For a such a little thing, the countertop convection oven packs a big punch. Whether you seek to bake that pizza, toast that strudel, roast that ham or even rotisserie that chicken, there is a model that can do it for you.

The oven is the quintessential appliance in every kitchen today. There’s no other way to say it; an oven is an absolutely essential kitchen appliance for those who prepare their own food. While most oven prepared meals warrant the use of our full size oven, sometimes we just have small portions to bake or broil and the traditional oven is overkill for the job. The amount of energy we will be expending is not necessary for small items.

So what do we need to do? Enter the countertop convection oven. These ovens are just as effective in baking, broiling, toasting, reheating and in some models, even rotisserie your dishes. And the ubiquitous pizza? Your countertop convection oven will make short work of that food item. It is simply a more practical and economical to own and operate such an oven.

What makes the countertop convection oven so special is the cooking fan. The fans circulate heat around the food, reducing the time it takes to get the meal ready. Most models have heat sensors that help maintain the correct oven temperature, and this is critical, particularly with a small oven that employs an internal fan.

Countertop convection ovens are popular with many households today because these small appliances are able to perform many functions and are reasonable in their use of space and efficient with energy relative to conventional ovens. The downside to countertops is that with most models, it would be impossible to bake a full sized meal such as a whole chicken or turkey. There are countertops that can handle full size birds, however. Countertop convection ovens such as the :rotisserie: do the job nicely.

So how do countertop convection ovens compare to microwaves, you might ask? Well, the two are not exactly the same. Actually, they’re not even closely related, as far as heating methods are concerned. You see, while microwaves blast your food with energy, causing the molecules to vibrate and thus heat up your food, the countertop convection oven employs heating elements that heat your food from the outside in. Convection means the heat is dispersed throughout the chamber, netting you a faster cook or heat time. In short, golden brown crusts and oven roasted meats arrive on our plate much sooner. There are, however, countertop convection ovens that also have a microwave feature built in. Now how’s that for the ultimate convenience? We have some reviews of microwave convection oven in this site as well.

Most of the countertop convection ovens have enough room to accommodate your typical entrée, including pizza. Heating elements are shielded to guard from drippings. For convenience, crumb trays catch particles that fall and the interior is treated so that it will be easy to clean.

Your countertop convection oven will usually be supplied with racks along with a pan. Some models feature racks that slide in and out. Doors are constructed with tempered glass, and most models feature stay-cool handles, although be sure to proceed with caution because tiny as they are, these countertop convection ovens do get quite hot.

Some models include timers that automatically shut off the countertop convection oven when the cooking is complete. This is a safety feature that you should look into when you are considering these types of ovens. Some models have interior lighting, which may be something you can live without given that dishes you will be preparing in these ovens are typically small and easily viewed through the glass door of the oven.

Can the countertop convection oven compete against your full range oven? It will depend on the meal being prepared. If you’re trying to prepare a twelve inch pizza, then chances are that you would get satisfactory results from both the full size and your countertop oven. But if you’re trying to bake a large turkey and some fixings to feed a large family during an important holiday like Thanksgiving for instance, then the countertop oven is not going to do the trick. But for everyday applications, I suspect that the countertop convection oven will be getting the most use.

Countertop convection ovens come in numerous shapes and sizes and offer myriad features. Here are some you need to consider while making your choice:

First, how will you be using your oven? If you need one simply for toasting and heating foods, then one of the more basic models should suffice, and you may not need one with convection cooking. However, if you need one for baking or broiling, then do investigate the models that use a fan to circulate hot air within the oven, which helps cook the food more evenly and reduce cooking time significantly. Note that infrared-equipped models contribute greatly to the speed of cooking, as infrared does not need to warm up to start doing its job.

Second, how easy do you want cleaning to be? A countertop convection oven treated with a non-stick interior and supplied with a slide-out crumb tray will greatly reduce you cleaning efforts.

Third, safety. Most countertop convection ovens come with an automatic shut off feature. Some models even feature a chime to remind you that cooking has been completed. Some will continue to cook past that chime, while others will automatically shut off. You may want to consider the auto shut off feature. Another safety consideration is the stay-cool outer panels. An countertop oven’s external panel should not become excessively hot while you are operating it. This applies to stay-cool handles as well.

Finally, space, capacity and looks. Countertop convection ovens vary greatly in size and capacity. The capacity of the countertop oven is directly proportional to the counter space it will consume. The bigger the capacity, the larger the footprint of the countertop convection oven. Some models have less than a one foot cube capacity, meaning their outer measurements will be close to 12 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches. Some are wide behemoths, with outer measurements exceeding twenty inches wide. Additionally, consider whether you will need a four-slice or six-slice capacity oven. One final item worth considering is the exterior finish of the countertop oven. If your are concerned about how the oven will match up with the contemporary, industrial, minimalist design of your kitchen, then you may want to consider some of the stainless steel clad countertop ovens. Some of these models are equipped with dials, and some with a digital keypad. More aesthetic considerations, if you’re so inclined. In the end, no matter which model you choose, you will find that the utility offered by countertop convection ovens far outweigh the sacrifice in terms of countertop space that you will need to make.