Pros
- Easy to use and clean
- Includes extender
- Has preset cooking modes
- Reasonable temperature range
- Affordable
Cons
- Small
- Not that many features
Convection ovens are one of the most popular appliances around the world because of their ease of use, convenience, and rapid cooking speeds.
When trying to find the right oven for you, it’s important to examine a broad range of features and consider whether you want a traditional style or one that is unique, like the translucent bowl design.
If you like glass convection ovens and want to take advantage of healthier cooking methods, the Magic Chef Convection might be right for you.
In this Magic Chef Convection Oven review, we’ll show you how easy it is to use, as well as what cooking methods you can enjoy from this model.
Magic Chef Convection Oven Review
The Magic Chef Convection Oven is a modern unit that eschews the traditional oven format for a translucent glass bowl, lid, and white plastic and metal heating elements.
Magic Chef released this particular design in 2013, and it has undergone no significant revisions or edits in the years since.
Who Is This Product For?
The Magic Chef is simple and convenient, designed for individuals who want to eat healthier, have limited counter space, and want to avoid the pitfalls of traditional ovens.
It is more affordable than traditional models and also takes up little space, making it an excellent choice for those who live in apartments.
College students might also find this model appealing because it is easy to use; it just needs to be plugged into an outlet and requires little setup.
Plus, the fact that the bowl is translucent means you can always see how far along your food is and conveniently avoid burning and uneven cooking without the use of a light or opening the oven.
What’s Included?
There is plenty included in this convenient model but fewer than you might expect when comparing it to traditional ovens.
Each Magic Chef convection oven comes with a translucent glass bowl, lid, and the full heating element with a hinge for easy removal.
This model also has a long power cord that can be plugged into any standard outlet. No additional dishes or elements are needed because of the fundamental design.
Overview of the Features
There are many features to enjoy in the Magic Chef Convection Oven.
One is, of course, the standard convection heating technology, which uses hot air rather than filaments, radiation, or natural gas.
The heating system in this model is straightforward and comes with convenient controls like dials and buttons.
While there is no LCD display, it is still easy to adjust the temperature and know how hot the oven is.
The adjustable temperature control is measured in Fahrenheit rather than Celsius and ranges from 250 to 500 degrees.
This might be a downside for some people, as it means lower temperatures are unavailable for simple reheating or roasting.
Included, instead, are multiple preset cooking styles like baking, broiling, and roasting.
These will change the cooking temperature for you and eliminate some of the guesswork of using a convection oven.
Another significant feature is the inclusion of an extender ring, which can be used to widen the oven so that there is more space to cook large dishes.
The full capacity of the Magic Chef comes to roughly four gallons.
Because this is an oven, the bowl and lid are made of heat-resistant tempered glass.
There is a 60-minute timer, and there are five preset cooking options that include a broad range of styles like baking, broiling, and roasting.
Naturally, there are some downsides to the Magic Chef, including the simplicity of the design.
There are not many extra features or preset cooking modes, and the glass bowl is quite small when the extender is not in use.
This means the Magic Chef is more suited towards individuals who do not have a lot of food to prepare and would like to save on space and energy.
How to Get the Most Out of It
The Magic Chef Convection Oven is quite basic, but this means there are many ways to get the most out of the design.
Since it is so simple, you can improve its longevity and get the most use out of it through proper use like regular cleaning, recipe adjustment, and knowing what types of food can be made in the bowl.
- Thorough Cleaning
When you want to clean your Magic Chef Convection Oven, it’s important to take the machine apart first.
Your initial step will be to remove the translucent glass bowl and lid after preparing food so that it is separated from the basic white plastic heating elements.
These parts can be cleaned with soap and water and should be thoroughly rinsed and dried.
To clean the plastic parts of the convection oven, it is a good idea to use a warm, damp cloth to weaken grease and dislodge stuck food.
When used properly, there shouldn’t be any food or liquid on the plastic, but it is always a possibility when transferring meat, vegetables, and sauces.
- How to Use a Convection Oven
Individuals often forget they will have to adapt their recipes for regular ovens to the convection model. This is a major source of frustration, burnt food, and damaged convection ovens.
When using the Magic Chef, you want to make sure you change your recipes so that the food still comes out well-made and delicious.
The first step is to adjust the temperature to 25 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the traditional recipe calls for.
The food will also finish more rapidly, usually 25% faster than expected.
It is important to always keep an eye on the appliance and remove your dish if it starts to burn or shows other signs of overheating.
- Types of Food That Can Be Made
When using a basic convection oven like the Magic Chef, it is possible to cook a broad range of options without compromising the integrity of the oven.
The easiest type of food to prepare is basic meats like beef, chicken, and pork chops.
However, models like the Magic Chef are also designed to prepare vegetables and the like by perfectly roasting or steaming them.
The trick is to make sure you choose the right setting and get the temperature and cook time correctly.
Unfortunately, the Magic Chef does not come with a cookbook.
However, it is possible to find numerous recipes online that offer delicious meals for families and individuals alike.
Alternatives
The Magic Chef convection oven is a great choice, but there are plenty of similar models on the market that have more features.
The catch is many of these will be more expensive and might have more moving pieces, so maintenance can be a chore.
Costway Convection Oven
One of the most popular alternatives to the standard Magic Chef is the Costway Infrared Halogen Convection Oven.
It includes many of the features that can be seen in the Magic Chef, such as the translucent bowl and lid, white plastic design, and rapid halogen cooking.
However, the Costway model is somehow even more affordable and comes with tongs, a wire extender, and a cooking rack.
Nutrichef Infrared Convection Oven
Another popular choice for chefs of all experience levels is the Nutrichef Infrared Convection Oven.
This model uses a halogen design to rapidly cook foods of all types but is more powerful than the Magic Chef because the technology is more modern and advanced.
It is primarily used for air frying but is also great for roasting and creating quick, healthy meals that are chocked full of flavor.
The Nutrichef has much in common with the Magic Chef, including the translucent bowl and lid, the white plastic design, and multiple cooking settings.
On average, the Nutrichef is more powerful but also more difficult to clean, making it a good choice for someone who is willing to invest more money into his cooking skills.
Classic Cuisine Convection Oven
One final option that is similar to the basic Magic Chef is the Classic Cuisine Convection Oven.
This model also features a basic translucent bowl and lid design with a hinged top. It delivers rapid cooking accomplished through the use of halogen and infrared technology.
The Classic Cuisine is excellent because it is super energy-efficient and able to cook even thick chunks of meat rapidly and evenly without burning.
This is another inexpensive model that is great for people who would like to save money while still eating healthy, but there are some major drawbacks.
For example, the Classic Cuisine oven does not have many cooking options.
In fact, there are fewer choices than the Magic Chef, making it even more simplistic and less versatile.
The thermostat also has fewer temperature settings, and the timer will only go to 60 minutes.
Final Verdict
This Magic Chef Convection Oven review showed that this model is a great choice for anyone who takes pride in flexibility, versatility, and overall affordability.
The basic design works well with a variety of recipes and has multiple cooking types like baking and broiling so users can get creative with their recipes.
If you want an excellent appliance for a small kitchen, apartment, or college dorm, you can’t go wrong with the Magic Chef.