Halogen ovens

[Florence Fennel]

I wasn't sure whether to post on Season to Taste or here with this, but decided on the latter. My MIL has just bought a new all-singing-all-dancing-digital halogen oven (so she tells me). I've never used one and I always worry that these things are gadgets used once and then abandoned to take up valuable cupboard space. She has asked me to try it, so I agreed. It's much bigger than I thought I've watched a couple of demos on the Tube (Mr T gets about a bit doesn't he?) and it looks quite good. Any opinions please?

[Uber-Uncool]

They're very bright when cooking and turned on (obviously), and i am photosensitive sop have to assemble chopping boards and stuff around it whenever io use mine, so that for me is a negative, but there are advantages...such as not having to heat the whole oven space just to cook a casserole for example, generally cooking times ar shorter too. They do tend to cook the uppermost part of the meal first though so i usually cover the food with foil, and then whip it off to brown the top of the meal or what have you. They do take up a lot of space, but i use mine a fair bit, and i dedcided not to buy another microwave when the old one packed up so it's where the mike used to be.

[greenishfing]

My husband (Mr gadgetman) insisted that we bought one of these last year and I use it from time to time, but I already have a double oven in my ordinary cooker that I am happy with and if the halogen oven died I wouldn't rush out and replace it with a new one (unlike the zapper/liquidiser thing and the steam generator)

[Florence Fennel]

Thanks you two

[hamesy]

I've got one and use it every now and again. Use it mainly to cook pork as it makes the outside crispy while leaving the inside just perfect.

It was given to me as a house warming present so I can't complain.

[Florence Fennel]

I did bacon in it yesterday, with a dish of mushrooms. Because it's not got a home, I had to get it out, set it up, cook in it, clean it afterwards and put it away. A bit too much faff methinks.