Speed cookers earn mixed reviews.(Microwave Ovens - Test)(Evaluation)

Microwave ovens won't turn out nicely roasted meat or crispy fries, but there are speed-cooking appliances that claim to do just that. They combine microwave technology with other heating methods (such as convection fans and halogen light bulbs) to cut cooking time while browning and crisping food. We tested five fast cookers--three over-the-range units, one wall oven, and one freestanding range--priced from $550 to $1,300. (See "Front Lines," page 6, for a low-priced countertop speed cooker.)

The speed cookers were good for roasting meats and heating foods like frozen french fries. They made good roast chicken and pork in less than half the usual time--about 6 to 10 minutes a pound for chicken, and 16 to 20 minutes a pound for pork. But we wouldn't advise baking cakes or cookies in speed-cook mode; the results weren't very good.

Most of the tested models also work as a regular oven and a microwave oven. All were fine as regular ovens, but only one could hold a candle to the better microwave ovens. We think they're expensive for what they offer.

GE Profile Advantium SCA2000B[BB], $1,300. This over-the-range oven was the fastest and the most expensive. Combining microwaves and halogen heating, it can be used as a microwave oven (albeit an unimpressive one) or as a speed cooker, but not as a typical oven. It requires a 240-volt, 30-amp outlet, which isn't available in most kitchens. Bottom line: Its high cost, smallish capacity, and noisiness offset its advantages.

GE Profile Advantium 120 SCA1000D [WW], $750. Less powerful than its sibling, it operates on 120 volts. This over-the-range oven combines microwave, halogen heating, and convection capabilities. It has a convection-oven mode in addition to speed-cook and microwave modes. Its performance was not significantly different from that of less costly convection/microwave ovens, and its microwave performance was just okay. Bottom line: More mainstream than its higher-priced ...