Microwave or Convection Microwave

Good question. I really would not know as mine is not wired in to an inverter and I must have 120v electricity either from shore power or the generator to use it.

Is there a difference in the amount of battery power used cooking the same thing microwave vs. convection? Just thought of that when running either off the inverter.

deltamaster wrote:
Have you ever cooked on the heat of the vehicle engine?

Years ago I read where a guy created an "Oven" on the exhaust of his vehicle. Would set things up before a trip and then when he got there it would be ready to eat. It was designed to never be in contact with the exhaust gasses but the heat from the exhaust system.

We have done that a couple of times. Prepare your meal and wrap in tin foil and/or tin plates. It works but is kind of a strange thing to do. You engine compartment is pretty much your oven and you don't have to rig up anything. You just have to have the right and secure spot on the exhaust manifold. I imagine if you fashioned some kind of metal box you could bake a little more elegantly than in a wad of tin foil. It was mostly a curiosity quest for us.

What we have done and will continue to do so is cook pot roasts, chicken and such in an an electric crock pot set in the kitchen sink in case of spill overs and to keep it in place of course when driving all day.

Gene,

On the popcorn it could be operator error. Our combo works as either a microwave or a convection oven. As a microwave it functioned just as expected. It took us some time to figure out the convection oven part. We didn't even use the convection oven feature the first year we had it in our B. Punching a touch pad in long complicated sequences (it seemed) to get it to work was over our head at first. :)

At home we have a regular double oven and a microwave/convection oven. Our touch pad failed so we are replacing the microwave/convection oven with just a microwave. At home we never had a need to use the convection oven part.

Gene in NE wrote:
Seems as though I am in the minority. Our previous motorhome had a microwave oven and we frequently popped pop corn as a evening snack while watching TV. We also cooked some TV dinners. That motorhome also had a gas oven that never got used.

Our current motorhome has both a regular gas oven and a microwave/convection oven combination. I have tried and tried to pop popcorn and burned it every time. It seems like the convection heat cannot be shut off to only use the microwaves. Zero kernels pop, they just burn and once started the paper bag with a small fire.

I am convinced it is an operator error. :B

Are you using the pre packaged popcorn in a bag? We've never had a problem with several MWs.

Years ago we had a young gal start a fire in our S&B kitchen with popcorn in a MW. Same thing the bag caught on fire, etc.

Our used B had only a regular microwave, so we tote around a small toaster oven.

I would definitely look for a convection combo whenever the day comes for or next RV.

I just cooked a frozen pizza earlier this evening with the convection feature and popped microwave popcorn with the microwave feature a little while ago. Both turned out nicely.

I like convection microwaves because it can do more, especially in a "B" where every inch is precious. There are some foods that just can't be microwaved.

qhor wrote:
The Convection Microwave in the Van we just purchased needs replacing.

We have never had a Convection Microwave in previous Vans, so don't know the pros & cons, so unsure of what to replace it with. Previous Microwaves have been used more for bread storage than actual cooking.

What do you get the most use out of, or do you use either?

Thanks
Barry

Seems as though I am in the minority. Our previous motorhome had a microwave oven and we frequently popped pop corn as a evening snack while watching TV. We also cooked some TV dinners. That motorhome also had a gas oven that never got used.

Our current motorhome has both a regular gas oven and a microwave/convection oven combination. I have tried and tried to pop popcorn and burned it every time. It seems like the convection heat cannot be shut off to only use the microwaves. Zero kernels pop, they just burn and once started the paper bag with a small fire.

I am convinced it is an operator error. :B

Have you ever cooked on the heat of the vehicle engine?

Years ago I read where a guy created an "Oven" on the exhaust of his vehicle. Would set things up before a trip and then when he got there it would be ready to eat. It was designed to never be in contact with the exhaust gasses but the heat from the exhaust system.

A Dutch oven can bake such as bread bread, yes, but a very popular way to bake bread in a Dutch oven is in another oven or over charcoal where you can also apply heat on the lid with charcoals in order to "bake" the bread. Otherwise it is just a cast iron pot with heat only applied to the bottom from a burner.

No-knead bread baked in a porcelain Dutch oven in a regular oven range.


Pizza ready to bake in a tri-leg cast iron Dutch oven with charcoals on top and bottom.


Yeah, it's baking but tedious and somewhat of a dedicated art.