Are you going to upgrade your kitchen with a new oven? Unable to decide between an OTG vs a Microwave Oven? In this guide, you’ll get complete information. I’ll explain the differences between an Oven Toaster Grill (OTG) and Microwave Oven.
Several people consider cooking to be more than an art form. They believe it is a craft that needs to be carefully mastered over time.
In this case, it is fair to say that the tools and appliances used for creating delicious food can be likened to a writer’s pen or an artist’s paintbrush.
Veteran chefs and food critics know that selecting an appliance is more than merely choosing the most expensive or decorative one. That is why a real chef’s kitchen does more than match his style or budget.
Also read- 7 Things to consider when buying a microwave
It’s about choosing the stove or spatula that really speaks to your culinary instincts and enables you to create magic on a plate!
A kitchen generally contains several appliances that are indispensable to cooking food. One such device is a trusty oven. Contrary to popular understanding, ovens play a pivotal role in cooking.
And it is useful in creating various dishes, including pasta, pizzas, roasted meat, and grilled veggies, not to mention innumerable desserts.
Moreover, the oven also has a rich and illustrious history behind it, as its usage can be traced back to ancient civilizations. However, thanks to recent technological advancements, the modest clay oven has evolved into a range of unique appliances that are available in the market today.
In this article, we highlight the key differences between an OTG and a microwave oven so that you can pick wisely. Although, I found a good list of top-rated microwave ovens. You can visit here and choose the best as per your need.
OTG Vs Microwave Oven Comparison
These are the aspects we’re going to cover to understand the difference between OTG vs Microwave Ovens-
- Essential features.
- Cooking quality.
- Mechanism of heating.
- Cost and efficiency.
So, let’s start with the very first aspect…
1. Essential Features
Commonly abbreviated to OTG, the Oven, Toaster, and Grill is a smaller version of a traditional oven. The OTG is effective for grilling and baking.
An average OTG model is made from stainless steel, and it is usually 35-40 cm in dimension. Weighing rough 6-8 kg, the interior of a 1400-watt OTG can vary from accommodating containers of 15 to 60 liters.
But this figure is heavily dependent on customer needs. Additionally, an OTG features a small glass sliding door and 2-3 racks or trays installed within the device.
The basic design of a microwave oven is vastly different from an OTG. For starters, the outer casing is usually some metal with a bright-colored enamel or plastic coating. Unlike the OTG, a microwave has a turntable to place the food containers.
It also contains additional bits of hardware such as stirrer fans, magnetron tubes, pulleys, gears, screws, bolts, cables, etc. Capacity-wise, microwave ovens are limited compared to OTGs, and only small containers of food (maximum 30 liters) can be heated at a time.
2. Cooking Quality
Aside from differences in design and capacity, the microwave oven and OTG are dissimilar in terms of food preparation as well.
As mentioned earlier, an OTG more closely resembles a traditional built-in oven, meaning it is better at baking, grilling, and toasting food. Whether you’d like to cook a rotisserie chicken or bake a birthday cake, an OTG will definitely be up to the task.
On the other hand, a microwave oven reheats frozen foods within a fraction of a minute. A good quality microwave should be able to fully heat a plate of frozen pasta within 5-6 minutes so that it comes out fresh and steaming.
3. Heating Mechanism
The OTG uses metal coils – either nickel or chromium – that are supplied with electricity.
The coils heat up and transfer the heat across the oven. In addition, a fan installed within the compartment also helps in circulating the transferred heat.
In contrast to OTG, a microwave oven can reheat food items by utilizing electromagnetic waves. The electric tube emits the wave frequency.
The distribution of microwaves throughout the compartment occurs due to the stirrer fan. The waves penetrate the food and heat up.
4. Cost and Efficiency
Heating the coils within an OTG takes time, meaning greater electricity consumption. This means that microwave ovens are more energy-efficient than OTGs, which is also why they cost more in the market.
Final Words
Picking an oven that meets your needs is easy without complicating things. While aspiring chefs and professionals opt for the OTG, most consumers looking to defrost food buy a microwave oven.
But here’s a thought, why not have both? Remarkable technological innovations have allowed consumers to purchase a microwave oven with the added convection cooking feature.
