消費流行 : 光波爐 咩嚟?~~ 想買光波爐? 點選擇?

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Keyword:美容,生活,购物

光波爐是最新推出的家用烹調用爐，號稱微波爐的升級版的光波爐與微波爐的原理不同。微波爐是利用磁控管加熱的，但光波微波組合爐是在微波爐爐腔內增設了一個光波發射源，能巧妙地利用光波和微波綜合對食物進行加熱。格蘭仕推出的光波微波爐組合爐在工作時，光源、磁控管可以同時啟動。兩者既可以單獨使用，又可以組合使用，全部功能均採用最新高科技數碼控制。在使用中既可以微波操作，又可用光波單獨操作，還可以光波、微波組合操作。因此，光波爐兼容了微波爐的功能。從結構上看，光波爐在爐腔上部設置了光波發射器和光波反射器。光波反射器可以確保光波在最短時間內聚焦熱能最大化，這也是光波爐在結構上與普通微波爐的重要區別。相比微波爐，光波爐具有加熱速度快、加熱均勻、能最大限度地保持食物的營養成分不損失等諸多優點。光波微波組合爐主要用途在於能大大提高微波爐的加熱效率，並在烹飪過程中最大程度地保持食物的營養成分，避免在烹飪食物時盡量減少水分的喪失。其實光波是微波爐的輔助功能，只對燒烤起作用。沒有微波，光波爐只相當於普通烤箱。市場上的光波爐都是光波、微波組合爐，在使用中既可以微波操作，又可用光波單獨操作，還可以光波微波組合操作。也就是說，光波爐兼容了微波爐的功能。現在光波爐的輸出功率多為七八百瓦，不少消費者可能覺得這麼高的功率也很費電，實際上這是對光波爐的一種誤解。光波爐和一般烹飪器具不同，除了方便快捷，健康環保外，它還有特別的“節能”手段。首先，光波爐是採用光波和微波雙重高效加熱，瞬間即能產生巨大熱量。又因為加熱是直接針對食物本身，不需要通過器皿傳熱，且內外同時進行，加熱時間極短，效率很高，大多食物僅需兩三分鐘。而一般的加熱方式在容器、空間等上浪費的熱能很多。據測試證明，光波爐加熱的能源利用率可高達95％以上，靠電爐絲加熱的電器只有60％，煤氣和液化氣是55％。

輻 射 與 食 物 安 全

即使你不愛烹飪，總會用過微波爐，但你有沒有聽過"燒烤微波爐"或"光波爐"這些東西呢？你又知不知道它們與輻射有何關係呢？

有些人也許會覺得輻射可怕。事實上，無線電波、微波、紅外線、可見光、紫外線、X-射線及伽瑪射線等輻射可能對人體健康有益。本文將會以具體實例說明不同輻射在控制食物安全方面的應用情況。

微波與食物安全

微波爐現已十分普及，大部分家庭和食肆都有微波爐。微波爐的操作原理是利用微波輻射穿過食物。食物接觸到微波時，所吸收的能量會導致極性分子(例如水分 子)和離子合成物(例如已溶解的鹽分)旋轉／振動，從而產生熱能殺死食源性病原體。相比煎炸或以焗爐烤焗這兩種烹調方法，微波煮食的溫度較低(通常不會超 過攝氏100度)，有助減少可能致癌的物質產生。

不過，由於微波的穿透度低，只能快速加熱食物的外層，其餘部分主要透過滾燙的外層所傳導的熱能烹煮，故此微波未必適宜用來烹煮釀入其他食材的家禽和大塊肉類，因為這些食物的中央部分未必達到可殺死有害細菌所需的溫度。

紅外線與食物安全

微波本身不適合作燒烤或烤焗用途，因為以微波爐烹煮的食物通常不會金黃香脆，因此便有燒烤微波爐或紅外線加熱器和光波爐等同類產品應運而生，成為代替傳統焗爐的節能爐具。

一般而言，這些爐具會有發射體(紅外線加熱元件)釋放出紅外線。食物接觸紅外線時，大量能量會在短時間內轉移，導致水分子和蛋白質及澱粉等有機合成物旋轉 ／振動，產生熱能殺死微生物，並令食物變得金黃香脆。食物業界會使用紅外線進行加熱消毒，殺死液體和固體食物內的細菌、孢子、酵母菌及霉菌。紅外線消毒令 剛焗好的麫包無須添加防腐劑就可享有較長的保質期，又可對蔬菜進行脫水保存。

Cooking With Your Halogen Oven

You have probably received your halogen oven with the minimum of advice on how to use this bench-top machine. If you are lucky you may have a booklet containing a couple of recipes. I hope this brief summary helps make life with your halogen simple and clear.
Choosing the right machine for you
There are many different halogen ovens on the market,but they are basically all the same machine. The two main variations are the size of bowl and whether the lid is on a hinge. My first machine was from JML when they first started to become popular. I was not really sure what to expect and, over time, it has gained more and more use in our home. Personally, I would opt for the largest bowl as this increases the oven’s usability. You can also purchase extenders, which can help maximise use. Extenders are metal rings that fit over the top of the halogen bowl, literally extending the height of the bowl and enabling you to fit more into your oven. The lid  then fits on top of the extender. They are also useful if you want to keep the food away from the heating element to prevent burning.After using the JML oven, I progressed to the Flavorwave Turbo Platinum Oven. Some of the advantages that this particular oven has over others are that it has the hinged lid, digital settings, a 3-speed fan and a pre-heat setting. Looking at online forums I have noticed that the lids do cause a bit of a bug bear. I had a lid stand beside my JML machine, though annoyingly these are optionalextras that you have to purchase and are quite flimsy to look at. Personally, I think it is better to buy the halogen cooker with the hinged lid if you can afford it – this is definitely a safer and easier option.
How do they work?
The halogen oven is basically a large glass bowl with an electric halogen lid. The lid is heavy as it contains the halogen element, timer and temperature settings. The halogen element heats up the bowl and the fan moves the air around the bowl to create an even temperature. As it is smaller than a conventional oven it heats up faster, reducing the need for long preheating and in some cases reducing the overall cooking time. This makes it a very popular choice for those watching their pennies, living on their own or, like me, cooking for a busy family. It has even become a popular choice for students and caravanners. I read on a forum that some caravanners use the self-clean facility just like a mini dishwasher – ingenious! It is also popular as a second oven and really becomes invaluable at busy times like Christmas or dinner parties. For safety, the lid’s handle has to be in place (placed securely down) for the machine to turn on. This means that when you lift the lid, the oven is automatically turned off. If you are using the Flavorwave machine with the hinged lid, you have to press the start button to start it and remember to turn the machine off when you lift the lid. The halogen oven does cook slightly differently to a conventional oven, so first beginning to use it often involves a process of trial and error, but it is not vastly different. If you have favourite recipes that you cook in the conventional oven, try them in the halogen. I find cooking at a slightly lower temperature or cooking for less time Normally gives the same results, but hopefully this book will help give you more confidence. The halogen oven is not a microwave and does not work in the same way as a microwave, so if you are thinking you can cook food in a few minutes you are wrong. It does however have a multitude of functions – defrosting, baking, grilling, roasting and steaming are all perfect for the halogen. Remember that to get the optimum benefit air needs to circulate around the bowl, so ideally place dishes and trays on racks and avoid the temptation to over fill.
Getting the right equipment
This sounds obvious but … make sure you have oven trays, baking sheets and casserole dishes that will fit inside the halogen oven. There is nothing more frustrating than planning a meal and just at the last minute realising that your dish does not fit in the machine! You can use any ovenproof dish or tray – metal, silicon and Pyrex are all fine. The halogen oven is round so it makes sense to look at trays and stands of the same shape, but smaller so you can remove them without burning yourself. When I first started using the halogen, it was frustrating to find that 80% of my bakeware did not fit in the machine. A quick revamp and purchase of the accessories have proved invaluable. If money is tight, you can find great casserole dishes at boot sales or charity shops – you don’t have to spend a fortune on new cookware. You can also buy the accessories pack which contains steamer pans, browning trays, grilling pans, toasting racks and even an extension ring. These are highly recommended if you use your oven regularly and certainly enhance what you can do with the machine. There are many websites selling or advertising these accessories, so a general internet search will point you in the right direction. Amazon is also a great place to look.
Let there be light
As experienced halogen users will know, the halogen light turns on and off during cooking. This is not a fault of the thermostat as some people have mentioned on forums. It literally turns off when the programmed temperature is reached, then on again when it drops. Set the temperature and marvel at how quickly the oven reaches the required temperature – literally in minutes. I love the light; there is something quite cosy about walking into your kitchen on a winter or autumn evening and seeing the glow of the halogen cooker alongside watching your food cook.
Timings
The halogen oven comes with a timer (60 minute) and temperature setting dials. The Flavorwave Turbo also comes with three fan settings and a digital timer. All halogens turn off when the timer settings have been reached. This means you can be reassured that if the phone rings or you are called away from the kitchen, your food won’t spoil.
 Size
The oven is small enough to sit on a worktop, but do allow space for removal of the lid if it is not hinged. The lid can get very hot and is quite large and heavy, being the brains of the machine, so it can be a good idea to buy the lid stand. However be careful when using this stand as it can seem quite flimsy until you get used to it. You could opt to place the lid on a heatproof surface but, again, be careful not to burn yourself or your worktop!
Careful does it
Your oven should come with some tong type of gadget to help you lift out the racks. They are quite useful, but I also use a more substantial set of tongs. As with any oven or cooker, do be careful as the bowl and contents gets very hot. I find using proper oven gloves a necessity as they cover your whole hand and wrist and can prevent accidents. As with all electrical and hot appliances, do not let your children near the halogen – the glass bowl gets very hot.
Defrosting
Most halogen ovens have a defrost facility, which is very useful. Refer to your manufacturer’s details. Many people seem to want recommended timings for defrosting but it really depends on what you are defrosting and how big it is. I would advise setting the defrost button to 5 or 10 minute intervals and testing as you go. I don’t tend to buy frozen ready meals but judging by comments on forums, this is a popular choice for halogen owners. When cooking frozen ready meals, the thing to remember is that the nearer the food is to the element, the browner it will get – and the higher the temperature, the quicker it could burn! Don’t panic, one of the joys of a halogen oven is the ability to see the food clearly through the glass bowl so, if in doubt, watch the food to prevent it from burning. See Chapter 2 on snacks for more information and advice.
Foil and coverings
Some people like to use foil when cooking. This can be a good idea as it prevents food from browning too quickly or can be used to parcel foods, but make sure the foil is secure. The fan is very strong and if the foil is not secure it could float around the oven and might damage the element. Another option for preventing burning is obviously to turn the temperature down or place the food further away from the element (use the low rack or add an extension ring).
Cleaning your oven
The halogen is promoted as being self-cleaning. This basically means that you fill it with a little water, a squirt of washing-up liquid and turn on to the wash setting. The combination of the fan and the heat allows the water to swish around the bowl giving it a quick clean. This normally takes about 10 minutes. Personally, I find it just as simple to remove the bowl and place in the dishwasher – it always comes out gleaming. The lid is a little more difficult to clean and I would refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines as each product can be a little different. Do not get the element or electrical parts wet!
How to cook
Individual recipes on this blog provide details about how to cook different types of food in your halogen. You can follow the recipes or see if you can create your own recipes using those provided for guidance. If you are concerned about cooking meat, I would advise using a meat thermometer. If the temperature is too high, the meat or joint will brown quickly on the surface but may not be cooked in the middle. Don’t panic too much – you will soon get used to it.
High and low racks
There are two standard racks which come with every halogen oven – a high and a low rack. The high rack is placed nearer the element so use this if you want to brown something. The low rack is used more for longer cooking times. You can also cook directly on the bottom of the bowl. I do this quite often, particularly if I am being lazy and just want to chuck in some oven chips. It does cook well but takes a little longer as compared to using the racks, as air is not able to circulate all around the food.
Baking
Some people worry about using the halogen to bake cakes but I think this is because they are setting the oven temperature too high, resulting in a crusty brown cake top with a soggy middle. Setting the oven to a lower temperature can solve this problem. Muffins and cupcakes take between 12 and 18 minutes. You only really encounter problems with cakes if you are cooking for too long at too high a temperature. Try some of my cake recipes and you will see how simple it can be.
Preheat or not to preheat
Most recipes I have found on forums don’t mention preheating the oven. This is probably due to the speed the oven takes to reach its temperature setting. However, I think it is worth turning the oven on 5 minutes before use just to bring it up to the right temperature. I found this to be the case when attempting to cook soft-boiled eggs. According to the Flavorwave recipe book, I should be able to cook a soft egg in 6 minutes just by placing it on the high rack. It didn’t work, but when I tried again in a heated oven it was much more successful.
Some machines (such as the Flavorwave) have a preheat button which preheats at 260ºC for 6 minutes, but others, such as the JML, require you to set to the required temperature and turn on.
Weights, and Measures
I am constantly being asked for the recipes for my cakes and it always throws me into turmoil as I never measure anything when baking. My husband laughs as he sees me literally throwing in all sorts of ingredients, seemingly oblivious to the end result. Thankfully they all come out perfectly yummy! Don’t follow my lead – until you are confident, measure as you go. There is some great measuring equipment available to make life
easier.
Measuring spoons
You can buy a neat little set of measuring spoons for around £2. They are ideal for recipes that need teaspoon, tablespoon or dessertspoon measurements.
Measuring cups
These are good for measuring dry ingredients or liquids. Some show measures for key ingredients such as flour or sugar, others just measure in millilitres.
Measuring jug
 I use a glass Pyrex measuring jug. They are very hardy and come up gleaming after every wash – unlike plastic jugs which can stain. Measuring jugs are ideal for measuring liquids or mixing ingredients together. I also have a great Pyrex measuring jug which shows grams for sugar, flour and mixed fruit. I have picked up various pieces of kitchenalia from boot sales and auctions over the years.
Scales
Find a set of scales that suits your kitchen. I like the retro-looking scales with a deep bowl which is ideal for weighing a variety of ingredients. Scales can cost as little as £3 to buy new.
Weights table
1 ounce is equal to approximately 28g, but for ease of use, most tables round down to 25g per ounce and gradually increase this as the weight increases. See the table below for clarity.
WEIGHT
Metric (approx.) Imperial
25–30g 1oz
50–55g 2oz
85g 3oz
100g 3.5oz
125g 4oz
150g 5oz
175g 6oz
200g 7oz
225g 8oz
250g 9oz
280g 10oz
350g 12oz
400g 14oz
450g 16oz/1lb
900kg 2lb
LIQUID MEASURE
Metric (approx.) Imperial
5ml 1 teaspoon (tsp)
15ml 1 tablespoon (tbsp)
25–30ml 1 fl oz
50ml 2 fl oz
75ml 3 fl oz
100–125ml 4 fl oz
150ml 5 fl oz
175ml 6 fl oz
200ml 7 fl oz
225ml 8 fl oz
250ml 9 fl oz
300ml 10 fl oz (1⁄2 pint)
600ml 20 fl oz (1 pint)
1 litre 13⁄4 pints
I hope this has been helpful and not confused you. Move on to try some recipes and then come back to this chapter at a later date – it will probably make more sense then! As ever, if you have any questions then send them to me and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Enjoy!



光波爐–漸受歡迎的新式煮食電器 一般而言，光波爐包括兩部分：一個玻璃鍋和一個連風扇及鹵素燈的蓋子。當接上開關電源，鹵素燈會放射出紅外線產生熱能，而風扇會使熱空氣於鍋內均勻流動，煮熟食物。光波爐可作燒烤、烤焗、烘焙、蒸煮、炭燒用途或為食物進行脫水，無需預先加熱。 [圖片由德國寶(香港)有限公司提供]

電離輻射與食物安全 

紅外線無疑能殺死食物中的細菌，但未必適宜用來處理易受加熱程序影響的食品，例如水果和海產。如為這類食品進行消毒，電離輻射可能是較佳的選擇。

在輻照過程中，進行處理的食物會接受伽瑪射線、X射線或高能電子束等電離輻射處理。高能輻射穿過食物時，會破壞食物、細菌、昆蟲和寄生蟲內的基因，令這些 生物死亡或喪失繁殖能力，從而延長輻照食物的保質期。雖然伽瑪射線等電離輻射可能是由輻射源產生，但電離輻射技術不會令食物帶放射性。

光波爐和普通微波爐的區別：

• 加熱方式的區別：
  • 微波爐是利用磁控管加熱的，這個叫磁控管的電子管是個微波發生器，它能產生每秒鐘振動頻率為24.5億次的微波。這種肉眼看不見的微波，能穿透食物達5cm深，並使食物中的水分子也隨之運動，劇烈的運動產生了大量的熱能，於是食物「煮」熟了。
  • 光波爐又叫光波微波爐，是通過遠紅外發熱原理加熱的,在接通電源后爐內的紅外線組件可在數秒內產生600℃-700℃的高溫（電磁爐最高溫度300℃）然後通過進口聚能反光材料，將所有光能聚結在一起，並反射至爐面板上，從而達到烹飪食物的目的。

• 對人體的影響不同：
  • 微波爐對人體有輻射。微波爐是微波輻射，對身體有害。
  • 紅外線光波爐發出的紅外線光對人體有輔助理療作用。光波爐的原理是石英管發熱＋風扇的熱循環，沒有輻射，健康環保，而且烹飪的食物美味健康，孕婦和孩子可以放心食用。

• 成本上的區別：
  • 微波爐使用的銅管成本稍稍便宜。
  • 光波爐使用的光波管成本只比銅管或者石英管增加幾元錢。

• 用途上的區別：
  • 微波爐裝食物的容器必須用絕緣材料製成。
  • 光波爐不挑鍋具，有炒菜，蒸，燉，煲，煮飯，熱奶，殺菌，取暖，除濕，防潮等多種功能。 
  
  
  

補充

• 加熱后食物的特點不同：
  • 微波爐加熱后食物容易燙傷人。微波爐因其內部的燒烤管普遍使用銅管或者石英管，銅管在加熱以後很難冷卻，容易導致燙傷。
  • 光波爐不會烤焦食物，而且能保證食物色澤。的燒烤管由石英管或者銅管換成了鹵素管(即光波管)，能夠迅速產生高溫高熱，冷卻速度也快，加熱效率更高，而且不會烤焦，從而保證食物色澤。

• 加熱要求使用的器皿不同。用微波爐消毒，無論是加熱食物還是消毒物品，都不能選擇金屬器皿，包括鑲有金邊、銀邊的碗碟。

• 光波管在微波爐技術上使用非常普遍，紅外線光波爐兼容了微波爐的功能。

• 光波爐的耗電量：7升——1000W、12升——1300W，做一餐飯，在半小時到一個小時之間，耗電0.5-1度。

提示

• 剛開始用光波爐的時候，建議不要走開，看到食物顏色轉深，立刻提起把手，切斷電源。
• 如果用微波爐加熱金屬碗盛的食物，金屬的微波透射性不好，自身微波損耗大且會反射微波，甚至會出現打火現象，非常危險。
• 忌用光波爐加熱密封的罐裝、袋裝食品，這容易造成密封品爆炸破裂，但特殊標明的微波食品除外。
• 加熱食物的時候，為防止水分蒸發，在裝食物的容器上加上保鮮膜，應刺上一些小孔。
• 忌用光波爐油炸食品。油炸食品一般要求緩緩加熱進行，而光波和微波加熱速度都很快，容易發生危險。
• 禁止用香蕉水、汽油以及硬質的布或毛刷擦洗。這樣會破壞漆層，導致爐腔生鏽。
• 烹飪冷凍食品，要先解凍。解凍時應注意：
  • 使用微波低功率檔，使之均勻解凍；
  • 對一些厚薄不一的食品，在解凍到一半時，為防止某部分煮熟，可先停止解凍，用鋁箔紙將薄處包好，再繼續解凍；
  • 一次解凍的食品不宜太多，也不宜太厚，肉類食品的厚度最好不超過3厘米，其它食品的厚度不超過5至7厘米。

注意

• 當爐內溫度達到預設溫度，電機自動停機，當溫度下降，電機自己開始工作。
• 蒸食物，最重要是蓋上錫紙或者用廚寶，在食物表面加蓋覆蓋。這樣就是蒸。另外需要在下層放一小碟子水，或者在爐子裡面撒一點水，增加水分。
• 烤食品時，快糊了的時候會有很多煙。
• 光波爐的清洗：很容易清洗，底座和玻璃是分開的，做完飯，等玻璃缸冷卻后，拿出來清洗，很簡單。
  • 投機取巧的方法：玻璃缸底墊一層錫紙，燒烤的油滴在錫紙上，用過，把錫紙拿出來扔掉，當然不太環保。
• 爐頭不要用水沖洗，因為電機就在爐頭裡面，用乾淨濕抹布擦拭即可。
• 光波爐的燈泡一般3年壽命，廠家可以保修一年，時間長了，整個爐體老化，最好還是換新的比較安全。
• 那個連臂的好處在於不用拿起鍋蓋，比較省力。清洗和分體的一樣。不過爐頭不要用水沖洗，因為電機就在爐頭裡面，用乾淨濕抹布擦拭即可。 

買前必修課：微波爐和光波爐區別？

微波爐是利用磁控管加熱的，微波爐的外殼用不銹鋼等金屬材料製成，可以阻擋微波從爐內逃出，以免影響人們的身體健康。裝食物的容器則用絕緣材料製成。微波爐的心臟是磁控管。

    這個叫磁控管的電子管是個微波發生器，它能產生每秒鍾振動頻率為24.5億次的微波。這種肉眼看不見的微波，能穿透食物達5cm深，並使食物中的水分子也隨之運動，劇烈的運動產生了大量的熱能，於是食物“煮”熟了。這就是微波爐加熱的原理。用普通爐灶煮食物時，熱量總是從食物外部逐漸進入食物內部的。而用微波爐烹飪，熱量則是直接深入食物內部，所以烹飪速度比其它爐灶快4至10倍，熱效率高達80%以上。　　那光波爐又是什麼呢？光波爐又叫光波微波爐，是通過遠紅外發熱原理加熱的,在接通電源後爐內的紅外線組件可在數秒內產生600℃-700℃的高溫（電磁爐最高溫度300℃）然後通過進口聚能反光材料，將所有光能聚結在一起，並反射至爐面板上，從而達到烹飪食物的目的。

 利用遠紅外線加熱食物的光波爐（圖），以零微波輻射作招徠，取代微波爐成為廚房新貴。城市大學生物及化學系副教授林漢華指出，光波爐煮食原理與燒烤相若， 常用便等於「日日喺屋企BBQ」，吸入致癌物的機會大增。他指出，以光波爐或焗爐加熱食物時，燒雞的致癌物較燒牛肉勁10倍，「最好少啲用嚟燒雞肉」。林漢華解釋，動物肌肉含有肌肝酸，在快速加熱時，會釋出致癌物雜環胺（簡稱HA）。各種烹調方法中，燒烤的溫度最高，可達攝氏300℃以上，最容易產生HA；其次是油炸、煎炒，而且烹煮時間越長，HA越多，但蒸和燉不論煮多久，只會產生極少HA，較為健康。林漢華續稱，不同肉類所含的肌肝酸各異，產生的致癌物也有分別，以燒雞的HA最高，其次是豬和魚，燒牛肉釋出的HA最少，蔬果因為不含肌肝酸，故不會釋出HA。他表示，偶爾燒烤只會輕微增加致癌風險，但近年光波爐成為新興煮食方法，「佢用紅外線發熱，再配合熱傳導、熱對流技術，嘢食由內至外煮熟，原理同BBQ一樣，日日用，同日日BBQ無分別，胃癌、乳癌、直腸癌機會增加」。

Why Choose a Halogen Cooker?

You just have to look at all the advantages to know, it’s a really good idea.
No more bending down to look in the oven

bending down eliminated

Students best Choice
Halogen ovens are great for re heating or cooking fresh produce quickly and very economically. If you’re away in Student accomodation and the cooking facilities are limited, this will give you all you need and not burden you with enormous electricity bills.
Convenience when Cooking
Halogen Cookers all have big glass bowls, ideal if the meal is to be cooked right up to the perfect point. With the clear visibility it offers and the fact that it is on the counter top, makes it easy to see when the cakes have risen and food is done to the turn.
Fast Food
These marvellous devices will rival a microwave for speed and you don’t have to buy food in special microwaveable dishes ( or waste money with chips in boxes ) Just use ordinary cooker ware, pyrex glass bowls, round cake tins or the racks provided with the unit.

How to use a Halogen Cooker

If you have never seen one in action, here goes…
The lid has a stand ( except the cookers with integral hinged lids ) make sure you have it placed on the work surface ready, when the cooker is hot it is essential to have the stand ready. Also be careful with the hot lid, this is when damage to the lamp can occur, always be gentle placing the lid down on the stand or back on the cooker.
Load the cooker 
These ovens are supplied with wire racks. The food is cooked by circulating hot air, so you must ensure that the air can reach the underside. In practice some foods may need to be turned during cooking, to ensure good results. Use a low wire rack for cooking, baking, re heating and roasting, use the higher rack for grilling.

Set up the temperature and the time
It really couldn’t be simpler. Treat cookery books as guides only, you will soon be able to adjust normal recipes for the Halogen cooker. There are plenty of tips on this site for cooking different dishes.

Here is the lamp and fan at work circulating the hot air around the bowl.
Notice the Thaw/Wash setting, the heat and fan are used to create waves that wash the dish clean after use…. now that takes some beating!

They roast a chicken in 30 minutes, clean themselves and cost just £40. We give halogen ovens a grilling

By Tessa Cunningham

daily mail
Does cooking an entire two-course Sunday roast dinner in a glass bowl plugged into a wall socket sound too weird to be true? If so, think again. Welcome to the world of the halogen table-top oven.
Halogen ovens started life humbly enough being sold on shopping channels, but in the past few months they've won an army of converts on internet chat rooms.
And that's because halogen ovens don't just save space, they do everything in one pot that normally takes an entire oven to manage (sautèing, boiling, roasting, baking cakes) - and three times faster.

Hot stuff: Tessa Cunningham tests the FlavorWave Plantinum halogen oven

The table-top oven was developed using halogen heating elements, which convert electrical energy into intense heat. They also rely on infrared waves and an inbuilt high-performance fan, which helps circulate the intense halogen heat to cook the food as quickly as possible. The ovens themselves are much smaller than their conventional rivals - and about an eighth of the cost.
They consist of a clear glass bowl with a lid on top that contains the halogen bulbs and the high-powered fan. This means you can watch your food cooking, and adjust cooking times according to how the food looks.
But while they're compact, they can fit a suprising amount of food in - I could easily fit a medium chicken surrounded by vegetables in the bowl.
Some of the ovens also come with shelves so you can roast a larger chicken on the bottom while your vegetables or potatoes could go on the layer above - and because the fan circulates hot air evenly around the oven, there's no need to swap the chicken and vegetables around, or turn your food during cooking as in a conventional oven.
But is this latest kitchen gadget just a gimmick, or will halogen ovens really push traditional cookers onto the scrapheap?


To find out, I put six to the test. In each oven, I cooked a roast chicken, roast potatoes and carrots, followed by a ready-made sticky toffee pudding.
In a conventional oven, my 1.5kg chicken would have taken around 90 minutes at 375f (190 c). But my trusty halogen oven cookbook - My Halogen Heaven by Maryanne Madden - suggested one of the new machines could do it in just 33 minutes at 400f. The potatoes, which you put in raw, would need 50 minutes.
The pudding would have needed 22 minutes at the same temperature in a conventional oven. I tried five minutes - again on 400f.
I also wanted to check whether it's possible to cook two very different dishes without washing the oven in between. I simply poured the chicken juices away before popping my pudding inside the bowl.
Here are the results.

ANDREW JAMES DELUXE HALOGEN OVEN, £44.95

This oven is brilliantly easy to work and instructions are clear, although there's nothing fancy about it - it emits a tinny ping when cooking is complete and the light instantly switches off. The bowl - 33cm wide, taking a maximum of 12 litres - is light enough to carry to the table if you want to serve direct from the pot and the base is reassuringly solid.

The Andrew James model cooks well and is good value

It's inexpensive and would be superb value apart from one important detail. There's nowhere to put the lid. It's too heavy to lift easily and got so hot I was terrified of putting it down on the work surface. With halogen ovens, it's the lid that plugs into the wall, so you can't take it far from the cooker.
As this model doesn't come with a stand, I ended up holding the lid in one hand while trying to check the chicken with the other. The chicken was succulent - and took only 45 minutes to roast. I heated up the pudding in only five minutes, and there was no whiff of chicken despite using the same bowl.
VERDICT: 7/10. Cooks well, great value but let down by having no stand.

•  08700130211  andrewjames_raclettes@yahoo.co.uk

FLAVORWAVE OVEN PLATINUM, £112.90

This all-singing, all-dancing model is like a mini-spaceship. And the control panel, built into the lid, is as complex as anything you'd expect on a lunar rocket.
There's a digital display panel to set cooking time; a panel which lights up as you select the temperature and a touch panel to set fan speed. 'High', for example, helps the food cook even faster and improves browning.

The flip-top lid made the Flavorwave Platinum halogen oven easy to use

This is the only model where you don't have to remove the lid to open. I just had to flick it up, which I found much easier and safer.
When the cooking cycle is finished the oven emits a long beep. Unfortunately, I heard this rather more often than I expected as I kept having to blast my chicken and veg to get them properly cooked.
My chicken took an extra 25 minutes (on top of the 30 minutes recommended in the instructions) to cook thoroughly. By then, the outside was disappointingly dry and the vegetables still remained hard. The pudding was OK, but not brilliant.
The oven comes with two racks and a pair of tongs. A bewildering number of optional extras include a breakfast tray - complete with toast rack and space for eggs and bacon - an extender ring to cook larger turkeys and a steam basket.
VERDICT: 6/10. It looks good, but is not worth the money.

• www.thanedirect.co.uk

PROLECTRIX INFRACHEF, £54.99
The least attractive of the models and the most intimidating. The cooker is contained in a black case with two huge dials for timing and temperature, but the numbers are so small they are difficult to read and, disappointingly, temperatures are only in centigrade.
It does, on the plus side, come with a lid stand and the chunky handle makes it easy to hold, but it was really fiddly to try to remove the bowl.

The Prolectrix Infrachef might not be attractive but this halogen oven cooks chicken and vegetables to perfection

The instruction manual has a few recipes such as olive and sun-dried tomato focaccia, which is quite useful and the oven cooked brilliantly.
The chicken took just over 35 minutes to roast and was definitely the tastiest. The vegetables were also roasted to perfection. I don't believe any conventional oven could have cooked them better. The pudding was also delicious.
What it lacks in looks, it definitely makes up for in results.
VERDICT: 8/10. If you can overlook its appearance, this definitely delivers.

• Prolectrix is produced by Ultimate Products 0161 934 2240  www.ultimate-products.co.uk
  

JML HALOGEN OVEN, £59.99
For my money this is the most appealing-looking model. The temperature and timing dials are easy to use. The lid fits easily on the bowl and the handle is sturdy.
But again, there's no lid stand and I had to clear a space beside the oven for a heat proof board that I could place the red hot lid on.

The JML halogen oven looks good and is easy to use

Also you can't turn the timing control backwards if you make a mistake as this could damage the timer. Instead, if the timer is set longer than required, you have to turn the oven off and wait for the timer to naturally count down to the time required.
The chicken cooked through in just 40 minutes but didn't crisp and looked decidedly unappetising. However, it tasted nice and moist. The vegetables were more crunchy than I would have liked and tasted boiled rather than roasted.
The pudding cooked in five minutes and tasted OK.
VERDICT: 5/10. Easy on the eye but with no lid stand it's tricky to use and the food was disappointing.

• 0800 781 7831 www.jmldirect.com
  

FLAVORWAVE TURBO, £74.95
The original FlavorWave is a more basic model than its souped-up big brother. But at almost twice the price of some models it's hard to see whether it's really twice as good.
However, it's still worth bearing in mind that, even at the top end of the price bracket, this is a fraction of the cost of a built-in cooker.

The original Flavorwave Turbo halogen oven scores higher than its souped-up big brother

It comes with a lid holder and tongs as well as the standard two racks. I would have liked temperatures in Fahrenheit as well as centigrade. And the instruction manual was rather patronising: how many users need to be told not to let their children play with the oven?
The clock ticks throughout the cooking time and a little bell rings at the end. But they're hard to hear over the roar of the fan.
However the results were excellent. The chicken cooked in time. It was nicely browned and moist, and the vegetables were gently roasted. The pudding also worked well.
VERDICT: 7/10. Works well and looks nice, but a little too pricey.

• www.thanedirect.co.uk
  

COOPERS OF STORTFORD, £39.99
For A budget buy, this does everything you need. There's no lid stand but you can buy one for just £6.99, which still makes the oven better value than some of the others. The instruction manual is easy to follow and contains a few useful recipes.

The value for money Coopers of Stortford halogen oven has easy to follow instructions

My chicken took an extra 15 minutes but, to be fair, the recipe in the handbook suggests cooking for at least an hour at a lower temperature of 325f. The veg remained undercooked. Again, this might have been different had I followed the recipe.
The pudding also needed an extra three minutes.
VERDICT: 8/10. No frills, but works efficiently and at a great price.

蘋果日報

特稿

光波爐煮食如BBQ　患癌機會增

利用遠紅外線加熱食物的光波爐（圖），以零微波輻射作招徠，取代微波爐成為廚房新貴。城市大學生物及化學系副教授林漢華指出，光波爐煮食原理與燒烤相若， 常用便等於「日日喺屋企BBQ」，吸入致癌物的機會大增。他指出，以光波爐或焗爐加熱食物時，燒雞的致癌物較燒牛肉勁10倍，「最好少啲用嚟燒雞肉」。
林漢華解釋，動物肌肉含有肌肝酸，在快速加熱時，會釋出致癌物雜環胺（簡稱HA）。各種烹調方法中，燒烤的溫度最高，可達攝氏300℃以上，最容易產生HA；其次是油炸、煎炒，而且烹煮時間越長，HA越多，但蒸和燉不論煮多久，只會產生極少HA，較為健康。
林漢華續稱，不同肉類所含的肌肝酸各異，產生的致癌物也有分別，以燒雞的HA最高，其次是豬和魚，燒牛肉釋出的HA最少，蔬果因為不含肌肝酸，故不會釋出HA。
他表示，偶爾燒烤只會輕微增加致癌風險，但近年光波爐成為新興煮食方法，「佢用紅外線發熱，再配合熱傳導、熱對流技術，嘢食由內至外煮熟，原理同BBQ一樣，日日用，同日日BBQ無分別，胃癌、乳癌、直腸癌機會增加」。

REVIEWS

 The Halogen oven market is now well established and we present to you the best current models. All the models shown have been tested and we have tried to give all the main points noticed during review, from delivery time, packing quality, potential problems, overall build quality, value for money and performance.

Also taking into consideration are the reviews sent in to this and other websites, to give a better all round feel for the products, especially if a fault has been noticed by more than one reviewer.
Our Halogen Cooker Reviews will rate the best currently available: Click pictures to go to full review

UK

See full Review	The Winner !Andrew James 12 LTR Premium Halogen Oven Cooker Rating 5/5 best features, accessories, price and guarantee Available in White, Red and Black more… Andrew James
See full Review	The Habitat Designer Halogen Cooker 12 Litre 1400wattReview rated 4/5 Great price, some poor accessories but worked perfectly more…Designer Habitat
See full Review	The FlavorWave 11 Litre 1300watt Slightly smaller size and only 1300w although price high Rated at  2/5more… FlavorWave
See full Review	The Shef 12 Litre Halogen Cooker Review Outstanding Offer & with full complement of accessories – Available in Black too more…Shef
See full Review	The Clifford James 12 Litre Halogen Cooker Review Functional but mean with accessories although price is good Rating 2/5 more…Clifford James
See full Review	The Russell Hobbs 11 litre Halogen Cooker ReviewThe Russell Hobbs brand has been let down a little with this model One or two drawbacks We gave the Russell Hobbs Halogen a 3/5 rating overall more…Russell Hobbs
See full Review	The Charles Jacobs 12 Litre Halogen Cooker  We gave the cooker 4/5 and were impressed with the overall value for money of this productmore…Charles Jacobs
See full Review	The Coopers of Stortford 11.5 LitreIn the review ratings we gave the Coopers Halogen Cooker only 2/5 Great customer service, practical oven but may be let down longterm more…Coopers of Stortford
See full Review	The JML ( John Mills Ltd) Halogen CookerDue to numerous faults reported our review rated the JML a rating of 0/5 more…JML
See full Review	The Breville VDF065 Halo Health Fryer Review rating 4/5 great results for frying, price highmore…Breville Halogen

US Market

See the full Review	The Winner Morningware HO1200M-WR Halo OvenVery Impressed , good solid halogen oven with no problems and great results,Top in the review rated 9/10 highly recommended
See the full Review	Flavorwave Turbo Oven Excellent results, very few problems, great price but lacks the range of accessories 8/10 recommended
See the full Review	Secura Digital 798DHOverall a superb cooker, the hinged lid is a great advantage, the price is high we rate the Secura 8/10
See the full Review	Fagor-12-Quart-Halogen Exceptional value from the lowest priced cooker in the review. Full range of accessories.Rated 7/10
See the full Review	Sunpentown SO-2000Poor quality control so a lot of similar problems reported , otherwise ok review rating was 4/10
see the full Review	Secura 777MHdespite being praised in most of the feedback as well made and doing the cooking well several reviewers had disastrous electrical flaws we are unable to recommend this product 0/10
Click pictures above to see the full spec and review.

All the  models reviewed  are available through Amazon , who we recommend after many years of trading with them for

• SECURITY
• CUSTOMER SERVICE
• BEST PRICE
• DELIVERY

The reviews take into account the overall value, cooking functionality and its service life expectancy. Our advice when considering which model to buy, is to consider things long term. For example, is the manufacturer willing to stand behind the product if there are shortcomings or failures. On some cookers the halogen lamp life seemed to be much shorter or was vunerable to shock damage shortening the life of the cooker. So it would pay to check  if the halogen lamp is easily replacable. Unfortunately not all the units tested had replaceable lamp elements or were easy to change. So check this out before buying and refer to our reviews where any such  problems have been pointed out.

 I hope this site will help you decide about these unusual products, without being conned into buying whatever the local store happens to have piled up in stock. You can read the manufacturers own glowing descriptions, then when buying it online, you find it just isn’t what was promised. Its no good after you’ve bought a lemon, Googling it online at forums and finding hundreds of posts complaining about the same thing. So I decided to do some real research into Halogen Ovens and give you my findings… which is the best value Halogen Oven?

When I got my first Halogen Light powered Cooker I was very sceptical about the performance a machine that cost so little against my trusty Gas oven which had served so well over years and years of cooking.
Believe! these little units are extraordinary

• Save money
• Save time
• Save time cleaning afterwards
• Get the very best results every time with very little effort

halogen cooker basic layout

How do they Work?

So simple, a powerful Halogen lamp heats the air,which is blown round the glass bowl with a fan and turned on and off by a temperature sensor and timer to maintain a very accurate temperature for a pre-set time.
Advantages
Your food can be seen cooking, without opening an oven door
Chicken browns nicely in a Halogen Oven, unlike a microwave. Perfect for cakes that need watching carefully so as not to overcook them.
They dont suffer from hot and cold spots like microwave ovens, the food is cooked very evenly and with a speed to match the microwave but with better results.
The design leads to healthy advantages , the fats tend to drain away.
If you cook for a large family, the Halogen is absolutely ideal, for sharing tasks out ,for example, while your large conventional oven is busy with the turkey, use the Halogen for those lovely crispy roast potatoes.
What foods give the best results in a Halogen Oven? Well it does a surprising variety of different foods very well, but the opinion of a lot of reviews show that Chicken, potatoes, bread, cake, chops, sausages, bacon, steak, oven chips, pies, cheese on toast are the most frequently cooked foods and the best results.
Here is the first tip, if you’re new to Halogen cookers, don’t try to cook food as it is shown on many manufacturers website pictures, with say a chicken sitting in the base of the glass bowl, it won’t work, you need to give the hot air room to circulate under the food – so always use the rack.
If you are on your own, cooking for one can be expensive with conventional ovens and microwaves are fine but don’t suit all foods, the Halogen cooker is impressively fast, easy to use and you will soon find that you get more adventurous with your menus, when you discover how easy some of the more ‘difficult’ meals are to prepare.
In the vast majority of cases reviewers comments indicated that they had noticed a reduction in the electricity bill ( where the Halogen was used to replace electric cookers of course! ) Whilst you have to take some as subjective, in my own tests and calculations cooking on a regular basis with these cookers, will definitely reduce the bill.
I grew up in the sixties and lived in a world where dad came home at the same time every day week in week out, year in…….. so despite much time consuming steaming, roasting or boiling , mum could have dinner on the table at the exact right time every day. However reheating was difficult and would ruin a meal very quickly. That world that has given way to one of convenience and quick cook foods, in such a busy world you can still maintain healthy living easily and not give in to fish fingers every night ( although the Halogen does Fish fingers perfectly ! ) or expensive and nutritionally suspect, ready meals
Top Tip!
Every time you remove the lid during use, wipe it with a damp cloth, saves a lot of work with hard baked on food.

Watch your cakes rise and take them out at the perfect moment !

Maximum Heat: make sure you choose one with a top temperature of 250 degrees, some only reach 200 degrees and that is a little short of the heat required to cook some recipes.

Halogen Oven Article in the Independent Newspaper

Cookery author and critic Robert Ehrlich recently ( Oct 2010 ) wrote this article for the Independent newspaper:
How I fell in love with halogen ovens
I’ve been writing about food and cookery for a million years, and have always been interested in new ways of cooking, because, well, because I’m a guy. And most guys like innovations, and gadgets. Pathetic, I know. But at least the gadgets I like have a practical use: I use them to cook for friends and family.
But there’s a huge difference between gadgets and genuine innovations. A device that it makes it easier to peel garlic qualifies as a gadget – and a pretty useless one, in my view. A piece of kit that enables you to cook faster without loss of quality, and which saves energy into the bargain – that is not a gadget. It’s a godsend. And the halogen oven falls into that category.
I had heard about halogen ovens in the USA, where they’re pretty popular, and some months ago I decided I had to give them a try. The oven is a large Pyrex-type bowl on a stand, with a lid housing a halogen element and fan. It looked like such a simple, and though it took some getting used to, I pretty well mastered it in around 30 minutes.
Since then, I’ve been proselytising for halogen. I want to convince everyone that this simple, odd-looking device can revolutionise the way they cook their meals.
The first thing people ask me when I start boring them about halogen ovens is whether they are a microwave oven. The answer is no, though they share the ability to cook very speedily. Microwaves use very short radio waves to cause a rapid movement of certain molecules (mainly water and fat) inside food, and this movement makes the food heat up. The oven itself doesn’t produce heat. Halogen ovens produce loads of heat. You can see that from the moment you first turn one on and see the ring of light in the lid. The light comes from a powerful circular filament inside a glass tube, which is filled with inert halogen gas. The lamp powers up to create an instant, intense heat. Some hobs use the same technology to great effect.
Halogen ovens cook far more efficiently than conventional ovens. They reach full heat faster than a conventional oven, largely because of their small size but also because the fan circulates the air inside, distributing heat throughout. And when you cook something close to the element, the oven acts as a turbo-charged grill. Indeed, many dishes cook through a combination of grilling and roasting.
Where can you use one? Anywhere. Any kitchen with a couple of square feet of empty counter space can accommodate a halogen oven. The oven should have a clear space around it, because you don’t want to the hot element to be near anything that can burn or melt. You should also make sure there is nothing overhead which would make it hard to remove the lid. Halogen converts need to buy a stand on which you rest the hot lid and a special extending ring which allows you to cook larger items such as whole chickens and joints of meat. But these cost little, and are sometimes included with the oven itself.
Does halogen eliminate the need for a large, built-in oven? If you regularly cook for eight or more, you won’t be able to shed the big oven completely. But consider: I’ve had my halogen oven for nearly a year and I’ve not used my full-sized oven since. And I’ve produced meals for six in it without any trouble.
And some people can use the halogen oven as an alternative to a conventional oven. For anyone cooking in a small studio flat, a boat or a caravan, it’s a no-brainer. Single people, and couples living on their own, can produce roast dinners or quick midweek suppers in a fraction of the time needed by a larger oven. If you are refitting your kitchen, you might find that you can replace your traditional oven with the halogen option.
So, what to cook in it? It’s better to ask what it isn’t good for. It roasts beautifully: meat, poultry, vegetables. Large joints take a bit of practice because the heat is higher from the top, but these problems can quickly be overcome with experience. Breads and tarts cook well, and so do simple fruit-based desserts.
And the joy of shortened cooking times really is wonderful. I cook up to two ribs of beef, through a combination of grilling and roasting, in as little as 20 minutes. I think that’s pretty impressive. You can also roast a chicken; make a pie; you can make great tomato sauce, or fish stew – and all in 15 or 20 minutes.
You’d think, because of the size of the oven, that it would be hard to get a whole roast dinner out of it. But I abide by the rule that no home cook should be obliged to serve more than one hot dish in any meal. The idea of conjuring everything up at once is a fantasy concocted by Masterchef. The thing to do, I think, is produce a starter at room temperature, such as a terrine cooked under halogen. That should free you up to use the halogen again for some roasted vegetables (served at room temperature) and a hot leg of lamb.
Those with young children might be worried about safety, but there’s a clever mechanism in halogen ovens to eliminate the danger. The power snaps off when you lift the handle, which is the only way to take the lid off. And while it can get very smoky inside the oven, especially when the food is being cooked in a grilling position, it never flares into flames – probably because there isn’t enough air.
With all that food at a high temperature in a small space, the oven gets dirty – it needs washing once a week, and some would do it every time they use it. Washing the bowl is easy in the sink. Cleaning the lid is more difficult, because the element shouldn’t get wet. For best results, wipe with a soapy brush then wipe off. Abrasives are a no-no for the glass, but cleaning a halogen oven is a lot easier than cleaning a conventional oven.
Because of the top-down heat, some foods must be tossed or turned at least once. But you won’t need to do it more than four or five times for a dish that cooks in 20 minutes. And if the top of the food is too near to the element, it may brown excessively before the inside is cooked. Using the extending ring or a lowish temperature eliminates that problem.
The best thing of all: halogen cooking is fun. Because the oven is transparent, you can watch the food changing minute by minute. It’s an intimate, exciting experience. You’ll occasionally find yourself crouched with your nose close to the glass. This is a somewhat addictive form of culinary voyeurism, though it also has the practical advantage of letting you see when something’s going wrong. And if you get the hang of things as quickly as I did, that’s not likely to be very often.