[Sca-cooks] True Bake vs. Convection

[Sandragood at aol.com]

My personal preference is convection.  The added heat element with the  
convection helps maintain even temperature throughout the oven during  cooking.  
Your cooking time is decreased.  Foods bake more evenly  especially when trying 
to use more than one rack.  
 
I do not have recent experience with the True Bake/Speed Bake enough  to 
warrant positive feedback.  My husband's family owns an appliance store  and I can 
get more information probably, especially if I knew what models  you were 
trying to compare.  But my first thoughts when these  "features" were first 
developed is that the latter two are the "poor man's"  convection.  And to me it 
was a "get what you pay for" thing.  Now  days I don't think the price 
difference is as great as it used to be between the  speed-bake option over convection. 
 Back when only a few companies had true  convection, it could cost the 
consumer an easy $1000 more.  
 
You also need to make sure you are comparing apples to apples.  Each  
manufacturer will have their own term for their technology, but the terms can  mean 
the same thing (True Bake & Speed Bake with the fan) or completely  different 
things (Speed Bake with the fan & True Convection with the  heat element and 
fan).
 
If you are comparing double ovens, be sure to compare the features of the  
lower oven as well.  Sometimes it may seem one is a better deal only to  
discover once you have it home that it doesn't have all the features you  thought.  
The biggest features that often get taken off the lower models  are the 
convection and self-clean features.  You might not need these  features on both, but 
if you're expecting it make sure it exists.
 
If you cook very little, the Speed Bake may be fine for you.  If you  love to 
cook and bake, and do it more than just holidays, I'd look at your  purchase 
like a tool investment and opt for the convection.
 
Just my thoughts. 
 
Liz
 
 



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