Cooking Speed

• Convection ovens are more efficient than conventional ovens. The heat circulation created by a fan moves heated air molecules more rapidly, allowing them to transfer heat more effectively to cooking food. Adjust recipes for convection cooking by lessening the prescribed cooking time by 25 percent, and then check for doneness and allow additional time if necessary. Alternatively, reduce a recipe's cooking temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit when adapting a conventional oven recipe for a convection oven.

Cooking Evenness

• A convection oven's air circulation helps to cook food evenly, lessening the need to rotate trays. Not only do foods cook relatively evenly on the top and bottom of the oven as well as the back and the front, convection ovens also allow heat to penetrate foods more consistently, lessening the risk of a chicken or casserole that's burnt on the outside but raw on the inside.

Better Convection Ovens

• Some convection oven models just have heating elements on the top and bottom, and a fan to circulate the air. High quality convection ovens, sometimes referred to as "true" convection ovens, also have a third heating element in back near the fan, increasing the appliance's efficiency. When buying a convection oven, choose a self-contained unit rather than one combined with a stovetop range. These dedicated appliances tend to have better designs that cook more consistently and effectively.

Potential Problems

• Cooking with a convection oven can be tricky if you're used to using a conventional oven because food will cook more quickly and you'll have to watch it more closely. However, after cooking several batches of cookies or roasted chicken you'll get used to convection cooking times and make necessary adjustments. Cooking dishes with phyllo dough can be problematic as well because the sheets are so light that the fan blows them around the oven. Cover phyllo dough dishes with foil or cook them in a conventional rather than a convection oven.