Main question: Do convection ovens require an exhaust vent to the outside? I see conflicting info on this.
Aside from that, do you have a “true convection” range? I know you have to adjust recipes, temp and time. Is there a lot of fiddling around to make a recipe work, or are the rules of thumb I see on the Google adequate? (I think one ROT I see is to decrease the temp by 25 degrees and the cooking time by 15 minutes if using convection)
Is there a noticeable difference in the quality of food it produces?
I know there are some types of baking that do not do well with convection, but I also know you can turn the feature off (at least in the one I am looking at).
FWIW I own a countertop air fryer.
ETA: I am looking at 3 models. The true convection oven is $140 more than the “fan” convection, which is $175 more than the non-convection model.
Yes, there is a noticeable difference. We went from a regular to a convection and I’ll never go back. I can’t remember the first thing I cooked in the convection oven, but I do remember thinking that it taster better. The convection heats things so much more evenly. Frozen foods don’t have cold spots. Baked goods are more consistent. Roasted vegetables and meats have a better crust. I can’t say I’ve had any issues due to the time/temp differences, but I typically cook more by sight and done-ness rather than minutes in the oven. If you’re not on a tight budget, the convection is worth the added cost.
The other advantage of a convection oven (aside from faster and more even cooking) is that you can have two trays in at the same time and both will be cooked properly.
I recently bought a Frigidaire true convection oven, and it doesn’t require an outside vent. And it has a button that converts temperature settings to convection compatible temps, as well as a built-in air fryer function.
We have an Electrolux fan convection range with an induction cooktop. Adjusting recipes is easy, drop the temp 25 degrees F or cook it 3/4 as long. Ours has a conversion button for the truly lazy.
I haven’t seen a downside to the convection setting yet. No external vent required.
ETA: I see you’re looking at gas ranges, my mistake. That will be dependent on building codes in your area I would think.
We opted for convection when we had to replace our wall oven a few years back. We don’t honestly use the convection feature all that often, but when doing holiday baking etc. it definitely helps.
Ours is electric, so a vent isn’t a concern at all. With gas: would a normal gas oven require an outside vent? (Ours at our previous house did not have one).
About 11 years ago, we happened to visit the southwestern part of the US - flying into and out of Las Vegas, and travelling in a large circle to various places all around the area. One stop we made was at Valley of Fire State Park.
Oh - and it was July - where the lowest daytime temps we saw were 110F or more.
At that park, though, we were looking at some rock formations, when a breeze cropped up. As I’ve described many times since then: at that point I knew how food in a convection oven would feel: rather than cooling us off, that breeze just cooked us all the faster.
I appreciate all the replies. My salesperson got back to me and confirmed that outside venting is not a requirement for a convection oven.
Also, you all may already know this, but I discovered in my reading that you should not use the convection function when baking anything that rises (cake, bread, etc.)
We are replacing our fridge, range, and microwave (dishwasher was replaced just a few months ago). It’s been 15-20 years since I bought a new major appliance. I’ve noticed prices have gone up a bit.
mmm
When my mother remodeled her kitchen, for some reason she bought a convection oven. The thing is, she has yet to use it bc she doesn’t know what stuff she should use the convection on versus regular oven stuff.
She cooked a roast the other day that would have been perfect for the convection feature but she neglected to use it. Next time I visit, I’m gonna cook us up some whole chickens.
My ‘convection’ oven has a fan at the back and heating elements at the top and bottom.
95% of my oven cooking is done with the fan. Incidentally, I was surprised to discover that it sucks instead of blowing. The top element is rarely used but it can be helpful to brown stuff at the end. The bottom element comes into play for sponge cakes.
The fan has two advantages: More even heating and lower energy cost. I normally bake at 20C less than the recommended temp for a conventional oven.
I have a gas fan convection oven in one house and a normal electric oven in the other. With the disclaimer that I don’t bake, I have to say food in the convection is far better then the electric and I often try to achieve the results I got with the convection in the electric and often find myself wanting to have the convection.
My observation is that it’s not only the convection but the gas that is making a difference as the gas combustion does add some convection in itself, and I’m not sure how much to attribute to the fan and how much to contribute to the combustion convection. I have noticed when the burner cycles on the fan doesn’t run, bur only when the burner cycles off.
To give an example of the difference, when I cook wings in the ovens, the electric oven makes them taste like roasted chicken, but the convection gas oven make them crispy wings (450F),
It does not require a vent, but does by code need a hood.
