OTG vs Microwave
- Oven Toaster Griller or OTG and Microwave ovens are two tools you can use to cook food. But they do this in very different ways. OTG uses a heating element that heats up as current flows through it. The element heats the air, which comes into contact and cooks the food. On the other hand, microwaves emit very high frequency waves at the object being cooked. The waves vibrate the water molecules in the food causing a rise in the temperature.
- OTG creates heat with heating elements while microwave uses high frequency waves
- Microwaves cook more evenly than OTG
- Microwaves cook faster than OTG
- Microwaves waste less energy than OTG
- Microwaves do not have parts that can burn you unlike OTG
- You can’t use metal containers in a microwave but you can in an OTG
The main drawback of an OTG is the possibility of uneven cooking. Because the heat comes from outside the food and slowly works its way in, there is the tendency where the outside gets burnt while the inside is still raw. This is not as bad with microwaves because the waves can penetrate deep into the meat, causing a more even cooking.
Microwaves also have the advantage over OTG when it comes to cooking speed. This is because OTGs take a while to heat the element, then the air around it, and then finally the food being cooked. With microwaves, the heat is delivered directly to the food instead of around it. OTGs also waste a lot of energy in heat that doesn’t go to the food since the entire oven gets heated-up as well. In a microwave, very little of the heat goes to waste. Even the rotating plate that holds the food barely heats up. This translates to less power consumption and lower energy bill.
Microwave ovens are also safer for general use because they do not have hot parts that can burn you when taking the food out. Unlike in OTGs where you need to be very careful, especially when taking out containers that barely fit in the oven. The primary downside of microwave ovens is that you cannot use metal containers inside it. The metal tends to act like an antenna and produce and electric current. This often leads to sparking and small explosions that can be dangerous. It is best to see if the container you are using is microwave-safe before sticking it inside a microwave oven.
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