What is a Halogen oven?

From the invention of fire and the beginning of time people have been looking for ways to cook their food in new and interesting ways. There’s something intimate about the method of cooking we choose to employ, whether it be a slow roast, patient simmer, or an all-out flame filled BBQ.

One new technology available on the market puts the caveman’s campfire to shame and it is called the Halogen oven.

How does a Halogen oven work?

A Halogen oven uses halogen heating elements (obviously) as a technology that quickly converts electrical energy into heat that allows the oven to be a multipurpose cooking machine. The heat is circulated within the oven, similar to a convection oven, so that the heat quickly and evenly cooks whatever is inside. All of the heating comes from the lid portion of the oven and great care shouldbe taken not to damage or fiddle around with this portion.

Unlike a standard oven, the kind we all grew up with and our mom’s used to make roast beef, halogen ovens are much smaller. They are also portable as you can carry one to any location in your kitchen, you will basically only be limited by where you have an electrical outlet. While a standard oven is a huge block of equipment that provides a foggy window through which to see your food, halogen ovens are see-through from all perspectives and there is something fun about watching your entire meal cook. This will cut down on the possibility of overcooking since you can clearly see your meat from the outside.


Although the halogen oven is comparably smaller than a standard oven, you will be happy to know that you will usually be able to fit a lot of food inside. If you think about it, you rarely use all the space in a standard oven anyways as there is a lot of empty space around whatever you’re cooking. So think of a halogen cooking as a compact, more intense and focussed from of heating that doesn’t waste any energy or space. Some halogen ovens have different levels that allow you to cook several things at one time. The great advantage is that flavours will not mix, unless you want them too, and the circulated heating means you don’t have to worry about tossing, flipping, or switching the position of your meat.

Many Halogen ovens are promoted as being self cleaning but with all such devices, you will need to do some wiping and scrubbing on your own. One problem that happens with many of these new-age ovens, grills, or cooking tools, is that people get excited at first and then loose that initial thrill when cleaning and maintenance come into play. So when it comes to cleaning, it will be entirely up to you. If you let it sit and don’t take care of a halogen oven then yes, it will become harder and harder to clean. But if you clean it as you would a pot or pan after each use then you won’t have any problems. Remember, convenience does not mean an absolute freedom from any kind of effort. There are certainly halogen oven advantages in addition to things to think about, so do your research!