In today’s world, we all demand something extra from everything. A microwave oven which is only good for reheating the food won’t be enough, we needed something extra.
So the manufacturer designed equipment that can do everything a microwave can do along with some extra features like baking and roasting. A convection microwave oven is a well-equipped cooking appliance for modern times.
However, you should keep a watch on what materials you are putting inside of your convection microwave oven, specifically what the utensils are made of; certain materials may perform well, while others may ruin your food as well as the machine.
Can you put metal in a convection microwave oven?
Metal utensils may not provide the intended results in a convection microwave oven. Although a convection microwave has a few unique capabilities, it operates in the same way as a standard microwave oven, and it can’t penetrate through metal. So Using metal utensils may result in uneven cooking.
Some convection microwave ovens come with metal racks but that doesn’t mean that you can put any metal rack or utensils inside. The rack that came with the convection microwave oven is specifically designed to function in that environment.
Microwaves can’t penetrate through regular metal utensil’s surfaces. So if you use a metal pot or pan inside a convection microwave oven, the heat may regulate due to the inbuilt fan and slightly cook the top of the food but the middle and bottom will be completely raw and inedible.
Metal trays:
If you are thinking about using iron or steel trays or any hard metal trays inside of a convection microwave oven then you will be causing great harm to the oven.
However, using an aluminum tray may give you properly cooked food.
Metal pans:
Similar to metal trays, using cast iron or steel pan will end up damaging the oven. It might not catch on fire but it’ll sure to get some internal damage and lead to inefficiency.
Aluminum pans, utensils made out of glass, ceramic and some stone utensils are safe to use in a convection oven.
Metal cookie sheet:
Aluminum cookie sheet will be perfect for convection microwave ovens.
The convection microwave oven may have some extra features like roasting, baking, and a built fan for regulating the heat but it’s still a microwave oven, it won’t work well with any hard metal cookie sheet.
Is metal safe in a convection oven?
No, any hard metal utensils such as cast iron pans, steel trays, or any metal alloys won’t be suitable nor safe in a convection oven. Metal utensils act quite terribly when they get hit by the microwave.
The microwave can’t penetrate through the regular metal utensils but it can surely heat up the outer layer, a heated metal becomes vulnerable and starts to release electrons abruptly.
Now the metal is hitting your oven with electrons, it might lead to the worst-case scenario and ignite a fire or it may put an adverse impact on the efficiency of the equipment. So avoid using metal in a convection oven, it’s not safe.
“3” reason why you cannot use metal in a convection microwave
Metal is not safe for convection microwaves. Let’s get to know all the reason why it is not safe.
Doesn’t cook:
The difference between a convection microwave oven and a regular microwave oven is that the convection oven can be used for roasting and baking but they both rely on the same principle for cooking.
So in a convection microwave oven the food gets hit by microwaves and heats up, also there is a fan that helps regulate the heat evenly.
When you put a metal pan or pot inside thanks to the fan the top may get some heat but the rest of the food won’t receive any.
The microwave won’t pass through the metal utensils which means the food inside of the pot will stay cold. So it’s a waste of time and also a waste of electricity.
Cause damage:
So the microwave can’t pass through the metal utensils and the food inside stays cold as before but the pan or pot becomes too hot to handle without gloves, this is a massive red flag you need to keep an eye on.
The metal utensils inside the convection oven are receiving the microwave and heating up but only on the outer surface. The metal’s molecular bond will become weak and release electrons.
Just imagine the scenario inside the chamber, metal pan releasing electrons and convection oven releasing a constant flow of microwave, it’s gonna be complete chaos.
It will surely cause damage to the oven, eventually, lose efficiency and become a weight limit.
May lead to a fire risk:
When it comes to using metal utensils, convection ovens are relatively safer than the regular microwave but if there is a system malfunction or the interior of the convection oven has worn out then there is a high chance it will catch on fire.
The heated metal pan or pot is releasing electrons and the oven is circulating the microwave, both can create electrical disturbance and in the worst-case scenario ignite a horrible fire.
Can we use a metal rack in convection mode in the microwave? Do you have to take the metal rack out of the convection microwave?
The metal rack can be used in convection mode in a microwave and you don’t need to take the metal rack out of the convection oven.
We all know that metal doesn’t go well with microwaves but some microwave ovens come with a pre-built metal rack. For a convection oven that has baking and roasting features, a metal rack does come in handy.
The metal racks are specifically designed and placed in a certain way that it stays neutral and doesn’t cause any problem. It doesn’t mean that you can put any random rack inside the convection oven, it will only create disturbance and cause damage.
What kind of metal can go in a convection microwave?
Convection microwave ovens are available in two separate designs. For one of them, there is a heating element hidden behind the fan and the fan will be the source along with regulating the heat, you can use any kind of metal utensils in such an oven without any worries.
Now for the second and most common version of the convection microwave oven, the fan and heating source is separated and the fan only regulates the heat, you need to keep metal utensils out of such an oven.
Only glass and ceramic utensils will be safe to use for the convection microwave oven, avoiding plastic utensils would be a wise decision because it won’t survive such high heat. Now there is one metal that can be used in a convection microwave oven.
Aluminum:
It has a lower density compared to other metals utensils and is considered a lightweight metal.
Due to the low density, the microwave can easily penetrate through an aluminum pan, hence It’s safe to use inside a convection microwave oven.
The utensils made out of aluminum will have high thermal conductivity, the loss of heat is minimum, and cook the food fast and efficiently.
You can also use aluminum foil inside a convection oven but make sure that the foil isn’t twisted or warped too densely.
Stainless steel or cast iron is not safe for convection microwaves as it can cost you fire risk. So, you should not use them in there.
How do you use metal cookware in a microwave convection oven?
Making sure that you use the metal in a proper manner in the convection microwave is important. Let’s get to know them.
Choose the right utensils:
Not all utensils are suitable for microwave use, if you are thinking about using a metal utensil, it’s better to go for a lightweight metal that has a good amount of thermal conductivity.
Aluminum utensils should be your first choice, it’s lightweight along with good thermal conductivity, the loss of heat is pretty low which means almost all the heat will be used for cooking.
There are some exceptions such as copper, it is also lightweight with good thermal conductivity but it’s not suitable for microwave use.
Choose the right design:
If you prefer to use metal utensils then try looking for a convection microwave oven that doesn’t separate the heat source from the fan, or the heat is passed and regulated through the fan.
Such an oven will be well suited for cast iron and stainless steel utensils.
Using aluminum foil:
Aluminum foil is suitable for microwave use but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t follow any precautions.
A twisted, heavily layered aluminum foil can certainly create a disturbance. Keep it as simple as possible, don’t overdo it with the foiling.
Final Thoughts
A convection microwave oven includes a few additional functionalities, such as baking and grilling, but it functions similarly to a normal microwave oven. In a convection microwave oven, metal utensils may not function. As a result, cooking using metal utensils may result in total failure.