Want to explore the baking world? Then the first thing you have to invest is microwave oven or OTG (oven toaster griller).
You might ask us, aren’t they the same? Nope.
Although both have similar functionalities, they are different in the way they do their jobs.
To decide which appliance to purchase, you should have in-depth knowledge of what is microwave, OTG and their differences.
In this article, we have explored this information that helps in easy decision-making.
Differences Between Microwave and Oven
No doubt, microwave oven, and OTG are two great kitchen appliances. From baking to grilling, both the devices are very helpful. However, they do have a set of pros and cons that might or might not assist your cooking style.
Let us explore the characteristic differences between the duo that will help you zero down on which appliance to purchase.
| FEATURE | OTG | MICROWAVE OVEN |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect For | Baking, Toasting, Grilling | Re-heating, Cooking, & Simple Baking |
| Capacity | Max 60 Litres | Max 32 Litres |
| Price | Economical | Expensive than OTG |
| Technology | Electric Coils | Electromagnetic Waves |
| Heat Distribution | Uneven | Even |
| Pre-heating Time | Around 15 mins | Approximately 5 mins |
| Power Usage | Lower than Oven | High |
| Auto Cook Functionality |
Not Available | Available |
| Baking Quality | Professional-Level | Good |
| Containers Option | Glass, Metal, Silicone & Ceramic | Glass, Silicone & Ceramic |
| Weight | Light Weight | Heavy Weight |
| Cooking Time | More | Less |
| Defrost Option | Not Available | Available |
| User-friendliness | Low (Mechanical Controls) | High (Digital Display) |
Let us discuss in detail each feature of both appliances to gain a better understanding.
1. Technology Used
The technology that both OTG and microwave oven use, is different. An OTG uses heated coils (nickel or chromium) to heat the compartment within. It also has a fan that helps in the even distribution of heat inside.
This is How an OTG Works:
The coils (on the ceiling and roof) in the OTG help in converting the electricity into heat. Since the coil’s temperature impacts the heat generation, it may take more time to cook when compared to microwave ovens.
When it comes to the microwave oven, it uses electromagnetic waves to generate heat. It does not come with a pre-installed fan but has a rotating plate that helps in evenly heating the food from all sides.
This is How a Microwave Oven Works:
The microwave uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves, also called microwaves. These waves pass through the food and increase its temperature, cooking it. As the food sits on the rotating plate, spinning around, the microwaves bounce back and forth from the metal walls and then penetrate the food. This facilitates the rapid heating of the food, making it hotter in lesser time.
Best Bet For
An OTG, as the name goes, Oven, Toaster, and Griller, is the best bet for baking, toasting, and grilling. It helps you bake professional-level cakes, grill meat, and toast bread quickly, easily, and comfortably. If you are looking for a dedicated device that performs all three tasks effortlessly, an OTG is all you need. Also, if you want to master your cake baking skills with world-class baking quality, you can never go wrong with an OTG.
On the other hand, a convection microwave oven does all the functions that an OTG performs. Besides that, an oven enables you to reheat, cook and also de-freeze the food, which an OTG does not. A microwave oven is the best option if you are looking for multi-purpose functionalities in a single appliance.
2. Capacity & Spacing
As mentioned earlier, an OTG offers maximum capacity, which is up to 60 litres. It has wide spacing and racks installed within that allow you to cook large batches of food simultaneously and hassle-free. It can accommodate large dishes with ease.
Whereas a microwave oven has a maximum capacity of around 32 litres. Moreover, it has limited space with a rotating plate that does not make it feasible to cook a large quantity of food. Not only that, because of its compact setup, it allows you to put one thing at a time.
Although an OTG has a higher capacity, it is lightweight, as opposed to a microwave oven.
3. Temperature
Both OTG and oven have a similar temperature range. However, the time each device takes to pre-heat is different. While an OTG consumes around 15 minutes to pre-heat, an oven takes just five minutes for the same. If you consider this feature, your cooking time is decreasing.
4. Power Consumption
When it comes to power consumption, an OTG utilizes less electricity when compared to a microwave oven. However, the amount of power an OTG consumes differs as per the usage of the appliance.
The bigger the volume, the larger the power consumption will be. While the bigger models consume more power (around 1800 W), the smaller ones tend to consume less, which is about around 1200 W. If you are a family that does not do much baking or grilling, a smaller model with low power consumption will suffice.
The average range of power consumption for a microwave oven falls somewhere between 800 W to 3000 W. An oven with a capacity of 28 litres may consume approximately 2900 watts of power.
5. Ease of Use
An OTG has mechanical temperature controls and settings that can be confusing for the user to operate.
Whereas a microwave oven has an LCD panel for temperature control that offers higher user-friendliness. You just choose the settings (low, medium, or high), and the appliance adjusts
automatically to the pre-set temperature and time.
6. Price
An OTG is less expensive when compared to a microwave oven. A 42-litre capacity OTG would cost you around Rs. 10,000, whereas a 30-litre capacity oven costs you about Rs. 16,000.
7. Choice of Utensils
An OTG offers great versatility when it comes to using utensils of various metals inside. You can use aluminium, glass, and silicone utensils in an OTG.
Whereas in a microwave oven, you cannot use metal vessels but only those made of plastic, silicone, and glass.
8. Food Preparation Time
The time taken by OTGs to prepare food is comparatively more than microwave ovens. They have a slow cooking nature that helps in cooking the food uniformly. Such kind of cooking is perfect when baking cakes, cookies, cupcakes, bread, and pasta, etc.
Coming to the microwave ovens, they have less pre-heating time as well as food preparation time. Because of their quick-heating abilities, they are perfect for re-heating and cooking instantly.
9. Weight
Despite having a larger capacity, an OTG weighs less and makes it very easy for portability.
On the other hand, microwave ovens are heavy, making them less portable devices.
10. Baking Quality
OTGs are undoubtedly, and undeniably the best choice if you want to take your baking skills to the next level. It guarantees world-class baking quality when preparing recipes.
Microwave ovens also get the job done. However, they promise good quality baking. When it comes to the versatility of this product, it is unmatched and unparalleled when preparing various recipes with ease.
Let us have a look at some of the recipes that you can prepare in your OTG and microwave oven.
| RECIPES | OTG | MICROWAVE OVEN |
|---|---|---|
| Cakes | Yes | Yes |
| Cookies | Yes | Yes |
| Brownies | Yes | Yes |
| Bread | Yes | Yes |
| Pizza | Yes | Yes |
| Grilled Items | Yes | Yes |
| Pasta | Yes | Yes |
| Popcorn | Yes | Yes |
| Kebabs | Yes | Yes |
| Rice & Noodles | Yes | Yes |
| Tandoori Chicken | Yes | Yes |
| Pre-heating | Yes | Yes |
| Defrost | No | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you are someone who regularly re-heats the food, along with cooking, and de-frosting, a microwave oven is all you need. Also, if you do not bake cakes or cookies frequently, and prefer the auto-cook option and other advanced modes, an oven is the best bet.
If you are a professional baker or someone who loves baking different types of cakes, cookies, pizzas, etc., at home, an OTG would be the most recommended option. Moreover, if you are looking for a single device that efficiently performs the three tasks like baking, grilling, and toasting, you should good for an OTG
Of course, you can. Provided, you own a convection oven at home that works like a regular oven. If your oven has a convection mode, you can use it to bake anything like cake, biscuits, cookies, cupcakes, bread, etc.
Conclusion:
I hope this write-up answered all your questions. To conclude, both appliances are useful for a household. However, choosing the right appliance is entirely dependent on your personal requirements. If you are looking for a 3-in-1 kitchen appliance to bake, toast and grill, OTG is the perfect option.
If you want to prepare various recipes quickly in your appliance, a microwave oven will do.
Now that you have a thorough knowledge of both appliances, making the right choice will no longer be a daunting task.
Write to us in the comments section below if you feel that I missed out something. Share your points, feedback, and tips below! If you have more questions or need more information, do let us know. We would love to hear and learn more from you.
