[xxtimbo]

Seen a lot of Halogen Ovens on the shopping channels lately.
There seems to be a basic one at 50 squid and a more advanced one ... with rotation... at 100.

The results seem great and it looks cheaper elec power wise too.
Must be somehow diff to microwave

[Welsh-lad]

I've seen these ads.... and want one... well kinda.

I've already got two ovens in my rayburn and two ovens (inc a fan one) in my electric cooker.... so I suppose I have enough ovens really <sigh>

I think I want to collect ovens

[molliepops]

I've had two in the past, first one lasted less than a year before the bowl broke, second one about 18 months before the lid broke.

They are great if you are fairly nimble and can reach into the bowl with out burning yourself. The self clean cycle works only on the bowl the lid needs more manual scrubbing we found.

The first bowl just broke during normal use the lid broke when I dropped it because the steam as I lifted it burned my wrist.

Some people love them and they last for years but we decided after our experiences they are expensive and take up too much room on the work top. We couldn't use ours on the back of the worktop it had to be pulled forward so no room to work in front of it.

[xxtimbo]

they can be handy at xmas, being portable you can lend them to someone catering for 6 or more... kind of a spare oven

wonder just how they are diff from microwave ovens ?

maybe they cook with light ?

[molliepops]

Yes halogen is the clue they cook quite well get incredibly hot which is why they cook quicker also you don't need to preheat them like a conventional oven.

[gerr60]

Use mine all the time, find it hard to get down and clean my oven these days,, chicken cooks in half the time and very juicy,
watch the yorkshires rise.

[xxtimbo]

I use my microwave a lot, but mainly for heating milk or making popcorn,
Id never try and cook a chicken in there
but looking at the halogen ovens...
I think Id have a go... great to be able to see things happen in there too.

Ideal world must be spending a fortune on meat.. they demo steaks, turkey breasts etc, cook them in about 30 mins then slice the hot meat up in front of the cameras....
Bet the studio guys there are eating like Kings every day !

[Tish_Moore]

I find them very convenient and economical to run; when the wash cycle doesn't get everything off the bowl it fits into a slim dishwasher.

Cleaning the top is more manual, but worth the effort given the savings on electricity and time.

You can bake in them also; just get a decent cook book for Halogen Ovens and you wont regret it

[xxtimbo]

How long would it take to cook a 3lb chicken ?

[Frood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxtimbo

How long would it take to cook a 3lb chicken ?

I take 5%-7% off the recommeded time and 20% off the recommeded temperature given in a 'normal oven' recipe or guidline and it works superbly.

I purchased mine for £35 nearly 3 years ago, absolutely no problems (did some research which suggested the Andrew James one was good value and reliable proved to be the case). Cooks meat wonderfully.

Binned my microwave within a few weeks of getting the halogen.

[gerr60]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxtimbo

How long would it take to cook a 3lb chicken ?

About an hour.

[xxtimbo]

Ideal world had a halogen oven on one day at £50
and then the next day a suped up halogen oven at £100
this improved oven cooked chips and roast potatoes, basically without fat or oil
it seemed to have a better roasting facility and probably
the one to go for.
But it was misleading as you could have ordered the £50 oven not knowing that a new improved version was available.
I might eventually take the plunge with the £100 oven.

[Nickelback]

Mine still going strong after a year and i've still got the spare tube, watched the demo on ideal world the other week, Big improvement with the lid attached, i'll be definately getting one when my old one dies!!

[Caxton]

My daughter-in-law has one great for cooking jacket spuds

[Frood]

Make sure you get the lid stand too - and the racks.

[Janet29]

i love mine....chicken is never dry and makes fab jacket potato, i got the recipe book that the guy from ideal world wrote....simple to follow and recipes that you would use

mine was the cheapest on amazon at the time about £35 the Andrew James one...i will get one with a hinged lid when this one conks out as thats the only draw back... finding room to put down a hot lid when its not attached

[koantemplation]

Lidl are doing a Russel Hobbs Halogen Oven next Thursday for £39.99.

Does anyone else have one? Any good?

Russell Hobbs Halogen Oven

[noise747]

It seems that these Halogen ovens are getting popular. My Crisp and bake is great, the one from ideal work with the turntable and paddle so you can also do chips.

The problem is that if you do chips you can't really do anything else. i want to get a second smaller one, so i can cook something else if I am doing chips.

It will still save me money on gas/electric.

i know people are looking at halogen ovens to be quick, ok they are quicker than your normal oven, but not by a huge amount, the good thing about them is they use a fraction of the energy of a normal oven.
koantemplation, I may have at that one in Lidls as a second one. I am off work Thursday and lidls is only around the corner from me.

[xxtimbo]

quote
the good thing about them is they use a fraction of the energy of a normal oven.
end quote
That might be a big consideration ...
(are you sure you dont mean Aldi... I seem to remember they always have special offers on Thursdays )

[Victoria Sponge]

I have toyed with the idea of getting one. When I want to make a fish finger sandwich I put four fish fingers in the oven, and that seems like such a waste of energy. Also when I am doing a big roast, it would be handy to have the extra space to cook when I run out of shelves in the oven.

[sweaty71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxtimbo

Ideal world had a halogen oven on one day at £50
and then the next day a suped up halogen oven at £100
this improved oven cooked chips and roast potatoes, basically without fat or oil
it seemed to have a better roasting facility and probably
the one to go for.
But it was misleading as you could have ordered the £50 oven not knowing that a new improved version was available.
I might eventually take the plunge with the £100 oven.

Be careful with stuff from Ideal World. I bought a tablet from a well known catalogue company. It packed up after 2 days and it took me ages to get through to the help line. When I did I was asked if I had purchased it from Ideal World. The conversation went on and it transpires that Ideal World sell a hell of a lot of extremely obsolete stock. They had bought a shed load of obsolete tablets and other electrical items that were a bit behind technology wise when they were launched. The poor manufacturers helpline was snowed under!!

[gerr60]

£28 on ebay and free delivery.

[xxtimbo]

Thanks sweaty71 , you ve cheered me up, I bought a 10 " tablet from Ideal World 10 days ago !
Its still going touch wood !

[noise747]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victoria Sponge

I have toyed with the idea of getting one. When I want to make a fish finger sandwich I put four fish fingers in the oven, and that seems like such a waste of energy.

That is where they are really useful, quicker than a grill and use less energy as well.

Quote:

Also when I am doing a big roast, it would be handy to have the extra space to cook when I run out of shelves in the oven.

i went over to a friends place on christmas day for dinner and i took mine over, she had turkey breast in hers and in mine we done a beef joint and roasters. did not have to use the large oven at alll. No doubt if she had a full turkey we would have to.

[sweaty71]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxtimbo

Thanks sweaty71 , you ve cheered me up, I bought a 10 " tablet from Ideal World 10 days ago !
Its still going touch wood !

Sorry and good luck