The art of cooking has changed drastically since traditional times because of the use of several technological inventions like ovens, cookers, etc and at times it becomes very difficult to understand which one a person should buy. Although both cookers and ovens perform similar functions, these cooking appliances are very different in the items they can make and the cooking process.
So if you have bought a new house or want to remodel your kitchen with the latest appliances and cannot decide over an oven vs. cooker then read this short oven review in Malaysia to know the advantages and disadvantages of both of them.
- What is an Oven?
An oven is a kitchen appliance that is specially made for baking and roasting food items and they can be bought separately and installed in the kitchen. They are used to cook food like cakes, pastries, and also for making roasted food. These ovens come in several types like gas ovens, electric ovens, convection ovens, and the traditional conventional type of ovens.
You can find a budget microwave oven to buy easily in several places and they can take care of your basic kitchen needs. So if you want to buy an oven for your home or restaurant, you should know the special qualities of different kinds of ovens to help you choose better.
- What is a Cooker?
Generally, cookers refer to the all-in-one kitchen unit that has an oven along with a hob so that you can cook various types of food items easily. Cookers are more costly than traditional ovens as they already have a pre-installed oven in the set. So if you are a cooking fanatic then a high-tech cooker is the basic requirement for your kitchen.
You will find various kinds of cookers in the market like gas cookers, electric cookers, slow cookers, pressure cookers, and lot others so it can be perplexing to select one of them from such wide varieties. Moreover, you should buy a cooker based on your lifestyle and cooking needs. In the next section, you will find all the differences between oven vs cooker so that you will know which one will be better for your kitchen.
Oven vs Cooker
Since ovens and cookers vary according to their special functions like efficiency, time is taken for cooking different items and price range you should always know their special features before buying one. In the next section, you will know the specialties of both ovens and cookers which will help you in making the right decision.
Price Range
The most important factor when choosing a cooker or oven is deciding on the budget or the amount of money you can spend on kitchen appliances. Most people think that there is no point in spending more money on buying an appliance that has features that you will never use. If you have a small family and do not want to invest a lot of money on getting a proper cooking appliance then go for the ovens as they cost much less than cookers.
Gas ovens cost much less than cookers and in the long run, you will spend much less money on gas than on running the electric cookers. So if you want a good kitchen appliance at a budget price, then you can buy the best toaster ovens at a reasonable price.
However, if you are ready to spend some money then your best choice will be getting cookers as they offer much more variety in cooking styles. I have used cookers for making pizzas, cooking meat items, and several other such things.
Although cookers cost more money than an oven, you have greater control over the cooking process. Moreover, you will get several other extra features like hobs and warming drawers attached to the cookers. So it is worth spending a few extra bucks to get a cooker.
Size and Capacity
Since ovens and cookers come in various sizes and shapes, it is very important to choose one according to the amount of space you have in your kitchen. If you have small kitchen space then it is better that you buy a cheap toaster oven or the best microwave oven that will fit perfectly in your kitchen.
Several wall ovens in the market can be fitted on a space in the wall or can be put under benches or any space. They can also be installed at eye level. These wall ovens have a small size but they can get the job done perfectly. If you do not have much space in your kitchen then go for the wall ovens or toaster ovens as they occupy very little space.
If you want to get a cooker even though you do not have a lot of kitchen space then buy the pressure cookers as they are small in size but can cook food rapidly. However, pressure cookers do not offer variety in their preparations as once you have put everything in the pressure cooker, you cannot open it to add other ingredients.
However, if you have ample space in your kitchen, then you should look for a good standard cooker or range cookers. These types of cookers come with several high-tech features like you can control them through your smartphones or a smart watch for women while you are cooking something else or looking after other chores. Some cookers have extra storage space and you can also cook different items together in them.
Durability
For most people, if they decide to invest in a particular product, they always want them to last for a long time. So before you buy the best oven Malaysia you should always check the warranty span of the product. Traditional ovens and electric ovens have a lifespan of about 13 to 15 years but you need to clean and maintain them properly and at regular intervals of time.
Electric cookers or gas cookers do not last as long as ovens as they have several small parts and any one of them can get damaged. So if you buy an electric or gas cooker, then make sure it has a long warranty period so that you can easily get it repaired.
Energy Efficiency
The main point of difference in oven vs. cooker is in the energy efficiency. Cookers are a lot more energy efficient than the traditional electric oven Malaysia. Electric ovens use around 2000-3000 watts of energy for cooking an average meal so it will take a heavy toll on your monthly expenditure.
On the other hand, the cookers consume a lot less electricity and they also have an in-built oven unit for quick baking. In the case of gas cookers, you have the added advantage of shifting to the gas hob to save more electricity and it also helps in giving a different flavor to the cooked items.
However, you can get many cheap microwave ovens but gas cookers will cost you much more so it is hard to decide which one will save you more money in the long run. If you have a large family then the gas cookers will be ideal for you because meals will reduce the cost per meal.
Another point of difference between them is cookers offer huge varieties of roasting, grilling, and cooking style but ovens generally have the basic grilling and roasting system if you go for the cheaper ones.
But if you are ready to spend, the best oven on the market features automation. It gives you a wide range of pre-set cooking styles to choose from.
Material
The ovens are made from high-quality metals that are rigorously tested at high temperatures and pressures. Generally, you will not have to worry about the build materials of ovens because they are very resistant and can last for many years. The insides and cooking surface of the ovens are made of first-rate industrial glass.
On the other hand, cookers can be made from a wide variety of items like ceramic to metals so you have got more material choices in the case of cookers. Moreover, if you are thinking about getting a basic pressure cooker, then also you will get choices between stainless steel ones and non-stick ones. Stainless steel pressure cookers are very popular as they are very sturdy and have a shiny and polished look. If you want a cheap cooker, then go buy the ones made of aluminum as they cost a lot less and the cooking process is also faster.
Health and Safety
When it comes to matters of health and safety concerns, both ovens and cookers are reliable as you can prepare healthy foods in both of them. However, ovens have some advantages over cookers since in ovens the temperature raises a lot more than in cookers. So, if you cook food in electric or microwave ovens, your food items will be completely free from any kinds of unhealthy bacteria or viruses as they will die in extreme heat.
However, slow cookers or electric ones do not have such high temperatures so there are chances that some pollutants can remain in the food after cooking. Nonetheless, both cookers and ovens are completely safe to use and prepare food for people of all age groups.
Cleaning and Maintenance
The lifespan of every electrical appliance depends upon your effort at maintaining it. Ensure regular cleaning of the parts, and look for damaged parts or loose wires. So if you buy an oven or cooker, you have to clean it either on your own or by a professional technician from cleaning agencies. It is very easy to clean ovens as the only part that requires frequent cleaning is the insides of the oven or where the main cooking is done.
Moreover, you can buy microwave ovens Malaysia offers that have self-cleaning technologies and you can clean them by clicking just one button. These self-cleaning ovens have a special switch and if you press it, the temperature inside the oven will reach as high as 500° and will burn all the food leftovers and scrap items. After that, you can just wipe the ash with a cloth and your mouth will become spotless in no time.
If you are thinking about getting a gas cooker or an electric cooker, then be warned that they are a bit messier than ovens, especially after you cook food. I have used an electric cooker for many years and although it is easy to operate, it requires quite a lot of cleaning and maintenance.
Moreover, cookers come in large sizes and you need professional help to clean them properly as dust and oil get logged inside the small curves and vents of the cookers. But you can also get pressure cookers that are coated with a special mixture which makes it easy to clean with wet cloth and soap.
Features
In the case of cookers, you will not get many special features but if you buy smart ovens that are equipped with an AI chip then you will get several special features like custom cooking modes, menus, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi connectivity along with remote and voice control. If you buy an oven in Malaysia then you are bound to get these special features that will make the entire cooking process a lot easier.
You can customize several cooking modes and store them in the ovens so that in the future you can get the entire setting with just one button. These ovens also have timer options where they will automatically switch off after the preset time. These special features are only available in the smart ovens and you will not find them in cookers although some of the recent electric cookers are equipped with timers.
Oven vs Cooker: Which Do You Need?
So you can see that both ovens and cookers are great for all kinds of cooking, baking, and roasting but based on needs, ovens easily surpass the cookers. We have decided that an oven is far better than a cooker due to the following reasons.
- Sleek Design
Generally, cookers are bulky and they occupy lots of space so it is not advisable to get cookers for small kitchens. If you buy cookers of small size, then you will not get all the features that will enhance your cooking skills. On the other hand, ovens come in several shapes and sizes and mostly they can fit in any small space. So ovens will fit in any small corner of your kitchen without blocking up space and you will get many classy electric ovens in the market.
- Even Cooking
If you love even cooking where all the parts of the meat or vegetables are cooked at the same temperatures then microwave or electric ovens should be your first choice. Ovens are far superior to cookers in case of even heating as if you are using cookers then you have to flip the food items on your own but in case of ovens, there is no need to flip the food.
Microwave and electric ovens come with dishes or metal plates attached on the insides that rotate continuously for even cooking. So you can just set the timer in the oven and it will not need any manual supervision.
- Reliability
Ovens are much more reliable than cookers because they are easy to maintain and do not require frequent cleaning as cookers do. Moreover, if you buy microwave or electric ovens, then they have much more warranty period than the cookers so you can easily get them repaired if they break down.
- Accessibility
Since you can get ovens of various sizes that can fit in any small space, they are more easily accessible than cookers. You can install the at eye level to make it easier to operate. Cookers tend to be large and they need a lot of space for opening the cooking slits and for using all the features.
- Cooking Features
Oven models offer several cooking features which can make the entire cooking process a walk in the park. You can cook food by roasting or grilling, and some even have pre-set menus where you just have to put the food inside the oven and press the right switch. After that, the oven will cook food efficiently while you concentrate on some other things.
There are lots of gas and electric ovens that have dual oven capacity so you can cook two types of items at different temperatures at once. You will not get all these added cooking features in the case of cookers.
- Intelligent Features
You can get several smart or intelligent models that have special features like Bluetooth connectivity along with a voice command system. So, you can connect your oven to your smartphone or smartwatch and can use the oven from a distance.
Get the Most Out of Your Oven
If you want to get the most out of your oven then you should always buy it from the leading brands to get the best product. A great oven on the Malaysian market right now is the Panasonic NU-SC300 CUBIE OVEN (30L).
Panasonic NU-SC300 CUBIE OVEN (30L) [NU-SC300]
The Panasonic cubic oven is a conventional steam oven that has a total capacity of 30 liters. So you can easily prepare meals for your whole family at one goes without having to divide the cooking process. The total dimension of the oven is 375 mm × 494 mm × 476 mm and it comes with 2 metal trays and 2 wire racks.
This cooking appliance comes in smoke glass with black masking color and it also features an auto-cook and re-heat function. It also has an electrostatic touch display panel and the door release uses a pull-down mechanism. So this state-of-the-art oven is perfect for your modern kitchen.
Final Word
Every family needs good cooking appliances that will not only cover their basic cooking needs but will also offer several special features that will make the art of cooking more fun. At the same time, keep in mind things like price, cooking capacity, and efficiency.
If you want the best cooking appliance then go for the conventional ovens like the Panasonic NU-SC300 CUBIE OVEN (30L) as it will cover all your kitchen needs and will not occupy much space. So, although there are several types of high-tech cookers in the market, buying an oven is best as it will last longer and offers more varieties of cooking style than cookers.
