A topic close to my own heart. I think combination microwave ovens are the way to go, even if they do miss the mark when it comes to the grill. I have had several and used many more and none are up to the mark in my experience, and I have tried to find one. TBH if I am honest most cooking tasks that use a grill can be perfomed in other ways, but I do miss the old grills in conventional ovens sometimes.
I have even looked into buying a salamander or other specialist grill for these tasks alone, but canât really justify the space and cost just for cheese on toast and a few other things. As for air-fryers, I do have one and I use it but the are not as good as they are cracked up to be in my book. Good for some tasks but essentially are a slightly quicker and cheaper to run version of the convection oven in a decent combination microwave. My sister (in the US) proudly has a âcombination microwave with built in air-fryerâ which is nonsense marketing talk.
I have read that the air fryer is the best way to make a âgrilled cheese sandwichâ but I tried it a few times and it is clunky and messy.
One last thing is that I would recommend an induction combination oven without turntable, as it is so much more flexible when used as an oven. I have a Panasonic which has a steam function but I must admit I used that function just a few times (I am not really a baker).
We have a Salamandre that is used for much more than cheese on toast. Sausages, chops, bacon and grilled oysters and other shellfish all benefit from it. Even toast itself that is cut from oversized loaves. We use ours almost daily.
It is partly what you get used to. Bacon, sausages, chops etc I do on the plancha and feel that heat from below works better. Gratineed dishes (like oysters) for sure are much better under a grill and I am jealous you have one. I keep looking, but it would have to go in our barn on the rack I have there that already has an ice machine, a rice cooker, sous vide chamber vacuum, sous vide tank and air fryer. To say nothing of the dehydrator and other occasional use equipment. I do like my gadgets!
Hello AngelaR, early next year i hope to start doing what you have just about finished - revamping a miniscule kitchen. Existing owners are leaving a microwave, kettle, fridge/freezer, coffee machine & electric plug in hob & a wood burner with a cooking top. all of which need replacing (not sure about the stove think that just needs a clean). I have one set of 3 decrepit kitchen units & a wall cupboard, total length c2.3m x .6m deep. i am considering an airfryer as my colleagues rave about them. it seems that once you get the hang of them theyâre great. i am thinking the air fryer route was the way to go. i donât need a microwave (we have one at home but itâs unused). what advice would you give me having completed your revamp, and which gadgets, sink etc did you buy & where in france did you buy them from (assuming you canât use English stuff due to different voltage). all/any advice, not matter how trivial much appreciated!
now that is interesting Mark, i had assumed i couldnât as things might explode on me? for example i have a small one person lakeland coffee machine. 600W. can i change the plug on this & not blow things up?
We are lucky enough to have âbuiltâ our home around the kitchen which the largest room in the house at 193ÂłM so all kitchen/cooking equipment can be easily accommodated within. I do though follow your train as regards the love of ânecessary gadgetsâ.
Most definitely you can. Weâve done this with all our British electrical goods, although having been here 10 years now, we are starting to replace them!
As for kitchen units, we used IKEA ones but they are all much of a muchness - gone for ones you like the look of!
I very much doubt if the woodburner needs replacing as they generally last for decades. My advice would be not to rush into anything - get a feel for how you like to use the space before you do anything.
Oh, now youâve done it - got me hankering after a grill again after I thought I had got it out of my system. Especially as I see from my Amazon wish-list that one I had marked for consideration is for some reason 50% cheaper now than it was. But how to convince my wife that we really need one???
I was also looking at âHannibalâ grills that reach 850C but that is just silly - isnât it??
For the outside kitchen perhaps, but I doubt that I would place it in the regular kitchen. I will stick to my 350°C Salamandre indoors. We have 500°C Ooni that is already hot enough, but one can always dream of more stuff.
They are really indoor machines and I think aimed at those cooking steaks etc rather than gratins. I have the roccbox (ooni equivalent) which I use in the conservatory rather than outdoors but a friend has the Ooni and they seem just as good. The more âstuffâ we get the less time we have to use each piece of equipment, but it is better than gambling I suppose and for me recipe books are much more stimulating than porn!
well that good news on the applicances front i had thought i could and husband said no but heâs not involved so iâm going with folks with experiences, which would be you thank you for all this advice. at 3 o clock this morning when i couldnât sleep i decided - as you say - to live with it for a while & then decide, everything works so itâs not like i have nothing from day 1. yes the stove is a quite a large beast - looks like it could see me out too!
thank you for all this advice. at 3 o clock this morning when i couldnât sleep i decided - as you say - to live with it for a while & then decide, everything works so itâs not like i have nothing from day 1. yes the stove is a quite a large beast - looks like it could see me out too!