Indian kitchens, which at one time had zero to fewer electrical appliances, are now getting loaded with all kinds of convenient electrical appliances. Things like mixers, blenders, beaters, ovens, and microwaves are making their own place in our day-to-day cooking.
In today’s modern kitchen, everyone wants to add a heating/baking appliance like a microwave or an oven. They are an effective, efficient, and wonderful upgrade to any Indian kitchen.
Are you looking for a kitchen upgrade? Do you want to add an oven or a microwave to your kitchen? Are you confused about which one will better suit your lifestyle?
Well in today’s article you will find all the answers to your questions. In this article, we will find out What’s Best for an Indian Kitchen? Microwave vs Oven.
How does a conventional oven work?
Conventional Ovens are appliances that are used for roasting and baking. Foods that normally include meats, specific Indian dishes like roti, biryani, savory snacks, etc. Not only that but, you can also make baked goods like cookies, cakes, bread, and other desserts.
Ovens are appliances with enclosed spaces with metallic elements. Electricity flows through the enclosed space in turn heating the oven and cooking the food evenly. Ovens typically have fans that distribute the heat uniformly and cook them from all sides.
The electricity consumption of an oven depends on the temperature set on the thermostat. The thermostat in the oven is used for measuring the temperature and adjusts the current to maintain the temperature.
Typically, ovens consume more space and electricity compared to a microwave. It can consume between 1000 and 2000 watts. But it also depends on the size of the oven, the bigger the oven the higher the consumption.
How does a microwave work?
Microwave ovens look like a mini version of a full-size oven. But they have a totally different function and can’t perform certain tasks like a conventional oven. Microwaves are typically used for reheating and roasting food. They are convenient to use, they heat food faster, they are highly economical, and typically won’t burn your food.
Unfortunately, you can’t use a microwave for baking purposes which is the only huge drawback of this incredible appliance.
Microwave ovens use electromagnetic energy that in turn generates electromagnetic waves that heat the food kept inside the appliance. They don’t heat up the whole inside space like a regular oven.
Hence, making them much more electricity efficient compared to a traditional oven. They also heat the food much faster as the electromagnetic wave inside the appliance is only concentrated towards the food.
Different usage of Conventional ovens and microwaves
Both of them are used for heating but have very different purposes. Microwaves are great for reheating food, roasting, highly economical, and easy to use. On the other hand, conventional ovens are used for baking, cooking, roasting, but consume huge space and energy.
Large dishes/servings
The oven can fit in large dishes and utensils. Many microwaves can’t fit big dishes, to begin with. Ovens are great for large dishes as they can fit huge servings in one go, making them extremely efficient. While cooking large servings in a microwave can be a huge struggle. Ovens are great for people with joint families or people who enjoy cooking or baking.
Small dishes/servings
Small dishes are where microwaves excel. If you’re cooking for two or three people then the microwave is your best friend. They can easily fit small servings and many small dishes are designed to fit in a microwave. Heating up a full-size oven for a small dish is a waste of energy and time. So go small, go energy efficient.
Which one’s more affordable?
When it comes to affordability the answer is crystal clear, it’s the microwave. They are much more affordable, save time, and are energy efficient. The quicker cooking method usually winds up being easy and affordable.
What’s best for the Indian kitchen?
Well, many factors contribute towards which one suits best for an Indian kitchen. Factors like kitchen space, number of servings, and cooking/preferences.
Kitchen space
This plays a huge role in whether you should buy an oven or a microwave. Typically, Indian kitchens are small to medium size and can’t always fit a full-size conventional oven. While microwaves are compact and won’t take too much kitchen space, they suit well for a typical small Indian kitchen.
The number of servings
The number of servings usually decides how much food you prefer to cook in one go. As mentioned above ovens are great for large servings and microwaves for small servings. Ovens are great people who want to look for huge servings for their friends and families. But if you are a single individual living alone or with a friend/partner then a microwave is your best friend.
Cooking Preferences
If you enjoy cooking and love baking I would highly suggest you buy an oven. But if you are just looking for a heating and general cooking appliance then the microwave is your best option.
Conclusion
So which one’s better for an Indian kitchen? Well, they both have their strengths and weaknesses, and choosing which one’s better should not be a problem. Just choose as per which one fits your living conditions and all your needs.
Microwaves are great for a small family, singles and small spaced kitchens and ovens are incredible for joint families and people who love baking.
I hope you guys enjoyed reading this article and find it helpful. Hopefully, this works as a guide and helps you find the right appliance according to your needs.
