Microwave vs Convection

[Songman]

This isn't much about buses, but I think it will apply. We cooked two turkeys for Thanksgiving this year. We cooked one in the conventional oven and the other in the convection oven (dual wall unit). The turkey in the convection oven only took a third of the time to cook. If you were on a bus where heat was an issue, the convection oven would be head and shoulders above the conventional oven.

I have a two-burner electric cooktop and plan to use a microwave/convection combo. The wife wants a toaster oven but I don't know how much we would use it. I'm planning on a small kitchen anyway and the toaster oven would take up a lot of space.

[Sean]

We chose a GE Advantium 120 (http://www.geappliances.com/products/introductions/advantium/) above-cooktop model.  Pricey, but much faster and more energy-efficient for many items than plain microwave/convection combos.  Since we're usually running from batteries, the energy issue was important to us.

That being said, 99% of the time we are just using it as a microwave.  We don't bake, and we certainly don't want to be cooking a turkey in there.

The Advantium will even broil steaks, although I prefer them cooked outside on the grill.

FWIW,

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[gus]

We are travelers, not campers, so Beth does not do any cooking. This is by design, it is her vacation as well as mine. We eat at restaurants or buy from a deli and eat in the bus.

We use the microwave quite a bit but the LP oven almost never. It is used for kitchen stuff storage but can quickly be emptied if needed.

This simplifies things and we can go to full time cooking in the LP oven if ever we decide to do so.

[Lin]

In our first RV, our first bus, and the new one, we have had a microwave and standard propane stove and oven.  However, I like the idea of the combination micro/convection instead of the oven.  Definitely a space saver and it is not something we really use a whole lot.  As everyone knows, the microwave is great for warming things up, but not so great for cooking.  Microwave baked potatoes are a real disappointment (it's great for chestnuts though).  I would guess though that the convection oven will require some reasonable venting though.

[JimC]

Thanks for the replys folks,
I have another question, the microwave  we are currently using is built into a cabinet above the refrigerator, basically its in a large plywood box with a face frame and there is a hole cut for the microwave to be used. There is plenty of room inside the box, 3-4 inches on each side, 6-8 inches above to the ceiling, and I have a vent cut at the top of the face frame for heat from the fridge and micro to escape. Will I run into problems with the convection oven combo with a set up like this? 
Jim

[DrivingMissLazy]

Thanks for the replys folks,
I have another question, the microwave  we are currently using is built into a cabinet above the refrigerator, basically its in a large plywood box with a face frame and there is a hole cut for the microwave to be used. There is plenty of room inside the box, 3-4 inches on each side, 6-8 inches above to the ceiling, and I have a vent cut at the top of the face frame for heat from the fridge and micro to escape. Will I run into problems with the convection oven combo with a set up like this? 
Jim

Jim,
I think you will find that units built to be installed in cabinets will have a built in exhaust at the top of the unit and an inlet at the bottom that will provide adequate ventilation for the unit. At least mine did.

Richard

[gumpy]

Thanks for the replys folks,
I have another question, the microwave  we are currently using is built into a cabinet above the refrigerator, basically its in a large plywood box with a face frame and there is a hole cut for the microwave to be used. There is plenty of room inside the box, 3-4 inches on each side, 6-8 inches above to the ceiling, and I have a vent cut at the top of the face frame for heat from the fridge and micro to escape. Will I run into problems with the convection oven combo with a set up like this? 
Jim

If it's strictly microwave, and not convection, I really don't think you'll have any problems with the space and vents you've described. My opinion.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Jim,

Convection micro's don't have to be vented but is sure is a good idea to. 

I vented my Dometic and it has the option to do both, either recirculate with carbon filters or vent

to the outside as I did. If you don't vent it outside another option is to have a Fantastic vent in the kitchen area.

Good Luck
Nick-