overseas and had space issues in the apartment and no real oven, we bought a large microwave/convection. I am not a huge cook but I do use my ovens. For instance, I make easy sheet pan dinners, roast vegetables, etc. Nothing major, but I wouldn't be doing it in any convection that I've ever had.

One of my two wall ovens is a convection oven (basically it has an internal fan that circulates heat). It's supposed to be better for baking. I haven't really noticed a lot of difference but there is some.

I still don't believe for a minute that the convection/microwave combo will do the same work as an oven having had both.

 

[_19disnA]

If this is someplace you plan to live full-time, having a real oven is probably a good idea. Perhaps the current owners used it as a vacation home and/or didn't cook/bake a lot. Microwave/convection ovens are only good for certain things and not something I would use to cook an entire meal. I would assume you could modify some of the cabinets to make room for a regular oven.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

You could also consider buying a counter-top roaster for doing a holiday turkey or roast. My SIL has one--she has a conventional oven, but the roaster frees her up to do sides in her regular oven. If you don't do a lot of major cooking, you'll probably be fine with this set-up. It wouldn't work for me, but I have 3 kids currently at home, and I cook and bake a lot.

We are finishing a kitchen remodel, and I replaced the cooktop and wall oven with a range (with microwave/vent over it). I'm still getting used to the new range, which has an induction cooktop and convection oven. I already like it better than my previous set-up--my stove top was fine, but I had to have the world's smallest wall oven. I couldn't fit half my cookie sheets in there! Which reminds me--if you do go back, you might want to consider bringing a cookie sheet if you bake, make sure it'll fit.

Great tips! Thanks

If I were to place my microwave over my cooktop, this would be how it would look. Personally, I don't feel there's enough room between the bottom of the microwave and my cooktop to be good. My cabinets over the cooktop are smaller so it can happen, but it's not a good look.

Also, since the house has cabinets there now (as my house does), I'm betting that your cook top ventilation system is not an upper hood based one, but a "downdraft." That's what I have also. The exhaust for this cooktop is underneath it in the cabinets (that I also use for storage of my pans). I can get a range to go in it's place but I get about 3 choices of downdraft ranges.

Worse, is that the kitchen you're looking at has NO exhaust for the cooktop. Sometimes you need it.

Also, where I work, we have large microwaves that are also dual convections. When I lived overseas and had space issues in the apartment and no real oven, we bought a large microwave/convection. I am not a huge cook but I do use my ovens. For instance, I make easy sheet pan dinners, roast vegetables, etc. Nothing major, but I wouldn't be doing it in any convection that I've ever had.

One of my two wall ovens is a convection oven (basically it has an internal fan that circulates heat). It's supposed to be better for baking. I haven't really noticed a lot of difference but there is some.

I still don't believe for a minute that the convection/microwave combo will do the same work as an oven having had both.

Thanks for the feedback. It's good to know to have DH check the exhaust situation, if we go back.

I'm not really sure why they decided to go that route rather than have a conventional range. Space isn't an issue.

If this is someplace you plan to live full-time, having a real oven is probably a good idea. Perhaps the current owners used it as a vacation home and/or didn't cook/bake a lot. Microwave/convection ovens are only good for certain things and not something I would use to cook an entire meal. I would assume you could modify some of the cabinets to make room for a regular oven.

We would most likely end up doing that.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

I would be out of there as soon as I saw the oak. Bleargh.

 

[RUDisney]

I have an Advantium oven over my stove/oven. An Advantium is a microwave and convection oven with "Speed Cook." I have used the oven on my stove to make Christmas cookies (because why wouldn't you use both the convection oven and the regular oven at the same time to speed things up?) and for my turkey on Thanksgiving, but otherwise, I use the Advantium. Its thermostat is better than my oven's and it doesn't heat up my kitchen if I use it in the summer. It fits a turkey. I only do a turkey in the traditional oven on Thanksgiving because I use the Advantium for other items.

My next purchase will be a convection oven/microwave when the Advantium dies. I hardly use the speed cook option, so it would be no loss to lose that... the convection oven, though... THAT would be a loss to me.

Convection oven use: you set the temperature for what you would normally want it to be. The oven will reduce it about 25 degrees and blow the fan to roast the food. It's supposed to take less time in a convection oven, but I've never found that with mine. BUT, I wouldn't give up my oven over the stove for any price.

 

[Searc]

Maybe not. I've never actually heard of the set up you have. What I'm talking about is one of these (microwave with a hood fan built-in), which you'll see in 9-out-of-10 houses built within the past 15 years. It's placed over the range or cook-top but there's always an actual oven as well:
View attachment 424614

This is exactly what we have in our home.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I would be out of there as soon as I saw the oak. Bleargh.

I don't like the color & would definitely stain them. They're more sturdy than most cabinets we've seen though.

I have an Advantium oven over my stove/oven. An Advantium is a microwave and convection oven with "Speed Cook." I have used the oven on my stove to make Christmas cookies (because why wouldn't you use both the convection oven and the regular oven at the same time to speed things up?) and for my turkey on Thanksgiving, but otherwise, I use the Advantium. Its thermostat is better than my oven's and it doesn't heat up my kitchen if I use it in the summer. It fits a turkey. I only do a turkey in the traditional oven on Thanksgiving because I use the Advantium for other items.

My next purchase will be a convection oven/microwave when the Advantium dies. I hardly use the speed cook option, so it would be no loss to lose that... the convection oven, though... THAT would be a loss to me.

Convection oven use: you set the temperature for what you would normally want it to be. The oven will reduce it about 25 degrees and blow the fan to roast the food. It's supposed to take less time in a convection oven, but I've never found that with mine. BUT, I wouldn't give up my oven over the stove for any price.

It's good to hear you prefer the convection/microwave combo to your conventional oven. We've discussed putting in a wall oven, if we buy this home. I wouldn't do that, until I gave myself a chance to get used to only having the convection oven.

 

[fla4fun]

We use our convection oven a lot but it isn't a substitute for a standard oven, in my opinion.

I have a countertop convection oven/toaster combo. It is large enough for a pizza pan or a 9x13 cake pan. I can bake cookies in it. I use it for everything except the turkey on Thanksgiving. I always have to test my regular oven a few days before the big day to make sure it’s still working (although I have a countertop roaster I can use in a pinch).

As to the OP question, it really depends on your cooking style. If you use a regular oven to cook a lot of large things, you might not be happy. If you rarely use your regular oven, you might be OK.

 

[RamblingMad]

I have a Breville counter oven that I use more than my normal oven. It’s faster to reheat, and most of our dishes fit in it. That’s another option.