As a journalist, I am fortunate enough to hear about new products and have the chance to review them. I had heard about a new oven which was supposed to save time and money, so I was pleased when a Halogen Oven was sent to me from JML. My first thought was confusion - how on earth did this strange looking thing work, and surely, being round, it was limiting to use? How wrong I was.

Since this time I have spread the virtues of the Halogen Oven to anyone who cares to listen. I have never been a fan of microwaves, but the Halogen Oven is a completely different entity. It cooks some things up to 40% quicker and others is pretty much the same. It reheats, grills, bakes, roasts, steams, defrosts and slow cooks - it even makes toast and can make hard boiled eggs - in short, it is a great machine for families as well as single people or couples, students and even holiday homes.

For me and my family, the Halogen has not replaced my conventional oven, but it has limited its use dramatically. When I am having a baking day, I use the conventional oven, making sure I fill it up to warrant turning it on. Most days see some form of use with the Halogen, whether this is a quick snack or an evening meal. The Halogen was also incredibly useful over the christmas period and when we have a dinner party.

If you are new to the Halogen, don’t be scared of it. Treat it like a very efficient conventional oven and experiment with the timings. The glass bowl gives you a birds-eye view of what is happening inside, allowing you to act quickly to avoid a disaster if and where necessary. I have noticed that some Halogen Oven recipes on the internet recommend high temperatures, reducing the overall time in the oven, however, I have kept to a more conventional approach having found that high temperatures can often lead to burnt tops and raw middles. This approach enables you to create many dishes, including cakes without a problem.

My recipe books contain hundreds of recipes and tips which will help you enjoy the many benefits of the Halogen Oven. The recipes have come from years of cooking, friends, family, adaption and experimentation. I adore baking cakes so this was one area I really wanted to prove the Halogen could cope with. I soon realised that family favourites can work well in the Halogen with only very minor tweaking where necessary. The more you use it , the more confident you will become.