New Code Sent!
MICROWAVE VS. OVEN: WHICH IS BETTER FOR YOU?
When it comes to reliable, trusted kitchen appliances, microwaves and ovens both deliver delicious results. However, which appliances you select will depend on your cooking style and recipe preferences. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of microwaves and ovens.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MICROWAVE AND AN OVEN?
Microwaves are smaller than ovens, and they cook or reheat smaller portions of food via electromagnetic radiation. They work well for everyday tasks like reheating leftovers, melting ingredients, making popcorn or defrosting frozen items.
Ovens are large appliances that utilize radiant heat from electric or gas heating elements within the oven cavity to bake, broil or roast sizable meals. They’re ideal for creating a crispy exterior and sealing in moisture in foods like meats, cakes and breads.
These differences produce a variety of effects, including speed of cooking, energy efficiency, temperature range and food results.
Microwaves will generally cook faster and use less energy, but they do not get as hot as ovens and are unable to brown or crisp food without specialized features or heating elements.
- Ovens are typically more expensive, consume more energy and have longer cook times, but you can select the temperature you want to bake and broil food.
| MICROWAVE | OVEN | |
|---|---|---|
| HEATING METHOD | Electromagnetic radiation | Heating elements |
| COOKING SPEED | Quick cooking | Slower cooking, including preheat time |
| USES | Reheating, defrosting, melting & quick cooking | Baking, broiling, browning or roasting foods |
| CAPACITY | 1-2.2 cubic feet | 2.3-6.3 cubic feet (single) 5.9-7.3 cubic feet (double) |
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A MICROWAVE?
Microwaves are excellent appliances for quickly cooking food, defrosting frozen food, including chicken, or reheating leftover meals. For example, their settings and features make them a good choice for reheating pizza for a quick ready-to-eat dinner option. Not only are they easy to use, but their functionality extends to melting and steaming, with some models now capable of convection cooking.
Microwaves are also smaller and have less space to clean than traditional ovens, and there are significant benefits to cooking with a microwave.
Size: Microwaves are smaller countertop appliances that can go over your range or sit on your countertop. Maytag brand microwaves range in size from 1.1 to 1.9 cubic feet.
Speed of Cooking: One of the key benefits of microwaves is how quickly they can cook food. This speed depends on the wattage power of the microwave: the higher the wattage, the faster the cooking. Microwaves will tend to range between 600 to 1,700 watts, with many home models landing in the 1,000 to 1,200 watt range.
Cooking Method: Microwaves utilize electromagnetic radiation to heat food. This radiation causes the water molecules in food to vibrate, which cooks the food more quickly than most other methods of cooking.
Price: Depending on the size and features you are seeking in a microwave, a compact option can cost around $50, a mid-range microwave between $100 and $300 and advanced feature models from $300 to $800+.
Effects on Food: Despite the convenient speed with which they cook, microwaves can affect the texture and flavor of certain foods. Because standard microwaves are unable to crisp or brown, reheated food, such as fried chicken, can lose this characteristic when reheated. However, many high-end microwaves now offer convection or crisping features. Whenever possible, make sure to always follow proper cooking and reheating instructions. Learn about using aluminum foil in a convection microwave.
SHOP MAYTAG® MICROWAVES
Select Maytag® microwaves include additional features that help your microwave take on more. The Dual Crisp Feature takes on frozen food like chicken nuggets and french fries, and hands back crispy results. This extended cycle combines top-down heat from the crisp element with microwave cooking power for better microwaved meals. The Brown Function on select Maytag® models adds a crunchy layer to the top of food using direct heat without microwave cooking power. It gives a finishing touch to a meal without having to touch an oven.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF AN OVEN?
Ovens are an excellent choice for baking, broiling and roasting. Temperature control allows for greater precision when cooking anything from roasted chicken to your Friday night pizza. Additionally, some ovens come with convection heating, which utilizes a fan to distribute hot air throughout the appliance, distributing heat more evenly across multiple racks.
Due to their overall size, traditional ovens are also able to cook larger dishes or multiple dishes at once. These benefits make cooking with an oven an excellent option.
Size: Ovens are larger kitchen appliances that can often serve as the focal point of your kitchen. Maytag brand wall ovens come in 27-inch and 30-inch-wide sizes.
Speed of Cooking: Although ovens typically take, on average, 12 to 15 minutes to preheat to 350°F, oven features on some models, such as the Power Preheat on select models from Maytag brand, let you start cooking sooner. Additionally, some traditional ovens come equipped with convection cooking, which is designed to cook certain foods faster than traditional baking.
Cooking Method: Conventional ovens utilize a heating or broiling element to bake, broil and roast food. For this reason, the dish closest to the active heating element will cook the fastest as there is no way to circulate heat throughout the oven like a fan does in a convection oven.
Price: An oven’s price varies, as it can rely on the capabilities, size, brand and type. Depending on the size and features you are seeking in an oven, a basic countertop convection oven can cost on average between $100 and $300, whereas a full-sized option—like a range or wall oven—can typically range anywhere from $700-$2,800+ or more depending on the make and model.
Effects on Food: Due to their methods of cooking, ovens are able to brown and crisp the edges of food, impacting their texture and flavor. Similarly to using a microwave, make sure to follow proper baking and heating instructions when using your oven.
SHOP MAYTAG® WALL OVENS
Make more of your favorites at mealtime with a single, double or combination wall oven from Maytag brand. Select Maytag® wall ovens feature No-Preheat Air Fry that eliminates the preheat process and cooks fried foods fast—delivering a crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside taste using little to no additional oil. And, with convenient features like the Delay Bake Setting on select Maytag® models, you can place your dishes inside the oven and schedule when you want the baking to begin so your food is ready when you are.
MICROWAVE VS. OVEN FAQS
Whether your oven’s out of commission and you’re relying on the microwave, or you’re just trying to figure out which appliance to use, find answers to common microwave and oven questions below.
CAN A MICROWAVE BE USED AS AN OVEN?
Some microwaves can be used as an oven or even a convection oven if they carry convection capabilities or other features that allow them to cook pastries, poultry and other baked foods. Convection microwaves utilize convection cooking to circulate heat throughout the appliance; this allows you to bake, broil or roast smaller portions of your meal.
WHAT IS THE OVEN TO MICROWAVE CONVERSION?
The process for converting cooking time from the oven to the microwave may vary by microwave wattage, but generally, you can convert your recipe by dividing the oven cooking time by four.
For example, depending on their size, potatoes can take 45 to 60 minutes to cook in an oven. Using this simple conversion process, you should microwave your potato between about 10 and 15 minutes.
CAN I USE A MICROWAVE TO BAKE?
Select convection microwaves can bake foods such as cake or bread by utilizing convection cooking as opposed to electromagnetic radiation. Convection microwaves not only cook faster than regular microwaves, but they also allow for more even cooking results across multiple racks.
This Maytag brand model features convection cooking, which functions more like a convection oven than a traditional microwave.
Dual Crisp Feature
Microwaves that are built to do more
Maytag® microwaves with the Dual Crisp Feature are built to do more, taking your frozen favorites and delivering crispy results
IS A MICROWAVE OVEN THE SAME AS A MICROWAVE?
The terms “microwave” and “microwave oven” are typically used interchangeably to refer to a traditional microwave. Both terms refer to a kitchen appliance that uses electromagnetic waves to rapidly heat food.
SHOULD I CHOOSE: MICROWAVE OR OVEN?
Whether you choose a microwave or oven will depend on your needs. If you bake and cook frequently for your family, or are looking for more overall precision control while cooking, an oven is a smart pick. If you often reheat or defrost frozen food, or if you have limited space in which to cook, a microwave is a good choice.
With that being said, each appliance provides unique advantages and having both can increase kitchen versatility.
SHOP MAYTAG® MICROWAVES AND OVENS
Maytag brand kitchen appliances are built for performance, durability and convenience—microwaves and ovens being no exception. Select Maytag® microwaves come with performance features, such as dual crisping or browning, for delicious results. Maytag® ovens feature steady temperatures to produce fast and consistent results.
Your subscription was successful
Thank you for signing up. Keep an eye on your inbox for our next newsletter.
Sign Up for More Insights to Stay Connected
Enjoy articles like this? Get helpful guides and appliance care tips sent straight to your inbox.
