Difference Between Microwave and Oven

Microwave vs Oven

Both “microwave” and “oven” refer to two specific kitchen appliances which are often used for heating purposes.

“Oven” is the umbrella and broad term for a kitchen appliance that uses heat to cook food. The appliance itself dates back to the prehistoric times when different civilizations tried to cook food with fire. The oven primarily uses a thermal insulation method to cook food. The appliance also provides a variety of cooking methods to a large number of food items. Almost any kind of food, whether it be a meat, vegetable, or fruit dish can be made with an oven. It can broil, bake, or roast any food item. Also, it can also re-heat large quantities of food.

Types of ovens can be classified into many categories. Cooking ovens can include: conventional oven, convection oven, earth oven, gas oven, and microwave oven. As an appliance, the oven can also be used for special purposes like pottery, forging, glass-making, ceramics, cements, and wood drying.

In a cooking oven, the food placed inside the oven is usually raw or pre-cooked. The oven does the actual cooking or finishes the cooking of a particular dish. Also, most ovens run by gas or electricity depending on its make and model.

On the other side, there is the microwave, short for microwave oven, or any related concept to the appliance. Microwave ovens are a specific type of oven that makes use of safe radiation to cook and heat food items. This type of oven heats food quickly and efficiently. The microwave oven also has different radiation intensities and ranges (low, medium, high) and other useful options like defrost.

The microwave oven is an appliance developed using radar technology. It was invented during the Second World War; it was only formally launched as a kitchen appliance in 1967. Although the microwave oven can perform most of cooking methods that a conventional oven does, it is usually used for pre-heating and drying food items. It is also not limited as a cooking oven but also used for quick and innovative ways in many disciplines. Microwave ovens run with electricity.

Summary:

1.“Oven” and “microwave” both refer to appliances that apply heat to another entity, usually food. Both appliances are usually found in the kitchen or may also be used in other spaces for other purposes.
2.“Oven” is a broad term that encompasses many kinds of heat chambers. Most oven types are run by a thermal insulation method where heat or naked heat is applied to the food or material. On the other hand, a microwave is a specific term that pertains to specific type of appliance. Microwave ovens apply safe radiation instead of actual heat.
3.Ovens have a lot of history and developed over time. Ovens started as tools for cooking a variety of foods of different civilizations since pre-historic times. In contrast, the history of microwave oven is comparatively new in comparison.
4.Ovens have a lot of uses aside from cooking. Many products like crystal, glass, ceramics, pottery, and other kinds of materials are made using an oven. In terms of a microwave, food items and other applicable things are not made but reheated and reconstructed for use.
5.Food items set into the oven are often pre-cooked or in the last stages of cooking. Meanwhile, a microwave can perform all the cooking methods done by a traditional oven, but it is manly used for heating, re-heating, drying, and defrosting purposes.
6.Certain types of ovens can run on either gas or electricity. Some ovens are merged into other appliances like stove tops and use the same fuel to cook food. In contrast, microwave ovens only run on electricity.

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