Convection Oven Or Regular Oven?

[JohnRye]

I recently purchased a 2012 Coachman Freelander 26QB. The coach has a small microwave and a 3-burner stove, but it does not have an oven so I'm considering having one installed. As we don't use the microwave (other than to store bread) it was suggested to me that I replace the microwave with a combination convection/microwave oven. This makes sense to me but I am not sure which models would be best and also, can I purchase one off the shelf at my local appliance dealer?  Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. 

[wolfe10]

JohnRye,

Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

So, currently you have no oven other than the microwave?

If so, my wife who does a lot of cooking/baking strongly recommends a convection/microwave oven.

Suspect your available space will be one of the prime dictates of what you can go with.

And, yes, I would shop for "home" appliances, paying attention to power demand to make sure you have the wiring and breaker to handle the load.

[BillAdams]

Check the measurements of the opening the current microwave uses.  If it is the same size as a household over the oven convection/mircowave then you are good to go.  We have had a couple (or several reasons) starting with a Sharp an Advantium (did not like) and now a GE Profile which is excellent.  Some RV's that install microwave units only are a little smaller than the household so make careful measurements.

[wildebill308]

Welcome to the forum JohnRye. You might try googling your current make and model of microwave. Most will give dimensions that way you don't need to pull it out till you are ready. Now find a microwave /convection that is the same size. I bought my last one from Home Depot online with free shiping.

Bill

[hermanmullins]

When looking at Microwave/Convection ovens be sure to make sure what you buy. Make sure it is compatible to where it will be mounted, under counter or cabinet installed. Air movement is very important.

Herman

[desertdeals69]

I just installed a new micro/ convection in my new to me coach.  I had a Sharp over the range which was the standard 30 in width.  I wound up getting a Samsung micro/convection.  I cut a hole in the outside wall and put a vent cover on it.  The oven can be set up to recirculate the vent air inside but I re-oriented the blower motor to exhaust out the back.

 

 

 

[jleamont]

According to the Coachmen Brochure, that only came with a microwave only and a 3 burner cook top, no oven. After having both we prefer the convection over the traditional gas oven, it cooks much more evenly. The traditional RV gas oven is not like a gas oven in a house, they are difficult to regulate the temps and not dry out or burn food.

I want to echo Herman's post above, whatever you purchase please make sure it can be mounted into the spot on your coach. Some require special venting, if you do not provide it they can catch fire.

[kaypsmith]

On a note Joe about gas drying out the food, my Mom used gas while I was growing up, she always placed a small pan of water in the oven while cooking to overcome the dry out effect, worked for her and me also. But we of course only cook with convection now days.

[wayne77590]

We purchased a MH that did not have a conventional oven just the Micro/convection and DW now will cook anything in it that can be cooked in a conventional oven.  Just follow the recipe.

[five]

18 minutes ago, Wayne77590 said:

We purchased a MH that did not have a conventional oven just the Micro/convection and DW now will cook anything in it that can be cooked in a conventional oven.  Just follow the recipe.

Yep, plus all the space you would use to have a standard oven is now a storage cabinet.

[wdcasteel]

My wife and I have been RVing for a number of years and our past two motorhomes have had both convection and gas ovens in them. We dry camp, probably more than the average, and use our gas oven in lieu of running our generator and on cool evenings prefer cooking meals in the gas oven to heat the coach as well. We traveled to Alaska with friends in our motor homes and theirs only had a convection/microwave oven. We dry camped 45 of the 90 day trip so they had to use their generator a lot if the oven was needed. This worked fine until their generator had a major failure.

[tbutler]

Louise loves the microwave/convection oven and does everything we need with that combination.  It all depends on what your wife wants and is comfortable with.  The easy solution is to put in the microwave/convection oven (takes up the same space) and if that works, you are done.  If it isn't satisfactory then you can explore a regular oven.  We use our microwave frequently and the convection oven feature only occasionally.  Everyone has their own special needs and preferences for cooking and preparing meals.  Yours may well be different than ours and in that case you may find this information irrelevant.

[kaypsmith]

We like to have both options, and can store many items "such as canned goods or cooking utensils" in the gas oven when extra space is needed.

[jaymalea]

Does anyone here know of a website or other resource for converting existing home recipes to convention timing/temperature?  Or is it all trial by error? LOL

 

Jaymalea

[wildebill308]

Good question. Look hear  for examples and help on cook times.

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/convection-cooking-adjustments

Bill

[BillAdams]

I suggest that you also put a oven thermometer in your convection oven for the best results.  My unit is way off on the temp it is set for and the of the oven when it says "ready".  We did a full 10# turkey and all the fixing for Thanksgiving and it did an excellent job!

[kaypsmith]

Most convection ovens come with a "cookbook" that is designed for use in that particular oven. Generic instructions would be hard because of the design of a particular unit, such as, some have one fan, some have two and other concerns.

[PorterNursery]

In '95 we bought our Beaver MH. Still have it today. It had no oven, convection/microwave instead. Took the wife a bit to get familiar, but soon we had one in the house and rarely use the oven in our home.Everything from baking cookies and pies to turkeys, pizza (maybe not quite as good as oven, but that's about it), you name it, it'll cook it.  We call them our "Magic Box". In our opinion, an oven is a waste of valuable space. Get a conv/mico that fits. You'll be happy.

[alltooledup]

In a former life I was the lonely Maytag repair man When the convection ovens first came out, they bragged about faster more even cooking. They also stressed if you were baking some thing covered like a potroast conventional baking, not using the fan was just as good.

So for cookies, bread, pizza a convection oven will excel. We have the drop in oven and 3 burner range. Most of the time the oven is for storage and a bread keeper.

We made some casseroles that came out good enough for people to want the recipe. This was in winter so the added heat was welcome.

Propane does generate H2O while being burnt, more than most would imagine, 1 gallon per  100 cu ft of gas.  Unlike your furnace all combustion by products are vented inside. So if your using AC the vented to the outside electric convection oven is a big plus, in winter the LP gets the nod unless you have moisture problems causing condensation on walls and windows.