Halogen ovens had their moment about fifteen years ago, then air fryers came along and everyone forgot about them. That’s a bit unfair. A halogen oven is basically a glass bowl with a heating element and a fan in the lid, which is the same idea as an air fryer, only much bigger and with a window you can see straight through. If what you want in winter is a roast chicken, a tray of potatoes or a proper shepherd’s pie without firing up the main oven, it can actually be the better buy.
Where a halogen oven beats an air fryer
Space, mostly. Most basket air fryers top out at a size that’s fine for chips and wings but awkward for anything whole. A 17-litre bowl takes a chicken, a small joint or a full casserole dish with room to spare. You can also stack two racks and cook a main on one and veg on the other.
The other thing is being able to see. The whole bowl is glass, so you watch the crackling bubble or the cheese go brown and pull it at the right moment. No opening a drawer every five minutes to check.
Where it doesn’t
It’s bulky. The lid is heavy and hot when you lift it off, and you need somewhere heatproof to put it down, which is the bit people grumble about most. It’s also not as quick or as crisp as a good air fryer for small things like a handful of chips. If you mostly cook for one and want speed, an air fryer for a small kitchen still makes more sense.
The Schallen 17L
If you do want one, the Schallen 17L halogen oven has thousands of reviews on Amazon UK and has been around for years, which counts for something with a gadget like this. It runs at 1300W, with a temperature dial from 125°C to 250°C and a 60-minute timer. The bowl is 17 litres with the 5L extender ring fitted, which you add when you need more height for a bird or a tall dish.
It comes with a fair bit in the box: a high rack and a low rack, two mesh trays, tongs and an oil spray bottle. Cleaning is the part I like. You pour in warm soapy water, put the lid back on and run the self-clean setting, and the fan swirls it round the bowl for you.
A few tips if you buy one
- Knock 10 to 20°C off a normal oven recipe and check early. The element sits very close to the top of the food.
- Use the low rack for anything tall, or the top will brown long before the middle is done. A loose sheet of foil over the top helps too.
- Get a lid stand or keep a trivet next to it. That hot lid needs a home every time you check the food.
For midweek winter dinners for two to four people, it’s a sensible way to avoid heating a whole oven for one tray. Just make sure you’ve got the worktop space for it first, because it isn’t something you’ll want to lift in and out of a cupboard.
