Are Combination Microwaves Energy Efficient?
In the pursuit of kitchen convenience and efficiency, it’s difficult to look beyond the emergence of the combination microwave as a strong contender for the crown. These modern culinary appliances match other types of microwaves when it comes to heating food quickly, but also boast additional features, such as grilling, baking, and fan cooking.
As such, combination microwaves seem to be the perfect kitchen appliance. However, the question remains as to whether they are as energy efficient as they are convenient, and this is important to many of us.
In this article, we’ll look at what a combination microwave is, whether they are energy efficient, and some other benefits that consumers should be aware of.
What Is a Combination Microwave?
A combination microwave is a modern kitchen appliance that combines traditional features you’d expect of a microwave with several other functions.
When we talk about traditional microwaves, what we’re referring to is one that has two main functions – heating and defrosting food. Combination microwaves also heat and defrost food, but allow the user to perform other functions too, such as grilling, steaming, baking, roasting, and convection cooking.
To achieve this, combination microwaves integrate several heating elements and technologies, which has made them increasingly popular with people looking for an all-in-one solution to kitchen cooking appliances.
Are Combi Microwaves Energy Efficient?
In this ever-evolving world of kitchen appliances, combination microwaves undoubtedly stand out for their energy efficiency, and they achieve this in several ways:
- Short Heating Phase: Unlike traditional ovens, combination microwaves don’t need to be pre-heated for long periods before use, so require less electricity to run from start to finish.
- Shorter Cooking Times: Combination microwaves are designed to be efficient. By cooking food more quickly than traditional ovens, they use less energy. Furthermore, Inverter Combi Microwaves can simultaneously use convection, microwave, grill, and steam cooking, which can save up to 50% energy.
- Compact Design: Combination microwaves have the benefit of being smaller than the likes of traditional ovens, which means less energy is required to heat them.
- Less Human Interference: Thanks to intelligent cooking functions, combination microwaves reduce the need for human interference, such as repeatedly checking on the cooking process or turning food over, which tends to lead to a drop in temperature and, therefore, longer cooking times.
Other Benefits of Combination Microwaves
We’ve established that these appliances have become increasingly energy efficient as they’ve evolved, but other benefits should be considered too.
Cooking Versatility
One of the major benefits of owning an energy efficient combination microwave is that you can make use of several useful functions beyond the simple heating and defrosting of food. Being able to grill, bake, steam, and convection cook within one unit makes combination microwaves a great option for people who enjoy a variety of cooking styles but don’t want to buy lots of different appliances.
Space-Saving Design
For many of us, modern microwaves offer a significant advantage over owning multiple bulky appliances because they save a great deal of space. This is particularly beneficial in newer homes where kitchen space is taken up by lots of appliances that perhaps wouldn’t have been found in most homes in the past – for example, coffee machines, food processors, and so on. Furthermore, for people who live in smaller houses or apartments, a combination microwave can help to reduce the amount of filled countertop space, which can then be used as more space for chopping or other food preparation.
Time-Saving Convenience
If you’re someone who leads a busy life or simply doesn’t like to wait around too long for a meal, a combination microwave is a fantastic option. For starters, combination microwaves don’t require long heating-up periods, as most conventional ovens do, so you can start cooking quickly. They’re also designed to be efficient, which means you can cook the same meals more quickly, especially in the case of Inverter Combi appliances, as they combine several cooking methods simultaneously for a streamlined approach. Furthermore, the convenience of having multiple cooking methods in one appliance means that you don’t need to spend time switching between different appliances, which saves even more cooking time and reduces the scope of cleaning too.
Ease of Use
Throughout the years, microwaves of all varieties have been synonymous with their ease of use. This has made these appliances extremely popular because they can be used by everyone, regardless of whether they’re skilled in the kitchen. Modern models, including combination microwaves, provide easier use than ever before thanks to intuitive controls, digital displays, and even preset programs that use multiple cooking functions. These user-friendly features make combination microwaves a great choice for all homes because they’re useful not only to those who require multiple cooking features but also to those who find cooking an intimidating experience. Not to mention, being able to clean just one appliance after use, rather than multiple, is a much easier and faster process.
