The best choice between a fan-assisted oven and a convection oven?

If you are planning to purchase a new oven, understanding the differences between a fan-assisted oven and a convection oven will help you make an informed decision.

The main distinction between the two types of ovens lies in the method of air distribution.

In a fan-assisted oven, a fan circulates cold air inside the cooking chamber, which heats up in motion thanks to the upper and lower heating elements. This ensures even and rapid cooking.

On the other hand, a convection oven has a circular heating element in front of the fan, heating the air before it enters the cooking chamber. This mechanism ensures a constant temperature throughout the cooking process.

Additionally, the two types of ovens may differ in cooking programs and the customization of heat direction. Therefore, when choosing your appliance, it is essential to consider what you intend to cook and what you need. Once you are clear about your usage, you will be ready to make the best choice for your kitchen.

If you are considering choosing a fan-assisted oven, you need to take several aspects into account. It remains the recommended choice if you prefer practicality in the kitchen as well as impeccable results. Here are the main features of a fan-assisted oven:

1. Uniform and Fast Cooking

The fan-assisted oven ensures an even distribution of hot air thanks to its powerful fan. This guarantees uniform cooking on all sides of your dishes, eliminating annoying "hot spots" and ensuring perfect results, like a crispy crust for pizzas and a perfect golden finish for cakes.

2. Time-Saving

The way a fan-assisted oven cooks results in significant time savings. By reducing cooking times compared to traditional ovens, you can prepare meals more efficiently, gaining valuable minutes in your daily routine. However, it is important to pay attention because even a few extra minutes in the oven could burn what’s inside, ruining all your efforts.

3. Versatility

Fan-assisted ovens offer greater culinary versatility. The free circulation of hot air allows you to cook multiple dishes simultaneously without the risk of flavors mixing. Additionally, thanks to the fan that ensures continuous air circulation, there will be no issue of heat blockage even with multiple trays. This allows you to experiment with different cooking modes, such as grilling, steaming, and defrosting, expanding your culinary options.

4. Energy Saving

Thanks to the even distribution of heat, fan-assisted ovens are more energy-efficient.

What does this mean?

They can maintain a constant temperature and cook food at lower temperatures compared to, for example, static ovens. This advantage translates into energy savings over time, thus helping to reduce expenses on utility bills.

The convection oven differs from the fan-assisted oven by providing better distribution of hot air thanks to the presence of a heating element located near the fan.

Here are some characteristics to keep in mind if you are considering purchasing a convection oven:

1. Reduction of Temperatures

This aspect is similar to that of the fan-assisted oven. The even distribution of heat allows you to cook food at lower temperatures compared to traditional ovens, while still achieving the same cooking results. This leads to greater energy efficiency and savings on utility bills.

2. Cooking Speed

At first glance, the convection oven may seem like an improved version of the fan-assisted oven, but that is not the case. Its ability to cook dishes more quickly also has another advantage not found in fan-assisted ovens: the ability to use it for reheating food.

3. Constant Airflow

The presence of the fan creates a constant airflow within the cooking chamber, ensuring an even distribution of heat on all sides of the food. This can lead to slight dryness in the food, but with a few small adjustments, this issue can be resolved. For example, brushing a roast with water or making lasagna with a slightly more liquid sauce can help.

4. No Need to Preheat the Oven

You read that right; unlike fan-assisted or static ovens, there is no need to wait for the oven to reach the temperature before cooking the food.

Why?

The heating element near the fan allows hot air to be produced immediately. This will save you time and energy.

5. Turning off the Oven Before the End of Cooking

When possible, it is advisable to turn off the oven a few minutes before the end of the cooking time. This allows you to use the residual heat to complete the preparation of the food efficiently and sustainably. Additionally, this practice is particularly beneficial if you need to schedule other household activities, such as starting the washing machine or using other appliances, helping to avoid energy overloads and optimizing time.

When it comes to choosing between a convection oven and a fan-assisted oven, it's important to understand the differences and assess which one suits your culinary needs best. Both offer advantages, but their features can significantly influence your cooking experience.

The convection oven, with its fan and circular heating element, has better heat distribution. It is ideal if you prefer to use the oven to cook multiple items at once. In fact, you can bake a lasagna and a cake at the same time without worrying about the flavors mixing. This feature is valuable during special occasions or dinners with friends, where multiple courses are prepared simultaneously.

On the other hand, the fan-assisted oven, while ensuring uniform hot air distribution thanks to the fan, may not offer the same cooking precision as the convection oven. However, if you typically prepare quick and simple dishes, a fan-assisted oven can still be a good choice.

Additionally, the fan-assisted oven can be a more economical option for those with a limited budget and less complex culinary needs.

Attention! It’s important to consider that, since air circulates freely in both the fan-assisted and convection ovens, it may not always be advisable for families with members who have celiac disease or gluten intolerance. However, with small precautions, you can manage this situation. For example, you can place gluten-free food on the higher racks of the oven to avoid contamination during cooking.