Panasonic - HomeCHEF .7 Cu. Ft. 7-in-1 Compact Oven with Steam and Convection - Black
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Customers are saying
Customers frequently mention the compact size of the HomeCHEF oven, appreciating that it takes up very little space. They also rave about the steam function, calling it a standout feature. The oven's multi-functionality is another highlight, with customers appreciating the various cooking options it offers. However, some customers have expressed concerns about uneven cooking times.
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The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products or points for an honest, helpful review.
- Rated 4 out of 5 stars
There is a learning curve
I remember when my mom got her first microwave in the 80's and she complained that she had to learn how to cook all over again. I feel the same way about this unit, but like a microwave, I can't imagine NOT using it now! First- the results are AMAZING! I have had a multi function toaster oven for several years so I like the convenience of many units combined into one. I have a small kitchen so the saved counter space is a blessing. Second- It stays incredibly clean during cooking but if there are some splatters, it wipes clean quickly. It has a self-clean mode that I have not had to use yet because it just hasn't gotten dirty! Third- I don't have a dishwasher so the sanitize function is very welcome. I did not have this on my last unit. There are times handwashing just won't clean items completely. Fourth- I love that there are two racks. You can cook on two levels, but I mostly use them to have one to cook and one to clean. I don't lose time washing and drying one rack in order to cook again. Fifth- I love the steam function. That was not an option on my last unit. I have steamed hot dogs (and then steamed in the bun for a short time at the end). They came out delicious! Some of the issues that created the learning curve- The buttons are not intuitive to me. Maybe they are to others. I have found that I need to follow directions (which I found a bit confusing at first) to even toast bread. The beep is VERY soft. If I am not in the kitchen, I can't hear it. If you open the door to check the food, you MUST hit start again or it will be in a hold pattern. I have forgotten this a few times at first and it throws off my cooking time. I have trouble getting the QR code to work. This takes you to an online cooking guide which is helpful (refer back to it not being intuitive). I have tried with my phone camera and two different QR readers so I don't think it's my phone. The directions to switch between the convection bake with and without preheat were a bit confusing. It took just pushing buttons to figure it out. I wish the words on the buttons were a little larger and easier to see. Because of the location I have to put oven, I am looking at it on an angle. I have since learned which buttons are which but I can't see the words very well (even with my glasses!). Overall, the learning curve is worth a little work at first to use this oven. The results are worth it!
Posted by CTmom
- Rated 4 out of 5 stars
HomeCHEF Makes Tender Chicken & Fabulous Brownies!
INTRODUCTION: The Panasonic HomeCHEF SC180B is a 7-in-1 Compact Oven that can Convection Bake to 445 degrees F, Steam, Slow Cook, Ferment, Stay Warm at 85 degrees F, & is an extraordinary Air Fryer. With a 0.7 cubic feet capacity, it measures 15 29/32"W x 15 29/32"L x 14 51/64"H & weighs 27.1#. REVIEW & RESULTS: The large viewing glass on the front door strikes a sleek appearance with a beautiful view. A versatile LED simplifies the cooking process. A water chamber, located below the oven, makes meats even juicer with steam. We Air-Fried the most tender chicken & baked the tastiest brownies (see photo)! YUM! DISAPPOINTMENTS: - When you select Air-Fry, the oven Pre-heats, which takes more time than expected. No timer lets you know remaining Pre-heat time. You must wait for 3 beeps & a check mark on the front panel before you can enter the desired Air-Fry time. - A Stainless Steel exterior option should be offered, as many kitchens today feature all Stainless Steel appliances. We plan to hide this black appliance in a ventilated Appliance Garage because it is not Stainless Steel, as are all of our other appliances. - Operation is not intuitive, even when you are familiar with Air Fryers & Convection Ovens. Auto Cook Setting & Menus require careful review of the online instruction manual. CONCLUSION: - Energy efficient; our kitchen did not heat up using it. - It is super easy to clean. - The steam tray also collects food drips in a separate section of the tray, simplifying cleaning even further. - The wire rack & metal trays are dishwasher safe.
Posted by gadgetguy11
- Rated 4 out of 5 stars
The Swiss Army Knife of Compact Ovens
SUMMARY: Full sized ovens are great for baking full sized turkeys, hams and pies for holiday feasts. However, they consume a lot of power heating up a ~4 cubic foot volume. On top of the high power consumption, most kitchen ovens are only radiant heat devices which can result in uneven temperatures top to bottom. As energy costs rose over the years, manufacturers came up with countertop convection ovens which consumed far less power. They also had circulating fans that circulated even air temperatures from corner to corner of the oven and thus on parts of the food that otherwise wouldn’t be warmed evenly because they weren’t in direct line-of-sight of the glowing heating elements. The Panasonic .7 cubic foot HomeCHEF 7-in-1 compact oven adds 6 more cooking features to a standard convection oven, further enhancing the possibilities. I am particularly impressed by the steam cooking option. FEATURES: • Convection Bake (with Preheat) - Some recipes require cooking to start immediately and call for oven pre-heating. • Convection Bake (without Preheat) - Some recipes do not require cooking to start immediately. If pre-heating is not required, not using it will sometimes save some time and power. • Air Frying - “Air Frying” is just like convection heating except that the temperature is automatically set to 445°F saving a setup step. The high temperature of air frying tends to dry the surface to crispiness for crunchy French fries etc. • Steam Cooking (Low) – Steam cooking cooks shell fish, regular fish, vegetables and things you’d normally cook in a crock-pot. Unlike radiant or convection baking, the steam keeps the food moist and subjects it to a constant 212°F. This is very unique for a “Compact Oven”. • Steam Cooking (High) – This setting is 212°F just like Steam Low but it produces a greater volume of steam. This is good for larger amounts of food but it does use more water and power. The high steam volume also gives and autoclave effect that can sterilize utensils and things like baby bottles and nipples. I used it to clean the spattered baked grease off of the round metal thermometer I’ve used in my baking ovens for years. The steam softened the black baked on grease and allowed me to remove it easily with a paring knife and scotch brite pad. • Slow Cook – This is for cooking stews/roasts etc. in small water filled crockpot(s). It extends the cooking time to hours to tenderize meat etc. • Ferment – This is a setting for baking certain types of bread. It’s use is covered in the supplied recipes. PROS: • Attractive Contemporary Design • Very quick and accurate temperature control. • The touch screen gives access to any cooking temperatures, times and events you desire. The memory in the oven’s computer also gives access to pre-programmed menus that make all of the settings for you with one or two button presses. • Two separate trays and racks enhances the cooking capacity. • Comes with 18 Auto-cook menus in the oven’s memory and detailed recipes for them (with ingredients and pictures) in the owner’s manual and on-line. • The oven is well lit during cooking with bright WHITE LEDs. The white lighting vs. old fashioned yellowish incandescent bulbs, make it much easier to see the color of the meat and determine how well cooked it is. • It has several steam cleaning settings just for cleaning the interior of the oven. This makes it much easier to keep clean than most compact ovens. • 1 Year Parts and Labor Warranty CONS: • At 15 inches, it’s taller than most compact ovens. Because of heat and steam coming out of the top/back area, it requires 8 inches of top-to-cupboard clearance while steam cooking. I simply pulled mine out from under the cupboard while steaming and pushed it back in after. CONCLUSION: The Panasonic .7 cubic foot HomeCHEF 7-in-1 compact oven is a step up in technology for successful results in some recipes that demand precise temperature dispersion and delivery methods (dry or steam).
Posted by Daddio
