10 Nov 2009

JML - Halogen Oven



JML Halogen Oven

When I first saw this product advertised on JML's shopping channel I was in awe :) my husband laughed and said "Do you seriously believe that that works?" ... and I actually did!

But does it really cook 40% faster than a regular oven? Urm ... yes-ish it really depends on what you are cooking (and how much you trust the product).

According to JML the Halogen Oven means oven cooked taste at microwave speed.
It cooks forty percent faster than an average oven and still maintains that taste, this is because the halogen light source produces infra-red waves to heat food up quickly. This makes it great for roasting and baking as food crisps and browns like in a normal oven.

You receive an instruction manual in the box with the product - this gives you some 'suggested recipes' that include: Baked crumb-topped cod, Macaroni Bake, Open Apple Pie and Classic English Fruit Cake.
There is also a table which gives 'suggested' cooking times for different foods. Examples: Oven Chips (frozen) 18 minutes .... in my regular oven they take 20-25 minutes, so yes the Halogen Oven is quicker.

I personally feel that they should include a recipe booklet in with the product, you can of course buy one separately for an extra £4.99. According to the people on the TV and the video on http://www.jmldirect.com/The-Original-Halogen-Oven-PH1501/ you don't need a 'cookbook' you just use it like a normal oven.
You just have to be daring :) they are correct, this is just an oven - you cook in it like a normal oven, so don't worry too much about 'recipes', when you get used to the idea you will be fine.

So? Why should I purchase one?
The main part that I find fascinating is that you can see into it!! I know you can laugh but little things interest me. Usually I open and close my oven door 'to check cooking' around 3 or 4 times, each time letting all the heat out .... with the JML Halogen Oven, you don't need to open it, you can see through the clear bowl all around the food that's cooking. How cool is that!!

Then there is the self cleaning function (yes - it even cleans itself!). Set it to wash, add 1.5cm of cold water and a dash of washing up liquid and let it run for 15 minutes. The combination of heat, swirling motion and the washing up liquid will clean it up quickly. Plus you can watch it cleaning :) amazing.

You can cook anything in this oven that you can cook in your regular oven. It grills, bakes, boils, defrosts and roasts – for perfect potatoes, pizzas, roast chickens, vegetables, casseroles and so much more. Its not like a microwave where you can only cook certain food stuffs, this is simply an oven that cooks quicker - think of it as a space-age oven of the future.>br>

So how much can you fit into it? This was my worry as it doesn't look very big. It holds a generous 9.5 litre capacity bowl, and includes 2 racks so you can cook on two levels at once.
The JML Halogen Oven is 1300W Mains powered and measures 36.3 x 36.3 x 23.3 cm.

Healthy meals are a cinch with the Halogen Oven. It drains fat away from meals. So instead of using your tabletop grill you can now pop your chicken, sausages, pork chops into the oven and let them cook through and still be healthy as the fat drains away.

I like it - its funky and in tune with up-and-coming kitchen appliances. People want food faster now as we mostly work longer hours, so instead of microwaving a meal or ordering in a takeaway .. with the JML Halogen Oven you can cook a well balanced nutritious meal 40% quicker than in a 'regular' oven ... and it cleans itself! What more could you ask for?

My rating: 8/10

If you have the hots for the Halogen Oven then get yours at £59.99 from http://www.jmldirect.com/, ASDA, Homebase, Robert Dyas and Wilkinson.



3 comments:

Cheryl Pasquier said...

Looks brilliant - especially the self-cleaning part ! I can remember the first time my mum & dad got a frontloading washing machine, me & my dad sat in front of it and watched the complete cycle so I know where you're coming from about watching it cook and clean too !! LOL

Anna said...

Don't ever buy that pink paint that dries white will you !! ;)

odan said...

Because of the cooking times halogens ovens seemed to me a good alternatives for the traditional cooking methods. Also they require less space in your kitchen which is an advantage if you have a small kitchen.