Why not consider our round-up of the best halogen ovens? Halogen ovens are a must-have appliance to save money in the kitchen. Faster, healthier and more efficient than a standard oven, these countertop cookers can bake, roast, grill, thaw, and so much more. All halogen ovens offer a faster way of cooking than a standard oven.
That's everything from roast beef, baked potatoes and cakes; all retaining an oven-baked authenticity because the moisture is sealed in during the cooking process. Some models even offer steaming, rotisserie and a setting for cooking pasta. They're a tabletop cooking appliance, much like a pizza oven. They really are an appliance to get excited about. So, if you've already got a slow cooker, take a look at the benefits of these all-in-one cooking solutions.
Best Halogen Oven At A Glance
• Best small halogen oven: Daewoo SDA1032 Deluxe 17L 1300W Halogen Air Fryer - View offer on Robert Dyas
• Best hinged lid halogen oven: Andrew James 12-17 Litre 1400W Digital Halogen Oven Cooker With Hinged Lid -View offer on Amazon UK
• Best halogen oven for safety features: SQ Professional Blitz 12-17L Halogen Air Fryer - View offer on Amazon UK
What to consider? We'll take you through the size, controls, power, and capacity of the best halogen ovens on the market and you'll be cooking up a feast in no time and saving money on those energy bills, not too dissimilar to air fryers, such as the Salter AeroGrill. Take time to measure your kitchen workspace and compare it with the dimensions of our featured cookers. You won't be taking up as much space as you would with a bulky double oven - rest assured.
Be mindful of the height of the appliance too, especially if it will be positioned underneath kitchen cupboards. Also, consider the type of controls that you would be most comfortable with; there are both dial and digital options available. In our guide, we’ve taken care to include a range. Read on for the best deals. Still a little clueless? Check out our oven buyer's guide, courtesy of Ellen Kinsey.
Best Halogen Oven
Best small halogen oven
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The Daewoo SDA1032 Deluxe 17L 1300W Halogen Air Fryer has thousands of positive reviews and is an Amazon Choice product. It is up to 73 per cent cheaper to run than a conventional oven (when compared to a 5000W oven). A real plus point is that it is available in a range of sizes - from 2L up to 17L - so there's a model that's perfect for individuals or to suit large families. The 2L and 3L models will be ideal for one-and two-person households. The Daewoo also has auto-shutoff, which is an attractive feature given the high temperature this halogen oven can reach.
Customer review: "Love this oven/air fryer I haven’t used my big oven since buying this."
Pros
- Low cost
- Healthier frying
- Self-cleaning
Cons
- Reviewers have commented that the bowl and racks cannot be put in a dishwasher
Best hinged lid halogen oven
Well-reviewed, the Andrew James 12-17 Litre 1400W Digital Halogen Oven Cooker With Hinged Lid has a hinged lid, which some people may find preferable to a fully detachable lid. This is especially useful if you have limited countertop space and nowhere to place a hot lid. It has a longer timer function than most halogen ovens on the market. It can be programmed to two hours on the digital display and the temperature can be adjusted with precision. This product also has a self-cleaning function and comes with a very good assortment of accessories: including racks, skewers and steamer trays.
Customer review: "Love the hinged lid on this model, so you just stand it up rather than having to take the lid completely off and then have to look around for somewhere to put the hot lid down. Would definitely recommend it."
Pros
- Budget, hinged-lid option
- Compact and stylish
- Precise cooking and self-cleaning
Cons
- Reviewers have commented to take care when clipping the hinged lid in place as it will be hot when cooking
Best halogen oven for safety features
The SQ Professional Blitz 12-17L Halogen Air Fryer is an Amazon Choice product. On the packaging, it states that this is "The All-In-One-Cooking-Solution". A full accessory pack includes an extender ring, tongs, steamer, and two racks. The rack acts as an extra shelf so that you can cook more. In addition, this halogen oven has a protective basket that encases the glass cooking dish and there's an auto-shutoff switch. Of all the halogen ovens we have reviewed, this model has the most safety features.
Customer review: "It will cook faster than a conventional and is cheaper on energy costs."
Pros
- Easy to use and easy to clean
- Cooks fast and self-cleaning
- Protective basket and steamer attachment
Cons
- Some reviews have commented that the heating element is in the lid and there's nowhere to store the hot lid when serving food
Best halogen oven families
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Cook 500g of chips in just 20 minutes with Tower T14001 Health Halogen Low Fat Air Fryer triple cooking power. It uses Vortx technology (halogen, convection and infrared) to cook 30 per cent faster with 99 per cent less oil. This model has dial controls to set the temperature and cooking time with ease. It's received thousands of positive reviews on Amazon and Tower is a trusted and longstanding brand. We were delighted to see that Tower has included a recipe inspiration book in the accessories. Homemade chips - with a pinch of paprika - are a new fave.
Customer review: "I bought this in order to try and save on the cost of electricity and it certainly does that. I worked out that I cooked a whole chicken, roast potatoes, steamed carrots and broccoli and a Yorkshire pudding for 14 pence. In the regular oven, it would have been around £1.10."
Pros
- Triple cooking power
- Energy efficient
- Family-sized
Cons
- It's big and tall with the extender ring, be aware if positioning it underneath kitchen cupboards
Best small halogen oven
This is a super multi-functional product - you can even boil pasta in it. Like all of the ovens that we've reviewed, this Quest 43890 12 Litre Halogen Oven cooks using a halogen bulb and rapid airflow that's thermostatically controlled - up to 250 degrees. The bowl is made of toughened glass and has non-slip feet. Also, the lid handle has a safety on/off function. It has a smaller capacity, yet it's one of the heavier halogen ovens on the market. The glass bowl is very exposed so that you can watch your food turning crispy before your very eyes.
Customer review: "Using this oven means that we very rarely have the big oven on, which saves energy as well. It's just a Pyrex dish so it's easy to clean."
Pros
- You can see your food cooking
- Easy to clean
- Good value
Cons
- Some customer reviews have commented about the glass bowl having a danger of cracking
Best halogen oven for accessories
This is a slightly more expensive appliance. But, the Cooks Professional Air Fryer Halogen Oven Energy Efficient Rotisserie does have a rather wonderful rotisserie function. Accessories include a rotisserie spindle, chicken forks, and a fryer basket for chips. We're excited at the thought of easy chicken and chips. The pause function is a very welcome feature that some other halogen ovens are missing. The casing is cool-touch, which makes this an attractive appliance for families with young children. In short, it's a healthier way of cooking some of your favourite meals; even BBQs and stir-fries are an option in this product.
Customer review: "I’ve got a family of five and this is exactly what I needed, very easy to use and no mess, My roast chicken was amazing."
Pros
- Hinged lid
- Cool touch exterior
- Versatile oven
Cons
- Would benefit from having a larger capacity, especially for the rotisserie
Best halogen oven with digital controls
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Achieve restaurant-quality dishes at home with the capacity for perfect family-sized meals. Digital controls allow for fine adjustments, which is especially important for baking. The 180-minute timer and temperature setting up to 250 degrees can be fine-tuned with digital controls. There's a visual guide on the lid that tells you how many minutes to cook different foods. This LIVIVO Digital 17L Halogen Oven has several pre-programmed settings for cooking everything from meat to pizza. Plus, there is an included 'fire and forget' function in the timer, which means the oven will auto-shut off after 60 minutes.
Customer review: "I feel the advantage of the digital option means is it’s more precise and it has a timer so food can be ready when you come home."
Pros
- Precise temperature and pre-programmed cooking time
- Digital controls
- 180-minute timer
Cons
- Timer and the actual cooking speed of food don't always tally
OUR VERDICT: Which is the best halogen oven?
On balance, for its large capacity, power, versatility, and the addition of a protective basket the SQ Professional Blitz 12-17L Halogen Air Fryer gets our vote. It's simple to use and has a more interesting set of accessories than other models of a similar price. We feel that this product really is a good value for money, an all-in-one cooking solution, whatever size your household.
We also want to highly recommend Andrew James 12-17 litre 1400W Digital Halogen Oven Cooker with Hinged Lid. It had more plus points than most of the products we reviewed: a two-year warranty, an impressive array of accessories, and a longer timer function than most. In addition, we can see the benefit of having a hinged lid. Those glass lids get very hot and if you are limited for countertop space - or have hand, wrist or finger problems - this could really impede your enjoyment of cooking with a halogen oven. This is a really popular product, so do be prepared to find that it's out of stock quite often.
FAQS
What are the benefits of cooking in a halogen oven?
For a start, they are small and efficient, no pre-heating is required, and by cooking faster less energy is consumed.
It has benefits over cooking with a microwave. A halogen oven will cook food more evenly and there's much less likelihood of cold spots. You'll also get that more authentic roasted and oven-baked taste that's impossible to capture with a microwave.
By utilising the timer function, you can ensure that food won't burn. The appliance will be visible on the countertop so you can watch your food cooking in the transparent dish.
Halogen ovens mostly have a toughened glass bowl like a Pyrex dish where the food is cooked. The bowl is so much easier to clean than the usual assortment of pots and pans. And most new models offer a self-cleaning function, which means no more burnt pans and energy saved on the washing up.
Why are halogen ovens healthier to cook in?
Make every day a Fry-day with the best halogen oven recipes. Food cooks in its own juices, therefore you only need a tiny amount of oil. Imagine the crispiest chips, the most succulent chops, and grilled bacon for the BLT of dreams.
How does a halogen oven work?
Inside the oven, the heat source is a halogen bulb and a fan rapidly moves the hot air around. A thermostat regulates the heat, and the light of the bulb will turn on and off during the cooking process. You have control of the temperature range – anything from 20 to 250 degrees. Say goodbye to tossing your spuds - the hot air being circulated around the oven at a super high speed means you don't need to turn your food over during cooking. You’ll enjoy crispier, evenly cooked foods - everything from Yorkshire Puddings to a whole roast gammon joint.
Are halogen ovens safe?
Although there are many benefits to cooking with a halogen oven, please be mindful of the safety guidelines. Racks and cookware will get hot in the cooking process. Firstly, ensure you are using the correct cookware for the appliance, and secondly, take care to avoid burns when removing the contents from the oven. If you are concerned about lifting the lid off the appliance, you may wish to consider a model with a hinged lid.
A halogen oven will sit on a kitchen countertop, which is beneficial if you have mobility problems as there is no bending or reaching in order to use this appliance. The average weight for a halogen oven is 6kg and some customer reviews have stated that they find this a little heavy to lift.
Is it worth buying a halogen oven?
We’re all very aware of energy efficiency now - you’ll be amazed to know that they vary between 1200-1400 watts of power, compared to the average standard oven which consumes 3000-5000 watts. They’re also wonderfully timesaving; you’ll find it more like cooking in a standard countertop microwave than in an oven.
Halogen ovens are ideal for a family that needs an extra appliance to cater for more mouths to feed. Most come with an extender ring, to increase the capacity of the appliance, which is ideal if you want to cook extra roast vegetables along with your Sunday roast.
They are also great for a money-conscious single person or a couple who wants to make a fast and healthy dinner. You might be living in a flat and looking for a space-saving and cost-effective way of making meals, without compromising on versatile cooking and flavourful foods. No more bending or reaching too, as halogen ovens sit on your kitchen countertop.
Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in kitchen appliances. When she's not testing coffee machines, she flexes her creative flair as an artist.