Combination Microwave - Convection Oven, Your Opinion

[journeymom]

Have you used one?  Do you use the convection mode?  Especially if you also have a standard oven, do you use the convection mode in the microwave oven as well?  When would you use it over the regular oven?

We've had a Sharp Carousel microwave convection oven for six years. Ds broke the door hinge and to repair it will cost almost as much as it would to buy a whole new one. 

I found it difficult to figure out how to use the convection mode. I did finally figure it out and used it to bake a few times.  It worked fine.  

I can totally see how if this was our only oven it would be very useful.

I use a microwave to defrost, to cook frozen dinners, re-heat leftovers, cook fresh veggies and to melt butter. 

Here's another angle: if you were home shopping would care if the kitchen had a micro-convect oven or not?

I may have answered my own questions, but are there other considerations I haven't though of??

[AZgirl2207]

We have a Kitchenaid micro/convection oven (and a regular oven as well).  Our thought when we purchased it was that it would generate less heat than the regular oven--a big consideration because we run the AC 6 months out of the year. Ours has special codes that you enter for 'baked potato' vs 'reheat pizza'--it's pretty fool proof. 

Pros

fast--ie baked potato in 15 min, large casserole in 20 min

less heat produced than regular oven

uses less electricity (according to manufacturer)

Cons

expensive!