The Main Difference Between OTG vs Microwave – Which is Better in 2021?

OTG vs Microwave

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With so much technological improvement, there is a tool designed to handle each type of task in your kitchen. Sales of both OTG and Microwaves have gone up exponentially in the last decade or so, but there is still a lot of confusion between OTG vs Microwave and which one will suit your kitchen more.

So, today we will cover everything you need to know about OTG vs Microwave including their pros and cons, what you can and cannot do with these gadgets.

We have also covered a post on the Main Difference Between Solo vs Grill vs Convection Microwave and Air Fryer vs Microwave, you can check it out. At the same time, if you already have a Microwave, do check out our post on Best Microwave Oven Stand in India in 2021.

Quick Glance
Microwaves – For working class who don’t want to spend a lot of time in cooking
OTG – For Professional Bakers who like to bake, grill and toast

OTG vs Microwave (In a Nutshell)

OTG vs Microwave

What is an OTG?

What is an OTG?

Historically speaking, Oven is a broad term used for appliances that can heat and cook our food. It was during the 2nd World War in 1945 when American physicist Percy Spencer invented Microwave Ovens.

OTG aka Oven, Toaster, Grill is a smaller and compact version of traditional ovens. As the name suggests, you can bake, toast and grill with an OTG. But the issue is, you can also do this with Microwave, so why do you need an OTG? This is exactly what we are going to discuss in this post.

An OTG is designed and structured in a way that it has two filaments or heating coils at the bottom and the top of the OTG. These heating coils are also one of the main difference between OTG vs Microwave. The coils once heated helps to cook the meals. These days, you will see OTGs with fans as well just like Convection Microwaves.

All the OTGs have the option to switch on 1 or 2 coils depending on what you are going to do. For an example, if you are going to bake you will need both the coils and if you are only going to grill, you can switch on just 1 coil. OTG is also known as a Baker’s delight as it is an ideal kitchen appliance to bake, grill and toast.

A very important point to note with respect to OTGs is the time it takes to bake or heat. Due to the electric coils that takes time to heat up, the overall cooking time increases with an OTG.

Price of an OTG in India starts from 2,500 INR and can go up to 10,000 INR. Best OTG Brands in India are Philips, Bajaj, Borosil, Agaro, etc. Capacity of an OTG varies from 10 litres to 60 litres, this depends on if you are going to use the OTG for personal or professional use.

Advantages of OTG

1. An OTG is lightweight and portable, in our tests we compared the weight of 16 litre OTG vs 16 litre Microwave. Weight of an OTG was around 4.7 kgs whereas weight of the Microwave was close to 12 kgs (almost 2.5x lightweight)
OTGs are a much affordable option for your kitchen
3. OTGs saves money on toaster and grill as these are inbuilt features of an OTG
4. Unlike Microwaves, you can use metal utensils in the OTG
5. An OTG is the most perfect tool for baking 

Disadvantages of OTG

1. OTGs takes a lot of time to heat up the food items
2. OTGs are known for uneven distribution of the heat
3. Basic Microwave functions such as reheating, defrosting is not possible with OTGs

Best OTG in India

Philips HD6975/00 25-Litre Digital Oven Toaster Grill is considered to the best OTG in India. This OTG has a capacity of 25 litres which is ideal for an average family of 3-4 people. The Philips OTG functions with a powerful 1500 Watts motor and has 10 preset menus. There is also a 2 year warranty on this model from Philips.

best OTG in India

What can you do with an OTG?

Holistically speaking, an OTG is a perfect kitchen tool for baking, grilling and toasting. The quality of baking you can do with an OTG is quite professional as compared to a Microwave. You can also bake cookies, cupcakes, muffins, croissant, pasta, grill meat, toast bread or make a pizza, bruschetta with an OTG.

What can you NOT do with an OTG?

Since electric coils present in the OTG can take some time to be heated, you cannot use an OTG for deep frying, heating or defrosting food items.

Who should buy an OTG?

If you have some time on hand or have an appetite for baking, there is nothing better than an OTG. You will not be able to achieve the same level of taste, crispness with any other kitchen appliance. It is a well known fact that OTGs are loved for the delicious food they produce and not the speed with which they cook. 

What is a Microwave?

what is a microwave

In scientific terms, microwaves are known as radio waves, and they use the water molecules present in your food for heating, however we are sure you are not here to read all that. We have all known Microwaves as an ideal kitchen appliance to reheat food, but there is a lot more Microwaves are capable to do.

If you have read our previous post, you will know that there are 3 main types of Microwaves we use in our daily lives in India. The 3 microwave types are Solo, Grill and Convection. You can also check out our post on the main difference between Solo vs Grill vs Convection Microwave.

Solo Microwave – Reheating, Cooking and Defrosting
Grill Microwave – Reheating, Cooking and Defrosting + Grill
Convection Microwave – Reheating, Cooking and Defrosting + Grill + Baking

Microwave Ovens are preferred by a lot of people in India because they can reheat the food within seconds. But in addition to reheat, you can also a Microwave for grilling and baking. This depends on the Microwave model you have bought (Solo, Grill or Convection).

A very important point to note with respect to Microwaves is the power consumption it takes which is between that of a refrigerator and an iron and this is when you use Microwaves for only a few seconds.

Price of a Microwave Oven in India starts from 4,000 INR and can go up to 25,000 INR depending on the type of microwave you are going to buy. Best Microwave Oven Brands in India are LG, IFB, Samsung, Bajaj, etc. Capacity of a Microwave Oven varies from 15 litres to 35 litres.

Advantages of Microwaves

1. Microwaves are very convenient to use, you can simply reheat the food with the help of Timer, Start and Stop button
2. Microwaves are known to heat the food uniformly and there is no uneven heating
3. The dish gets hot but the inside of the microwave remains cold for easy access
4. Since microwaves heat up the food very fast, fewer nutrients are lost
5. Cleaning is easier in a microwave as compared to a traditional oven
6. Pre-heating is not required as heating starts from the moment you press the “Start” button
7. Temperature control is in your hands with a Microwave
8. Allows Auto-cook functionality

Disadvantages of Microwaves

1. Microwaves such as Convection models are expensive
2. Microwaves are bulky and movement can be tedious
3. Power consumption for a Microwave is on the higher side
4. Only Microwave-safe utensils can be used
5. You can only cook one meal at a time with a Microwave oven
6. If you are not careful with the timer, a Microwave can overheat your food
7. Microwave tends to reduce the water levels in your food

Best Microwave Ovens in India

LG 32 L Convection Microwave Oven (MC3286BRUM) is the Best Microwave Oven in India in 2021. With a capacity of 32 litres, this Convection microwave from LG is suitable for large families, you can use it for grilling, reheating, defrosting and cooking. As an icing on the cake, you get 211 Indian auto cook menu options and 1 year warranty from LG.

Best Microwave Ovens in India

What can you do with a Microwave Oven?

In addition to heating and defrosting in a Microwave, you can cook dinner from the scratch like poached eggs, cookies, mac and cheese, popcorn and also potato chips. You can also bake a cake, make eggs, steam veggies, peel garlic, dry herbs, soak beans, etc.

What can you NOT do with a Microwave Oven?

Although Convection Microwaves allow you to bake, however the quality of baking cannot be compared with an OTG. In addition to this, you should not use metal bowls or leave your food uncovered in a Microwave oven.

Who should buy a Microwave Oven?

If you have limited time probably because you work long hours or don’t have the patience to reheat or cook on a gas stove, you should get a Microwave oven due to its ability to heat the food quickly and also cook food from the scratch.


Now that you know the basic functions, pros/cons of OTG as well as Microwaves, let’s review the main differences between OTG vs Microwave and which is better in 2021.

OTG vs Microwave - Which is the Best

1. Inside Spacing: When you look inside an OTG, you will find multiple trays one on top of another. This type of structure allows you to prepare multiple batches together. This is not possible with a Microwave as only one thing can be cooked at a time.

Scoreline: OTG 1 vs Microwave 0

2. Versatility of Utensils: With an OTG, you can use aluminium, glass and silicone utensils whereas microwave has a certain niche of microwave-safe utensils as you cannot use metal utensils in a microwave. Hence, OTG offers more versatility in terms of utensils.

Scoreline: OTG 2 vs Microwave 0

3. Temperature Control: Although a Microwave oven allows you to regulate the temperature but it is not as good as an OTG where you can see the exact temperature which is very essential for baking. 

Scoreline: OTG 3 vs Microwave 0

4. Capacity: A Microwave can contain up to 35 litres whereas an OTG has a capacity of up to 60 litres. Higher capacity gives an edge to the OTGs as you can bake and prepare large batches of food in comparison to a Microwave. 

Scoreline: OTG 4 vs Microwave 0

5. Preheating: An OTG requires up to 15 to 20 minutes to preheat whereas a Microwave oven only needs up to 5 minutes to preheat. Higher preheating time means an increase in cooking time with an OTG. Finally, something for Microwaves!

Scoreline: OTG 4 vs Microwave 1

6. Functionality: If you happen to buy a Convection Microwave oven, you can reheat, defrost, grill, bake and even roast your food. On the other hand, you wouldn’t be able to reheat your food with an OTG as it is a dedicated appliance for baking.

Scoreline: OTG 4 vs Microwave 2

7. User Interface: Microwave ovens are more advanced in terms of User interface than OTGs. Most of the Microwaves have a digital display where you can also set a timer, choose from a preset menu or even auto-cook.

Scoreline: OTG 4 vs Microwave 3

8. Weight: When we compared the weight of a 16 litre OTG with a 16 litre Microwave, we found out that weight of an OTG was around 4.7 kgs whereas weight of the Microwave was close to 12 kgs. In general, Microwaves are heavier and bulky and can be difficult to move from one place to other.

Scoreline: OTG 5 vs Microwave 3

9. Food Preparation Time: If you start to cook food from the scratch using an OTG it will take a lot of time due to its heating mechanism where an OTG gets it heat from traditional heat waves. This process is much faster in a Microwave, thanks to its heating method. 

Scoreline: OTG 5 vs Microwave 4

10. Auto-Cook: You do not get Auto-cook options in an OTG where Microwaves these days have around 100 to 200 preset menu options. 

Scoreline: OTG 5 vs Microwave 5

11. Ease of Use: With a digital display and pre-set options, it is easier to operate a Microwave as compared to an OTG which is much more mechanical and has confusing settings.

Scoreline: OTG 5 vs Microwave 6

12. Affordability: You can get an OTG ranging from 2,000 to 2,500 INR whereas a Solo Microwave which has the least number of functions will cost you at least 4-5k in India. Thus, OTGs are more affordable than Microwaves.

Scoreline: OTG 6 vs Microwave 6

13. Ease of Cleaning: Due to multiple racks and floors, cleaning an OTG is a much more difficult process as compared to a Microwave oven.

Scoreline: OTG 6 vs Microwave 7

Conclusion – OTG vs Microwave

Making a choice between OTG vs Microwave seems difficult only when you want it to be. The easier thing is to find out what your requirements are going to be and why do you need a Microwave or OTG. The bottomline is you should go for an OTG if you like to bake or make pizzas as Convection Microwave will not give you that kind of taste and flavour. On the other hand, go for a Microwave if you have a need for speed. Simple, isn’t it!

Related Questions on OTG vs Microwave

If you have still have any confusion between OTG vs Microwave, the below set of questions will help you sleep well. Let’s take a look:

Which is healthy OTG vs Microwave?

Both the kitchen appliances OTG and Microwaves employ different techniques to do the same job. A Microwave works on the principle of electromagnetic waves whereas an OTG uses coils and hot air circulated through the fan. Scientifically speaking, there is no proven evidence stating which one is more safer from OTG vs Microwave. On a side note, a fewer nutrients are lost in a Microwave due to the less time taken for heating.

Which is better for Pizza – OTG vs Microwave?

To make a pizza, you need a very hot base to start with. A Microwave creates current and not heat which is why, it will not be able to create that amount of heat that a pizza requires. An OTG is an ideal choice to make a pizza, all you need to do is preheat the OTG, place your pizza in it and set the temperature at 250 degrees. In around 5 minutes, you can take out the pizza, that’s all!

Which is more Energy Efficient – OTG vs Microwave?

A Microwave uses radio waves to heat the water molecules inside the food. That’s why you will find out the dishes to be hot from inside as well with a Microwave. Since a Microwave heats all the food at once, it requires less cooking time and subsequently, less power consumption. At the same time, an OTG has a slow cooking process where hot air surrounds the food and heat slowly transfers from the outer parts to the interior of the food. More cooking time means higher power consumption. The difference in power consumption also depends on the wattage (higher the more), power settings and how do you use the appliance.

Which is better for Baking – OTG vs Microwave?

Out of Solo, Grill and Convection Microwaves, baking can only be done with Convection microwaves and not the other 2 variants from the Microwave family. But if you are a professional or an advanced baker, we strongly recommend you to go with an OTG as baking is its speciality. An OTG works with the help of heating coils and hot air through the fan which is ideal and optimal for baking and this level of precision might not be achieved with a Microwave.

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