How Do I Choose the Best Turbo Convection Cooker?

Home cooks who have too much to do and not enough time to do it can actually speed up the cooking process with a good turbo convection cooker. It takes half the time to cook enough food for an entire family, is small enough that it is easy to move from spot to spot and uses less electricity than an electric oven. It can not only broil and roast, it also can steam, bake and grill, and it cooks evenly. Especially nice features include a lid that remains attached, a cool-to-the-touch handle and bowls that are made of glass rather than plastic. To choose the best turbo convection cooker, look for one that has several levels, has a glass collar for expansion, allows you to set the temperature easily and comes with a pan to catch drippings at the bottom of the cooker.

Convection cooking has become more popular in many kitchens. Built-in convection ovens are costly, and many cooks don’t want to pay that much money, especially if they haven’t even had the chance to try out convection cooking and determine whether it’s the best way to go. A portable turbo convection cooker will allow the cook to create entire meals on the counter top without overheating the kitchen, and they are perfect for offices or dorm rooms that don't have a regular gas or electric oven available.

With an operating cost that is much less than that of a conventional electric stove, a turbo convection cooker saves money as well as time. Most models have grills and other pieces that are safe for dishwashers, and glass is better than plastic. Whether plastic can leach dangerous chemicals into food has been under debate, but there is no question that it scratches more easily than glass and that bacteria can flourish in those scratches and cause illness to unsuspecting diners.

All types of convection ovens cook the food using nothing but gentle currents of very hot air, so no smoke is created. When shopping, a wise cook should consider a turbo convection cooker that provides a couple of possible levels so that more food can be cooked at once. It also is a good idea to look for a model that has a glass collar that allows the unit to expand vertically.

Clear dials or a digital machine make it easy to set temperatures. When cooked in a turbo cooker, meats don’t require added fat to crisp beautifully, and the high heat sears in lots of moist flavor. Nonetheless, meats will drip some juice and fats to the bottom of the oven. In some cases, a unit will come with a fitted pan to catch the fat and make cleanup easy. A cook who purchases a model that doesn't have this added convenience can make do by lining the bottom of the turbo convection cooker with aluminum foil.