Home » Blog » Kitchen Tips » The Difference Between Convection Oven vs. Conventional OvenThe Difference Between Convection Oven vs. Conventional Oven Published: Oct 15, 2022 by Andrea + Stef · This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for details. In this article you will learn the benefits of convection ovens vs. conventional oven. We’ll cover the pros and cons and main difference convection cooking and cooking in a traditional oven. Knowing the basic facts about convection cooking will give you an idea if it fits your cooking style and needs. Learn the main difference and how to convert recipes for regular convection ovens. Table of Contents How Does A Convection Oven Work?Stef says….Different Types of Convection Ovens Pros and Cons of a Convection Oven Best Things To Cook In A Convection Oven How Does A Conventional Oven Work? Pros and Cons of a Conventional Oven Best Things To Cook In A Conventional Oven Andrea says….Common Questions How Does A Convection Oven Work? A convection oven has 2-3 heating elements, one on the top, one on the bottom and in certain cases an additional one in the back. A convection oven with 2 heating elements is often called a traditional convection oven or American convection oven. While a convection oven with a third heating element is known as a true convection ovens or European convection oven. What makes a convection oven different from a traditional oven is the fan and exhaust system. The fan circulates the hot air throughout the cooking process and the exhaust valve vents moisture to keep a dry atmosphere within the oven cavity. Stef says…. I absolutely love roasting chickens in the convection oven. Not only do they cook a lot quicker, the crispy skin and the juicy meat are just to die for. But even after the yummy meat is eaten you can still make the most flavorful Homemade Chicken Stock using the leftover bones. Different Types of Convection Ovens There are many different kinds of convection appliances to choose from. If you already have a traditional built-in oven in your kitchen (wall ovens or range ovens), you may want to buy a countertop convection oven. Otherwise you can choose from free standing convection ovens, built-in models as well as convection oven and range combinations. You can either pick a true convection oven or a 2-in-1 combination of a convection and regular oven. The latter has both, a regular oven as well as a convection setting. Pros and Cons of a Convection Oven PROS: Cooking Multiple Dishes At Once: The convection oven fan makes it possible to evenly cook multiple dishes on different racks at the same time. This way you can use the entire oven space and not worry about oven rack placement. This is great for cooking a Thanksgiving meal all in one oven. It’s great to be able to use the entire space!No Need To Rotate Baking Dishes: The air circulation cooks food evenly. So you can cook multiple dishes on different shelves at the same time. Food cooks evenly in any part of the oven with even heat distribution.Creates Crispy Outside: The hot air sears the outside of meat, keeping juices on the inside and creating a crispy outside. Less Cooking Time: Convection ovens cook food about 25-30% faster than regular ovens.Quick Preheating: The built in fan helps heat the oven up quicker. Plus convection ovens cook food at lower temperatures.More Efficient: Lower temperature and shorter cooking times guarantee less use of energy. CONS: Cost: Convection ovens are more expensive than regular ovens. Most Recipes Need Adjusting: The majority of recipes, especially family recipes that have been passed down from generations, need some adjusting to work properly. This mostly concerns baking temperature and length of cooking time. Overcrowding Reduces Functionality: Cooking too many dishes at once may cause longer baking times and uneven cooking because you have to cook everything at the same temperature.Works Best With Specific Bakeware: A lot of manufacturers recommend using rimless or low rim baking dishes. This special bakeware lets the hot air circulate better. The low sides allow the air to swirl around the food easier.Maintenance: With additional heating elements and fan(s) a convection oven has more parts that might break down and therefore might cause higher maintenance fees. Learning Curve: There’s a bit of a learning curve to understand how to cook your favorite dishes on convection roast or convection bake. Best Things To Cook In A Convection Oven The hot air circulation works great for roasting meats and vegetables. Roasts and Poultry: The circulating hot air sears the outside of meat, therefore locking in the juices and creating a crispy outside with tender and juicy meat inside. Try our convection oven turkey or convection oven roast chicken.Bakes and Casseroles: They bake more evenly.Potatoes and Vegetables: Similar to meat, vegetables become slightly crispy on the outside, while being soft and perfectly cooked in the middle. We love making baked potatoes in the convection oven.Cookies and Traybakes: They bake more evenly without the need to rotate the baking sheet. You can also bake your favorite cookie recipe, brownies or pie crust. Convection ovens are great for baked goods. WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love crispy and delicious roast chicken, then you’ll love our amazing Convection Oven Roast Chicken. It’s juicy and flavorful, seasoned with a homemade spice rub and cooked to perfection in the convection oven. How Does A Conventional Oven Work? A traditional oven has two heating elements, one on the bottom and one at the top of the oven cavity. There is no fan that circulates the air, therefore traditional ovens often create hotspots. The position of food within a regular oven determines how it is cooked. Food closer to the heat source cooks quicker than food that is further away from the heating elements. In a conventional oven, use the bottom rack for roasting, the upper rack for grilling and broiling and the middle shelf for baking. Pros and Cons of a Conventional Oven PROS: Most recipes are designed for it: No need to convert cooking temperatures and baking times for most recipes.Experience with Functions: Everyone is familiar with regular ovens and their functions. Lots of family recipes have been perfected to cook in conventional ovens.Different Racks Create Different Results: Use the top rack for browning, the bottom rack for roasting and the middle rack for baking. Cost: Regular ovens are cheaper and are also easier and cheaper to repair when broken. No Need To Use Special Bakeware CONS: Cannot Cook Multiple Dishes At The Same Time: Dishes do not cook evenly without a fan circulating hot air.Cooking Times Are Longer: Conventional ovens cook food 25-30% slower than a convection oven. Less Crispiness: Especially when roasting poultry, you get a less crispy exterior.Hot And Cold Spots: The lack of a fan often creates areas that are hotter (hotspots) or colder (coldspots) within the oven cavity. These hot spots and cool spots mean you may need to rotate your dish while cooking.Possible Uneven Cooking: Food located closer to the heat sources cooks faster than food further away. Best Things To Cook In A Conventional Oven Regular ovens are great for baking as they do not circulate hot air that might dry out the surface of baked goods. Cakes and Quick Breads: They rise and bake better without the circulation of hot air. Bread: More humidity and no circulating hot air gives bread a chance for a bigger rise. Pastries and PiesCustards and Flan: Cook well without the top drying out. WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love crispy baked potatoes, then you’ll love our Convection Oven Baked Potatoes. Even with reduced cooking time, your potatoes develop that crispy skin and hot, pillow interior that make them truly great. Andrea says…. One of my favorite features of a convection oven is the fact that you can cook multiple dishes at the same time. This comes in extremely handy when you are preparing Thanksgiving dinner. No more worrying about oven space necessary as you can cook up to 4 dishes at the same time. Convection Oven Roast Chicken Convection Oven Baked Potatoes Convection Oven Turkey Chicken Injection Recipe Common Questions Do I have to make adjustments to cooking times that are meant for traditional ovens? Yes. For convection baking you have to cook the food at lower temperatures for less time. A general rule of thumb is to decrease your conventional oven temperature by 25°F. If your recipe calls for baking at 350° then bake at 325° in a convection oven. Cook time will depend on how crowded the oven is. Generally, cook time is about 25% shorter for convection cooking vs conventional cooking. What does carry-over cooking mean? This means, even after you have taken your food out of the convection oven it will keep on cooking for a couple of minutes. This makes it especially important for meat, to let it rest for 5-10 minutes after taking it out of the oven. This way the juices have time to redistribute and therefore ensure extra juicy meat. Do I need to baste meat while cooking in a convection oven? No, generally there is no need to baste meat cooking in a convection oven. The circulating hot air sears the outside of the meat and therefore locking in all its juices. However, if you are using a special marinade or sauce, baste the meat during the last hour of roasting. Can I use a pizza stone in a convection oven? Yes. Put the stone in when you start preheating the oven, so it gets nice and hot. Is an air fryer a convection oven? Air fryers are basically small convection ovens. Read all about the main differences between a convection oven vs an air fryer to determine which suits your cooking needs beset. PinShareTweet