A halogen oven, halogen convection oven, or halogen cooking pot is a type of

oven upA double oven A ceramic oven An oven is a tool which is used to expose materials to a hot environment. Ovens contain a hollow chamber and provide a means of heating the chamber in a controlled way. In use since antiquity, they have been us ...

that utilizes a

halogen lamp A halogen lamp (also called tungsten halogen, quartz-halogen, and quartz iodine lamp) is an incandescent lamp consisting of a tungsten filament sealed in a compact transparent envelope that is filled with a mixture of an inert gas and a small ...

as its

heating element A heating element converts electrical energy into heat through the process of Joule heating. Electric current through the element encounters resistance, resulting in heating of the element. Unlike the Peltier effect, this process is independe ...

. It is used primarily for cooking. Halogen ovens are often noted for being more energy-efficient than a conventional electric oven due to their more effective heating of food and faster cooking times.

Design

A basic halogen oven features a heating chamber consisting of a clear glass bowl with a removable glass lid to which the heating assembly is secured. Inside the heating chamber, multi-level metal racks are used to elevate the contents during the cooking process. Within the heating assembly are the circular halogen lamp, a fan, and the controls for the oven which frequently include an automatic shut-off timer and a

temperature control Temperature control is a process in which change of temperature of a space (and objects collectively there within), or of a substance, is measured or otherwise detected, and the passage of heat energy into or out of the space or substance is ad ...

interface. On a basic model, the heating assembly has a handle to allow users to safely lift the lid off the unit. More elaborate models have a hinged lid mounted on an adjustable rear support which can be raised to accommodate an extension ring. This raises the heating assembly to reduce the grilling effect as well as increasing the volume of the oven. Hinged models are safer and easier to use. A safety shut-off switch turns off the lamp when the lid is raised during operation. The glass bowl is positioned in a stand which raises the bowl off the table-top and decreases the transfer of heat to the surrounding surfaces. Handles are often incorporated into the stand to allow for users to move the unit, providing safety especially during or after operation.

Operation

The halogen lamp is turned on and off by a simple

thermostat A thermostat is a regulating device component which senses the temperature of a physical system and performs actions so that the system's temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint. Thermostats are used in any device or system tha ...

or electronic control and generates waves of infrared light to heat the air within the heating chamber. The fan then circulates this heated air throughout the chamber to evenly cook the contents of the bowl through

convective heat transfer Convection (or convective heat transfer) is the heat transfer, transfer of heat from one place to another due to the movement of fluid. Although often discussed as a distinct method of heat transfer, convective heat transfer involves the combin ...

, or

convection Convection is single or multiphase fluid flow that occurs spontaneously due to the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoyancy). When the cause of the convec ...

. It can be self-cleaned by adding some hot water and detergent to the empty bowl. The fan swirls the hot water and usually takes about ten minutes to remove any grease and some food deposits.

Efficiency

Reports often claim halogen ovens have shorter cooking times than conventional ovens, with one report stating a figure of up to 40% faster, but 20% faster on average. Another report claims a halogen oven cooks food up to 60% faster than a conventional oven. In terms of energy use, one source claims that a halogen oven uses about "half the electricity of a conventional oven and about the same as a

microwave oven A microwave oven (commonly referred to as a microwave) is an electric oven that heats and cooks food by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequency range. This induces polar molecules in the food to rotate and produce t ...

References

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External links

How I fell in love with halogen ovens

Your Nuwave Halogen Oven Guide

Ovens Cooking appliances

Design

Operation

Efficiency

See also

References

External links