Do you often peer into your oven like a detective, trying to figure out exactly where to place your food in order to get consistent, even results? If so, perhaps it’s time for an upgrade.
When it comes to cooking food rapidly and evenly, even across several racks, there’s no better solution than a convection oven.
Fazal Imam, founder of servicing and repair company, Dubai Repairs, whose team has extensive experience servicing such appliances, said convection ovens are known for their consistent results: “These appliances employ an integrated fan and heating element to circulate heated air evenly throughout the cooking chamber, ensuring uniform cooking, browning, and crisping. Convection ovens excel in baking, roasting, and broiling applications.”
It's something you won’t see in a traditional microwave oven, which uses microwave radiation technology to heat food from within. Imam noted that although they are well known “for their rapid reheating, defrosting, and efficient cooking [functionalities], they cannot achieve browning and textural enhancements characteristic of convection ovens.”
What features should I consider when buying a convection oven?
According to our expert, the first aspect to consider is the oven’s size and capacity. You can tailor your selection depending on how many members exist in your household.
Next, look for ovens that provide you plenty of features. Imam said: “Prioritize ovens that offer a variety of cooking modes, encompassing baking, roasting, and broiling to cater to diverse preferences.”
Moreover, selecting one that has a bigger temperature range gives you the ability to cook a number of dishes that you wouldn’t normally be able to. However, do note that you’ll need to set the temperature in a convection oven at 25° lower than you usually would. This is because the ovens are equipped with convection fans that cook food about 25 per cent faster than a regular oven.
Buying one with intuitive controls makes the process a smooth, convenient one, adds Imam.
We picked the best convection ovens, based on our expert’s recommendations and top-rated reviews. Get the one that best suits your household, while it's on sale, with Prime membership, as soon as tomorrow.
1. Best Overall: Panasonic 4-in-1 Convection Microwave Oven (27L)
Pros
- Sleek, stylish design
- Large, 27-litre capacity
- Convenient accessories included
- Includes a child safety lock
- Select from 131 Auto Cook menus
Cons
- Oven door is a fingerprint magnet, some reviewers say
With an elegant, half mirror design, Panasonic’s convection oven looks great even as it works hard at delivering delicious meals. This appliance does the work of a microwave oven, an air fryer, a grill and a convection oven. You can even use combination cooking modes, which simultaneously operate different facilities, like grilling and convection, for rapid cooking and crisping. The appliance’s large, stainless-steel interior can fit up to 315mm-wide dishes or casseroles, which can be taken straight to the dining table after heating. Reviewers who are new to cooking say they enjoy the many pre-sets this oven offers, since it removes any guesswork.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh62.92 for 12 months with select banks. Redeem an extra 15 per cent off with ADCB X MasterCard by entering the code ‘ADCB50’ at checkout.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides one-year warranty.
2. Best Multi-functional Oven: Ninja DT251 Foodi 10-in-1 Smart XL Oven
Pros
- Powerful appliance
- Select from up to 10 functions
- Spacious capacity
- Includes a smart thermometer
Cons
- Interiors are difficult to clean, say reviewers
With the Ninja DT251 Foodi, you practically need no other appliance for cooking. This smart oven boasts of 10 versatile functions: air fry, air roast, bake, whole roast, broil, toast, bagel mode, dehydrate, reheat and pizza mode. Most of these functions are done through true surround convection technology, which the brand claims has up to 10 times the convection power as a traditional convection oven. The roomy oven easily fits a 2.2kg chicken and a sheet pan of vegetables at the same time, with consistent, crispy and juicy results, according to over 6,000 rave reviews. However, while the exterior is a breeze to clean, the aluminium interiors retain scorch marks and are difficult to clean, say reviewers.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh207.93 for 12 months with select banks. Redeem an extra 15 per cent off with ADCB X MasterCard by entering the code ‘ADCB50’ at checkout.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty for Dh142 and two-year extended warranty for Dh202.
3. Best Compact Oven: Cuisinart TOA-70 Convection Air Fryer Toaster Oven with Grill (17L)
Pros
- Space-saving design
- Adjustable temperature dial
- Auto-shut off feature
- Accessories included
Cons
- Some reviewers say it’s difficult to clean
A premium countertop oven that’s packed with 1,800W of power, Cuisinart’s convection oven can toast, air fry, convection bake, broil, grill, and keep food warm. This compact appliance features about 17 litres of space, which is large enough to toast six slices of bread, roast a 1.8kg chicken or bake a 12-inch pizza. There are three trays included – a baking pan, an air fry basket, and a grill. Reviewers say they were surprised by how much food this compact appliance can accommodate. However, some said they replaced the aluminium baking pan with a stainless steel one, since it caused food to splatter everywhere, and it was difficult to completely get rid of grease and stains.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh120.59 for 12 months with select banks. Redeem an extra 15 per cent off with ADCB X MasterCard by entering the code ‘ADCB50’ at checkout.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides a three-year limited warranty. Amazon offers one-year extended warranty for Dh86 and two-year extended warranty for Dh121.
4. Best Large Oven: Hamilton Beach Convection Toaster Oven (55L)
Pros
- Spacious capacity
- Easy to use
- Select from six functions
- Accessories included
Cons
- Exteriors become hot when in use
Larger families can opt for Hamilton Beach’s 55-litre convection toaster oven, which helps quickly rustle up food for the entire household. The oven’s spacious inner cavity has five adjustable rack positions and can comfortably bake two 14-inch pizzas at a time or grill two full chickens on its rotisserie rod. Its double-walled glass maintains temperature efficiency and saves energy by minimising heat loss. Reviewers like that the oven comes with six accessories: a wire rack, coated baking tray, rotisserie rod, removal tool, oven tong and crumb tray. The appliance is very easy to use and clean – you can select from six functions and choose a temperature setting of up to 230 degrees Celsius. However, reviewers caution not to touch anything but the door handle when the oven is hot, since the exteriors heat up, too.
Bonus: Buy with zero per cent installments and pay Dh45.75 for 12 months with select banks. Redeem an extra 15 per cent off with ADCB X MasterCard by entering the code ‘ADCB50’ at checkout.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides a three-year limited warranty. Amazon offers one-year extended warranty for Dh35 and two-year extended warranty for Dh49.
5. Best Budget: Nikai Electric Oven with Convection Fan and Rotisserie (55L)
Pros
- Spacious capaciy
- Rotisserie and convection functionalities
- Accessories included
Cons
- Heating is unreliable, some reviewers say
For great value for money, consider Nikai’s convection oven. It features a spacious, 55-litre capacity and a user-friendly, four-knob interface, with which, you can adjust the temperature, cooking modes and timers with ease. The oven has a convection fan that circulates hot air, ensuring consistent heat distribution, whether it’s a pizza you’re dishing up, or an entire rotisserie chicken. The oven comes with a set of essential accessories, including a round tray, bake tray, wire rack, tray handle and rotisserie set. Reviewers enjoy making both savoury and sweet items in this oven, but some have found the oven heating at a temperature of 10 to 20 degrees Celsius higher than their preferred setting.
Bonus: Redeem an extra 15 per cent off with ADCB X MasterCard by entering the code ‘ADCB50’ at checkout.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides a two-year warranty. Amazon offers one-year extended warranty for Dh23 and two-year extended warranty for Dh33.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
