Are Convection Microwave Ovens Safe [Must Read!]

Microwave ovens are lifesavers. Not only for those cold lonely nights heating the leftover pasta or pizza but also for small food DIYs.

But times have changed and everything has evolved. Like our prehistoric ancestors, the microwave has updated itself to a convection microwave. Which can do more than just heating your morning tea or coffee.

There is a myth that microwaves use radiation to heat or cook food, which is true to some extent. But are convection microwave ovens safe, we are here to talk about that in this article. 

Are Convection Microwave Ovens Safe or Conventional Ovens Safe

Convection microwave ovens are the upgraded version of the traditional microwave oven. They have a fan, a heating element, along with a microwave.

Conventional ovens on the other hand come with either electric or gas-powered elements. They also have a fan that circulates the air inside the oven. But what they don’t have is a microwave facility. 

This makes them fall short in terms of time and efficiency. You can cook, bake, roast, and also heat your food in a convection microwave. 

While the convection part does the cooking, baking, and roasting, the microwave part does the heating. There are even separate modes and settings for everything. Which is almost like a conventional oven, but better in some ways. 

The place that the convection oven shines is the price point and bills. While it takes a lot of energy and power to heat a conventional oven, you can do the same thing in a convection oven with less power. And let’s not talk about the bill of using a conventional oven.

But the safety concern is still there. As radiation is used in a microwave oven. Be it convection or not. 

Let’s talk about the safety of a convection microwave oven.

What Are the Safety Concerns of a Convection Microwave Oven

A convection microwave oven comes with a fan and a heating element with the microwave. A much-needed upgrade. 

Both of the newly added features do not have any safety concerns. But what about the microwave part? The radiation that will turn us all blind what not?

Heating Element

To answer that question, we have to know what type of radiation is in a microwave oven. The radiation in them is called electromagnetic radiation. Which works as a vibration to a molecular level.

The oven interior acts as a tube chamber where the electromagnetic field throws magnetron all around it. It can pass through the microwave oven-proof containers and heats the element. 

The Radiation Myth

Talking about radiation,  it is powered by nonionizing radiation, which is perfectly safe for humans. Unlike other radiation machines like the X-ray, it uses ionizing radiation to work, which has an impact on the human body.

So put aside your fear of radiation poisoning from a convection microwave oven and get your long desired upgrade.

Is a Convection Microwave Oven Harmful to Your Health?

Although there are very rare occasions of a convection microwave radiation leak, it is possible. This is why you have to pay close attention to oven exteriors and interior walls. 

If you suspect any damage, you should contact a professional to check it out. 

The worst-case scenario with any convection microwave oven is the burns you might get. And that happens when you hold hot cookware inside the oven without wearing protection.

Another thing you might put into consideration is using non-microwave-safe cookwares. They will emit chemicals into your food and might poison you. Which is not the oven’s fault. 

Other than that, there is no harm at all with a convection microwave oven. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are convection microwaves dangerous?

No. Convection microwave ovens are perfectly safe. The myth behind the radiation is not true at all. As there are two types of radiation, the ionizing and nonionizing radiation, the convection microwave oven and microwave ovens use nonionizing radiation to cook and heat up your food. The only danger about a convection microwave oven is holding hot cookware without any protection.

Are convection ovens harmful?

No. Convection ovens use heating elements and a fan to circulate hot air in the oven. Which in return cooks and heats your food. There is no active radiation element in them so nothing harmful can be expected from a convection oven.

Which is safer microwave or convection?

Both of them are safe. Microwave ovens use nonionizing radiation that radiates magnetrons to travel through the cookware and heat it. A convection oven on the other hand has a heating element and a fan to circulate hot air in the oven to cook the food. If you want an upgrade and want to bake and cook in the same oven rather than just heat your food, then a convection oven would be a better option than the microwave.

Is there radiation in a convection oven?

No. Convection ovens don’t use radiation of any form as heating elements. Rather they use hot air and a heating element that circulates throughout the oven. It cooks the food perfectly although there is one heating element. 

Conclusion

By now, you might be thinking if you should get a convection microwave or a convection oven. A convection oven can only cook your food to some extent, but won’t be able to heat it properly. The microwave, on the other hand, can heat your food perfectly. So to get the best of both worlds, a convection microwave would be the winner. And it is perfectly safe. Unless you want to hold the hot muffin tray or pasta bowl with empty hands.