Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)We've never had a convection oven in our kitchen, and I looked forward to trying this hybrid convection/hybrid/infrared cooking unit. Overall, the negative aspects of this device outweigh its positives.
Some things to consider:
First: sheer size. I did the math, and at 15" tall (12" if you remove the metal extender ring) and 12" in diameter, you'll need to find a cool cubic foot of storage space when it's not in use. If your kitchen is like mine, and you already have a rice cooker, a slow cooker, a food processor and a countertop mixer competing for cabinet and counter space: good luck. I realize that the volume allows it to accommodate substantially sized contents. Just be aware that you'll have to find a place to keep it.
Second: weight. Approximately 17 pounds (advertised shipping weight is 18 pounds). Wherever you decide to store it, you'll be hefting it.
Third: lots of opportunities to burn yourself. See all that glass in the product picture? It all gets hot (as does the 3" metal extender ring). While it may be intuitive that these get hot, you'll be working in close proximity to them while turning items over or removing them from the cooking container.
Fourth: Clean-up. The main cooking bowl will take up most of a kitchen sink during clean-up. The heating and fan element, along with the power cord and power supply, are integrated into the glass lid. Obviously this is a "do not immerse in water" item. Cleaning up after the spatters resulting from cooking takes some thought.
One of the attractive features of this is the opportunity to cook meats from frozen. Great idea, and seems like a time saver. Here's a reality check for one such scenario: cooking a 6.7 lb frozen chicken.
-the giblet bag. It's frozen inside the body cavity. I tried both running water and a brief stint in the microwave to get is sufficiently thawed for removal...no success. Neither was it extractable at the halfway cooking point (when you turn the chicken over). So I left it in the chicken.
-the cooking instructions for a whole frozen chicken call for it to be turned halfway through cooking. The included tongs for lifting the cooking rack out of the container simply can't accommodate the size of a chicken this large. So turning becomes an adventure with opportunities to both burn yourself...and send your half-baked chicken sliding across the counter..and maybe onto the floor.
Also of note in the included cooking instructions was a surprising difference in cooking temperatures for "whole chicken, 4 lb" and "whole turkey, 6 lb". The instructions indicated the chicken should be cooked at 460 degrees (F),the turkey at 350 (F). As they are both poultry, I was surprised by this, and had no confidence that either was correct.
Bottom line:consider carefully the wisdom of the "whole frozen chicken" recipe selection!
A brief discussion about cooking times and energy savings:
The description of this item indicates "up to 3 times faster" than a conventional oven. Pay attention to the "up to 3 times", and plan on about 2 times faster as a rule of thumb. This is a 1300 watt (110 v) appliance, so it'll use about the same energy of a high powered microwave or hair dryer. I'll assume this is still less than a 220 volt conventional oven (but leave that bottom line to the electricians), bit it will still use significant electricity when operating.
So, if you have a place to store it, and if your kitchen and cooking are such that you often need to prepare multiple entrees in the oven, and IF you select the correct recipes (stuffed peppers, baked potatoes, air-fried french fries or cuts of meat that can be easily turned), this might be a good choice for you. If not, this may be one of those appliances that finds a distant storage place...and then remains there until your next garage sale or moving day.
Click Here to see more reviews about: The Sharper Image 8127SI Super Wave 1300-Watt 12-1/2-Quart Countertop Oven
Combine the fast cooking time of a microwave with the quality results of a conventional oven. The Sharper Image Super Wave Countertop Oven works like a standard oven but cooks up to three times faster. Using a tri-cooking system, this 12-1/2-quart countertop oven bakes, boils, broils, air fries, steams, grills, or roasts your meals. Eliminating the need to defrost frozen foods first, the oven lets you enjoy a variety of dishes and low-fat meals with fewer calories while spending less time in the kitchen.
Super Wave Countertop OvenAt a Glance:
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