The Thermador MC30WS is a speed oven, and a speed oven cooks with two heat sources at once: microwave energy that heats the food from the inside, and a convection oven that browns and crisps the outside. The microwaves do the quick work and the hot circulating air finishes the surface, which is why Thermador describes the MC30WS and MC30WP as cooking up to 50 percent faster than a conventional oven while still browning like one.
What is a Thermador speed oven?
A speed oven is an oven and a microwave in one cavity, built into the wall like any other Thermador oven. On our model list, the MC30WS and MC30WP are the 30-inch Masterpiece speed ovens, both with Home Connect Wi-Fi and panel-ready installation, and the PODM301W is a Professional combination oven with a speed oven above a True Convection oven. Unlike a countertop microwave, a speed oven has a heating element and a fan, so it can roast, bake and brown as well as reheat.
People buy one because it does what a microwave cannot: finish a chicken thigh with crisp skin in a fraction of the usual time, or bake a potato until the skin is dry and the center is soft in minutes rather than an hour. For the broader oven line, see our Thermador oven buying guide.
How do the microwave and the convection work together?
Microwaves are a form of radio wave that makes the water molecules in food vibrate, and that vibration produces heat. They penetrate a short way into the food, so the inside warms quickly instead of waiting for heat to creep in from the surface. A convection oven works the opposite way: a heating element warms the air and a fan moves it over the food, so the surface cooks and browns first. In combined mode the oven runs both, alternating or overlapping them according to the program, so the center heats quickly while the outside browns.
That is the whole trick, and it is also why the results differ from a plain microwave. Microwaves alone do not brown anything. The fan and element are what make a roast look and taste like it came out of an oven. Our explainer on how Thermador True Convection works covers the airflow side in detail.
Which cooking modes does a speed oven use?
Most speed ovens offer three families of modes: microwave only for reheating and defrosting, convection only for baking and roasting like a normal oven, and a combined mode that uses both for faster cooking. Many also offer automatic programs that choose the power and time from the food type and weight. The exact list varies by model and by software version, so use the controls and the manual for your own MC30 or PODM model rather than a general guide. A good rule is to start with a program close to the dish and check it a few minutes early the first few times, since each oven runs a little differently.
What cookware can you use in a Thermador speed oven?
The rule depends on the mode. In microwave and combined modes, use cookware the manual lists as safe, which usually means glass, ceramic and microwave-safe plastic, and keep metal out unless the manual specifically allows a particular rack or tray. In convection-only mode, metal baking sheets and pans are generally fine, because the microwave is off. Never run the oven empty in a microwave mode, never heat a sealed container or an egg in its shell and keep plastic wrap and foil away from the walls. If you are not sure, check the manual first, because a spark inside the cavity damages the cavity and the microwave components.
How is a speed oven different from a regular wall oven?
A regular wall oven is better for large, slow jobs, such as a big roast, a tray of cookies or a multi-rack bake, and it holds temperature steadily for hours. A speed oven is smaller and quicker, built for weeknight dinners, reheating that does not turn food rubbery and single dishes. Many kitchens use both: a speed oven for fast work and a True Convection wall oven for the large jobs. The PODM301W puts the two in one 30-inch cutout, and the MC30WS or MC30WP can be paired above or beside a Masterpiece wall oven. Our speed oven and steam oven guide compares the specialty ovens.
How do you look after a speed oven?
- Wipe the cavity after use with a soft damp cloth once it has cooled, because baked-on food absorbs energy and can burn.
- Keep the door seal and the edges of the cavity clean. Food on the seal can stop the door from closing fully, and a door that does not seal is a safety problem.
- Do not use abrasive pads or oven cleaner on the cavity or the glass, and follow the manual for any self-cleaning mode.
- Do not remove covers or panels. The microwave components hold a dangerous charge even when the oven is unplugged, and only a technician should open them.
Routine care for the rest of the oven is in our Thermador oven maintenance guide, and if the oven shows an error, our oven error codes guide lists what each means.
