On 5/17/2013 7:23 AM, KenK wrote:
> I have a combination MW/convection oven. I had thought the 'convection' was
> mostly to differentiate it from the MW oven part. While Googling today I
> discovered that a convection oven is different than a regular oven. It's
> hotter so temps should be reduced or shorter cooking times used with
> recipes calling for baking in an assumed 'normal' oven.
>
> I'll try that next time I bake something.
>
> Comments?
>
> TIA
>
>

The convection mode simply uses a fan to force the air to circulate
within the oven. Normally, the hot air just flows from the bottom to the
top due to the different densities of hot and cooler air.

On my Samsung range, using the convection feature will cause the
temperature that's set to be about 25 degrees lower. I don't use the
convection feature because I don't normally use it with the racks full.
If I was cooking a lot of things at once, using the convection mode is a
good idea.

Having forced circulation using a fan is a good idea in a small oven
because space for air to move tends to be limited and the heating
elements are a lot closer to the food which can cause hot spots. Using a
fan makes a small oven act like a bigger oven. I used to roast a whole
chicken in a cheap convection oven which was essentially a toaster oven
with a fan. It worked great.