"woodend" > wrote in message
om...
> I am looking at buying a Panasonic (or other) convection microwave. I
> would only occasionally use the convection feature.

Yes, that's what I though before I bought my microwave convection oven. In
reality, I use the convection feature as much as the microwave feature. I
seldom fire up my full sized oven. The microwave convection oven is now my
primary oven.


However, I believe
> that the microwave energy in these ovens is concentrated at the top
> (to avoid problems associated with using metal accessories).

Why did you assume this? You do know that you can use some metal pans in
all microwave ovens. This is particularly true of the disposable metal pans
when they are at least 2/3 full.


I don't
> want to bother with racks when all I want to do is defrost or heat up
> some coffee. Is this a real problem?

The rack police won't show up at your house and force you to use a rack.
Again, where did that assumption come from? I have had a couple microwaves
without convection that came with racks. They aren't unique to microwave
convection ovens.


Will the bottom of the food take
> much longer to heat when microwaved in these ovens? Should I stick
> with a standard microwave?


That is impossible to answer. Like any other microwave oven, they come in a
variety of powers. I would think that the bottom of food in a 1200 watt
microwave convection oven would heat faster than in a 800 watt pure
microwave oven. No one will force you to use the convection feature.
However, since you don't seem eager to buy the combo unit, I would save the
cash and get a pure microwave oven. My mother spent big dollars for a
convection oven and never uses any of the convection features. It's a shame
that she wasted the money when all she wanted was a simple oven. It sound
like you would be better off getting a simple microwave.

>
> Keith Archer