Onboard Ovens

[Drogers100]

Hi everybody,
My wife absolutly LOVES to cook and entertain. We currently have a 20 year old convection / microwave oven onboard but she hates it. The space is the size of a large microwave. Are the new convection ovens significantly better than the older models? I'm just wondering what the chefs out there are using.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[mvweebles]

Following. Same experience with lousy combo units but it's been several years. Hoping there are improvements. Steve Dashew writes of using a Panasonic combo, but that was about 10 years ago.

 

[Ken E.]

I'm also following....thinking of putting one in a RV. The one I have in mind is a combo convection oven and microwave. Interested in comments this thread might attract. My boat oven is a 110 vac, which works but is hopelessly slow to bake anything.

 

[koliver]

I'm also following....thinking of putting one in a RV. The one I have in mind is a combo convection oven and microwave. Interested in comments this thread might attract. My boat oven is a 110 vac, which works but is hopelessly slow to bake anything.

Because we have one in our Motorhome, when we renovated our house kitchen in 2015, we put one in there too. This new generation works really well. Too big for the available space on our boat, but if we had the space, one would go there too.
I haven't examined the power requirements, but if you have the power they require, go for it!

 

[STB]

I love mine, a Samsung MC12J8035CT. It bakes beautifully, air fries French fries nicely, can brown things, and works as a microwave.

Some people ask me why I have it, given that I have an outdoor grill and a stove, "Who wants to cool inside in a Florida summer?

But, it takes up the same space as a large microwave, frees up counter space, and I use it as an oven many times a week..
Beyond as a microwave, little things...cookies, brownies, and frozen pizza, or fries to go with the burgers or chicken, and the occasional full meal on a cold or rainy day (chicken or eggplant parm, baked pastas, etc).

Glad I have it.

 

[rslifkin]

Good to hear a positive review of that Samsung, as it's one of 2 units on my list that I can make fit my available space. Only thing is that the 30 inch trim kit is too big and I'd either have to cut it down or leave the faceplate off.

 

[STB]

If helpful, here is a link to the manuals and templates:
-- https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1XTUYhHvKDeaOXgdVPS5BS6ar8HVBgNd-

 

[BruceK]

Previous boat had an Italian built SMEV LPG/Propane 3 burner + conventional oven. Wish I still had the stove.This year, with just a Convection Microwave at my disposal and a chunk of marinated turkey wrapped in foil, I resorted to an electric frypan with domed glass cover,which functioned surprisingly well as an oven. I figured if I put the heavy wrap of aluminum foil in the microwave, conventional or hybrid,I`d be imitating welding. Was I right, not sure, someone will say. There is a good argument for a separate conventional oven, (preferably propane imho)and a microwave, be it hybrid or not. But it would depend on available space.

 

[STB]

Convection-microwave combination ovens typically have no problem with aluminum while baking.

The only time metals can't be used are when the unit is being used as a microwave or in a hybrid mode that alternates between microwave and convection.

 

[ranger58sb]

Our combo microwave/convection worked very well.

We could use metal pans inside in the "convection" modes; not when microwaving.

-Chris

 

[catalinajack]

Take a look at the Beeville SmartOven, recommended by Cook's Country or one of those cooking shows. We have one aboard our boat. We can bake cookies, bread, pizza, roast meats, as well as in ourdirt house oven when we had a dirt house. If you can fit the larger version on a countertop, you will not find a better alternative. It will even accommodate a prime rib which is rather tall.

Hi everybody,
My wife absolutly LOVES to cook and entertain. We currently have a 20 year old convection / microwave oven onboard but she hates it. The space is the size of a large microwave. Are the new convection ovens significantly better than the older models? I'm just wondering what the chefs out there are using.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[STB]

Dave,

I was thinking about it...you should post your wife's favorite recipes. Then, we can try them in our various test kitchens.

 

[FWT]

Following

I am trying to sort this out for a probable new build.

The internal box size of that Samsung isn't especially big, for a primary oven. I am doubting the Mrs. would be excited about that internal size. Does anyone have any experience or suggestions of a larger model?

 

[STB]

With a 1.2 cubic foot capacity, it is in the same 1.19-1.39 cubic foot capacity of many of the venerable 3-burner marine/RV ranges I looked and their newer modern replacements.

Having said that, it has a much smaller capacity than the 5-6 cubic feet of a traditional home oven range.

To its credit, it's convection fan moves the air nicely, letting one put things much closer to the edges and still cook evenly as compared to, for example, the venerable seaward princess models.

I guess it depends how many people one is cooking for and if one cooks one meal at a time or likes to cook-and-freeze, etc.

 

[FWT]

Good edge to edge performance is very good to know.

Its the height that I am more wondering about. Need enough to bake a small chicken let's say. Seems more than fine for a small casserole.

 

[tozz]

Hi everybody,
My wife absolutly LOVES to cook and entertain. We currently have a 20 year old convection / microwave oven onboard but she hates it. The space is the size of a large microwave. Are the new convection ovens significantly better than the older models? I'm just wondering what the chefs out there are using.
Thanks,
Dave

We have had good luck with a Bertazzoni combination oven onboard. It's the 24" Professional version. They also have the Master series. We replaced the original Gaggenau oven from the mid-90's. Honestly the controls are a little confusing, I turn the darn thing off halfway through programming by accident all the time, but going on 3 years with no issues <knock wood>.

-tozz

 

[BruceK]

Take a look at the Beeville SmartOven, recommended by Cook's Country or one of those cooking shows. We have one aboard our boat. We can bake cookies, bread, pizza, roast meats..

Tiny typo, the brand is "Breville", Aussie company and brand, manufactured "offshore". Good design and quality.

 

[wkearney99]

Tiny typo, the brand is "Breville", Aussie company and brand, manufactured "offshore". Good design and quality.

We have a Breville smart oven (BOV800XL) at the house and it's hands-down the best unit I've ever bought. Well worth the ~$200US. It's just a heat element oven, though, with no microwave functions.

For the boat I bought a dorm-room-sized microwave to add to the Force 10 gas cooktop/oven. If I had to switch I'd definitely consider a combo microwave/oven unit, but then I'd be replacing both the cooktop and the oven, as the the Force 10 is one unit.

 

[STB]

Good edge to edge performance is very good to know.

Its the height that I am more wondering about. Need enough to bake a small chicken let's say. Seems more than fine for a small casserole.

From the top of the glass dish, which I always use, to the bottom of the burner is 7-1/8". You'd probably want a little clearance.

The manual provides directions for defrosting whole chicken up to 3.5lbs and cooking up 2.6lbs-2.8lbs chicken.

 

[wkearney99]

As for larger birds there are always options like spatchcock cooking it. Basically, split it at the spine, lengthwise, and lay it out flat.

 

[ksanders]

I have a frigidare gallery convection/microwave over the range unit at home and it works wonderfully!

When the microwave goes out on the boat i’ll be replacing it with roughly the same model.

Don’t need to go with a fancy name I never heard of when standard home stuff works great.

 

[BruceK]

I have a frigidare gallery convection/microwave over the range unit at home and it works wonderfully!

When the microwave goes out on the boat i’ll be replacing it with roughly the same model.

Don’t need to go with a fancy name I never heard of when standard home stuff works great.

Nothing too fancy or obscure about Breville. It`s an old Australian appliance maker, household name here. And sold around the world, different brand name in Europe.
I`ll admit to a very modest stock interest. https://www.breville.com/us/en/home/index.html

 

[sunchaser]

Some years ago we were looking at a Nordhavn that had a a gas cooktop, large electric oven and a GE convection microwave. The oven had a clean roasting pan and the operating book inside. I asked the broker what gives? He said they never used the oven, always the convection microwave for baking.

When cruising our favorite device is an electric crock pot. It works well off the inverter with wife's beef stew garnering VHF queries as to arrival at next anchorage.

 

[ranger58sb]

Good edge to edge performance is very good to know.

Its the height that I am more wondering about. Need enough to bake a small chicken let's say. Seems more than fine for a small casserole.

Just relooked the manual for our Sharp R820... can't find size info.

I know we did our Thanksgiving turkey breast one year, turned out great. That was probably the size of a small chicken; there would have been space for one of those.

New combo models that might also incorporate "air fryers" (whatever that is) might be worth a look, too.

-Chris

 

[Seevee]

And speaking of air fryers, what's the skinny on them? Have friends that love them and cook almost everything in them.


One buddy is always showing up with snacks from his air fryer... from fat free French Fries to whole meals.



Would be nice to have one box that replaces both the micro and the oven. And that, with the slow cooker, that would take care of most everything.

 

[Ski in NC]

You guys will laugh at this, but we got rid of our microwave (big, heavy, beeped too much, generally annoying) and now have a single LP burner and an electric toaster oven. LP burner does anything in a fry pan or sauce pan, toaster oven is remarkably versatile. It can cook a brick of Stouffer's Lasagna in 54min running off the 1kW inverter!! Both can be stashed elsewhere to get a clean counter for other things.

I'm skeptical of combo machines: Microwave plus convection, washer dryer in one unit, cars that can fly, cars that can float... Seems most of them can do both tasks, but sorta suck at each.

 

[ksanders]

Nothing too fancy or obscure about Breville. It`s an old Australian appliance maker, household name here. And sold around the world, different brand name in Europe.
I`ll admit to a very modest stock interest. https://www.breville.com/us/en/home/index.html

Ahhh... different brands in different countries, now I get it

I wrote that because boaters “in general” tend to try it seems to take simple things and make them complicated. They tend to look for “marine” equipment for example when a household item will work perfectly well in their floating home.

 

[FWT]

As for larger birds there are always options like spatchcock cooking it. Basically, split it at the spine, lengthwise, and lay it out flat.

Good point. If the Mrs. agrees. I'll have to keep that argument in hand for a point of discussion if a taller unit isn't obtainable.

 

[stevemitchell]

I have been searching for an oven replacement for the last 2 years. I have a 30+ year old Galley Maid electric oven + cooktop that has some design challenges. I wanted to find a combo unit that had the oven + microwave, or something like a speed oven. Unfortunately I have not been able to find one that (a) fits in the space, or (b) doesn't require 240V AC power and some enormous circuit size.

Once you combine things, which makes sense, it takes more power, and the 120V AC versions (only found two) really suck and don't seem to be very well liked at all. Something about cycling between microwaving and ovening (is that a word?) and the power required, etc.

 

[STB]

Steve,

Whuch requirement does the Samsung miss? Size?

-Greg