Microwave Oven vs OTG: Which one to buy?

Microwave or Oven ? Convection micro or OTG . . .choices choices? Griller should be there? May be! Hot air circulation, dry heat   hmmm — crust formation, uniform heat distribution required ? –  Yes! I need that. Electromagnetic waves ——–what is that? Let me-check on-line ?  May be the storekeeper will know that . . . . . AND the thoughts in the mind go on and on and on.

There are many products in the market and that certainly adds so much to the confusion. So, I have tried to categorised them:

1. Solo Microwave Oven –—- This is the basic kind of best microwave oven and comes with ‘microwave only’ mode. It provides uniform heating for defrosting, reheating and also for cooking small quantities of food. The point to remember here is you cannot grill or bake anything in a solo microwave. An example of this would be Morphy Richards 20MS 20-Litre Solo Microwave (Black) .

2. Grill Microwave Oven —— A grill microwave oven is a solo microwave equipped with heating coil on the top part. This can be used to grill, toast or roast food too. Grilling can be used in combination with microwave. Grill comes as a mode or setting in microwaves. This requires use of a grilling plate or a rack, which brings the food closer to the grill. An example of this is IFB 25PG3B 25-Litre Grill Microwave Oven (Black/Floral Design).

3. Convection Microwave Oven —– A convection microwave uses a combination of the two technologies: 1. regular microwave and 2. convection oven. It can be used to bake anything cookies or cakes. There is a fan and a heating element to circulate hot air uniformly in the microwave. As a result, the food takes time to cook and comes out more ‘browner’ than you would get in a solo microwave. An example of this is Morphy Richards 23MCG 23-Litre Convection Microwave Oven (Black)

4. OTG —— An Oven Toaster Griller (OTG) can reheat, keep warm, grill, barbecue and most importantly, bake food items. It has heating coils on the bottom and on the roof of the oven. This heating element converts electric energy into heat to create high temperatures at which the food bakes. All the OTG’s  have the option to switch on either one or both coils. For grilling, you need to heat the top coil and for baking, you need both coils to be heated. An example of this is Morphy Richards 24 R-SS OTG 24 L Stainless Steel Black

An OTG is a baker’s delight- you can bake crisp cookies, spongy brown muffins and even breads to perfection using an OTG.

What is the difference between a Microwave Oven and an OTG?

Let’s talk about OTG first — 1. An OTG or an oven-toaster-griller is an electric oven that comes with heating rods. OTG converts electric energy into heat to create a high temperature at which the food bakes. It adds direct heat to food to cook it.  I believe an OTG bakes better than a convection microwave but, at the same time, it cannot be used to heat/defreeze food.

2. The thermostat in the oven (if there is one) measures the temperature and adjusts the current through the element to maintain the temperature. Some ovens (convection) also have fans that uniformly distribute the heat. These ovens with fans are much more efficient as they uniformly distribute the heat.

3. Another point that comes to my mind is that — An OTG is slower than a convection microwave oven. I mean time wise. Example – the OTG will require 15 minutes of preheating, whereas the microwave oven will require only 5 minutes of preheating.

4. An OTG has a front door, removable wire rack. Baking pans or sheets are used for food.

5. OTG is ideal for professional bakers or people who are looking for a dedicated appliance only to bake, grill and toast.