Difference Between Microwave and OTG – Which One to Buy?

Microwave oven or OTG?

Can I bake professional quality cakes in a microwave oven? Can I use an OTG oven for heating? What is the difference between a microwave oven and OTG?

Which one should you buy? A microwave or an OTG?

Well, no point in confusing your mind when we are here to help. But before we tell you about the difference between a microwave oven and OTG, lets first understand what is an OTG and microwave oven.

What is an OTG?

OTG or Oven, Toast, and Grill can be used for 3 different purposes, as the name says. Look closely, and you would spot coils on top and bottom of the food rack which heat itself to heat the food. You have the option of either using one of the coils or both, depending upon the intensity of the heating you want. The cooking temperature is controlled by the thermostat present inside the OTG.

What is a Microwave Oven?

An oven that makes use of microwaves to cook the food is a microwave oven. Earlier, it was meant mostly for cooking limited dishes and reheating foods, but modern microwave ovens can be used to cook an entire meal! What makes it unique is that you can bake cookies and cakes, grill and roast food.

Microwave ovens can be classified in 3 different types depending upon the cooking features: Solo Microwave Oven, Grill Microwave Oven and Convection Microwave Oven.

If you are not sure what’s the difference between each of these then you can check here.

For the purpose of this post, the microwave oven means convection microwave oven. This is so because, unlike Solo and Grill microwave oven, a convection microwave oven can be used for heating, defrosting, grilling and baking.

What are the Differences Between OTG and Microwave Oven?

Although the two ovens might look and behave similarly, there are some major differences between them.

So take a look at these factors before heading to the store to invest in a new cooking oven.

Consumption of Electricity

An OTG drives the electricity to heat up the coils made of nickel or chromium. Now after plugging your OTG to an electricity source, the heat will spread from the coil to the food, eventually helping it cook. The problem with this heating mechanism is that it consumes more electricity and the heat is also not evenly distributed. That is why; sometimes the outside of the food becomes overcooked while the inside remains raw.

On the other hand, a microwave oven essentially heats up the food by throwing microwaves at the food. These microwaves are absorbed by the food which heats up the food molecules. Once the food is heated from inside, the heat then travels outwards, heating up the rest of the food. Microwave ovens basically heat the food from the inside out.

Microwave ovens are quite fast and heat up the food in minutes, this reduces electricity consumption.

Cooking Time

When we compare the cooking time, an OTG is much slower than a microwave oven. OTGs take much longer to cook and preheat. An OTG would require 15 to 20 minutes for preheating, microwave ovens, on the other hand, are quite quick and preheat in just 5 minutes.

Price

The price of a microwave oven is higher than that of an OTG. If we look at the current prices, the price of any good microwave oven starts from Rs. 7,000, while you can buy an OTG in as low as Rs. 2,000. But we believe, instead of comparing the prices of an OTG and microwave oven, you should first look at what your requirement is. Because both these appliances may seem to be very similar but they are designed to be used differently.

Types of Food that can be Cooked

Depending upon the foods you would most likely cook in your oven, here is what you should buy.

If you are a professional baker and require a dedicated appliance to help you in the task of baking and grilling then an OTG is what you need. But always remember, an OTG can’t be used for heating or defrosting food.

If your busy schedule does not allow you to prepare full meals at home and thus you want to grab that perfect kitchen appliance which will let you cook in a shorter time, then the microwave oven would be best suited for your needs. If you need to heat and cook in addition to baking then a convection microwave oven is an ideal choice.

Learn how you can use a microwave oven in some very unique ways.

OTG Vs Microwave Oven – Comparison Table

Specifications	Microwave Ovens	OTG
Cooking time	Faster cooking, microwaves penetrate deep into the food and heat the food in minutes	Takes much longer as the food is heated using conventional transfer of heat
Preheating time	At most 5 minutes	About 15-20 minutes
Auto cook feature	Yes	No
Type of Utensils	No metal should utensil should be used. Use porcelain, glass, or microwave safe plastic	Metal can be used, don’t use plastic
Price	High – starts from Rs. 7,000	Low – starts from Rs. 2,000
Baking Quality	Good	Best, uniform baking
Weight	Very heavy, it is very difficult to move.	Light weight, can be moved very easily
Suitable for	Multi purpose: reheat, defrost, grilling and baking for beginners.	Professional bakers or for people who want to pursue baking as a hobby

Size

In case you are looking for a compact and lightweight option, OTG is what you need. On the other hand, the microwave ovens can be quite heavy and it is difficult to move them freely.

Which One Should You Buy?

If you are not a serious baker and only going to bake occasionally and you are fighting for space in the kitchen then a convection microwave oven is most ideal for you. However, if you are planning to indulge in some serious baking or planning to bake a lot of cookies, cakes, and pizzas then you should buy a good OTG. Anyways, an OTG is not that expensive.