Cooking For Engineers

CookNewb · Guest

Hello all! I just saw the infomercial for the NuWave Oven Pro. It uses infrared rays to cook. Does anyone own one? Does it perform like shown on TV? How does it compare to a microwave?

kgb1001001 · Joined: 21 Dec 2005 Posts: 108

That would be ummmm..... heat?

From an online definition of "Infrared waves"

"Denoting electromagnetic radiation of wavelength greater than that of the red end of the spectrum, having wavelengths of 0.75–1000 μm. Infrared rays are sometimes subdivided into long-wave or far infrared (about 3.0–1000 μm) and short-wave or near infrared (about 0.75–3.0 μm). They are capable of penetrating body tissues to a depth of 10 mm. Sources of infrared rays include heat lamps, hot water bottles, steam radiators and incandescent light bulbs.

Infrared rays are used therapeutically to promote muscle relaxation, to speed up the inflammatory process, and to increase circulation to a part of the body. See also heat."

So my question is, how would this be any different from a normal oven (not a microwave, but an oven with a coil or burner)? Seems to me that someone is trying out a marketing ploy.

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

Well, I don't know if about the NuWave in particular, but I do know of ovens that cook with heat lamps (infrared lamps) instead of the standard heating elements of an oven.

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

The NuWave that uses "infrared" to cook the food uses an ordinary calrod as its infrared source. It is nothing more than a dressed up glass enclosed toaster oven.

CookNewb · Guest

I think an over uses conduction, as in the heating coil heats up the air and the air heats (cooks) the food.

GaryProtein, what is a calrod?

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

Guest · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:50 am Post subject:

I just got a nuwave oven, it is incredibly fast and powerful. I put two rock solid frozen 1 inch thick pork chops into it and in about 15 minutes they were fully cooked (I turned them over halfway through). Frozen chicken pieces were done in about the same time. I believe the combination of infrared heating and convection air currents are responsible for the fast times.

Guest · Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:13 am Post subject:

I heard that because the lid fits on very tight, it traps in moisture so it cannot toast bread. Is this true?

Mooshee85 · Guest

I made grilled cheese sandwiches last night and it definitely toasted the bread![/u]

nayam · Joined: 28 Aug 2019 Posts: 1

Infrared, convection and conduction are the three cooking forces behind the Nuwave oven. These systems work simultaneously to give even cooking.