Toaster oven mystery

[JC]

OK, so I'm addicted to Stouffer's french bread pizzas....mmmmmmm......

Now, the mystery:
I can't wait for preheating, so I just shove the frozen pizza in the toaster oven, set a timer for 15 minutes, and it's all good. But when I pull the first pizza and put in the second, 15
minutes isn't enough. Takes at least 2-3 minutes longer, even though the oven's preheated now. What gives??

Yes, this is the sort of thing that keeps me up at night

JC

edit: the second pizza is just as frozen as the first when it goes in.

 

[OutHouse]

because the first one is getting defrosted as the oven heats up

 

[JC]

<< because the first one is getting defrosted as the oven heats up >>



????
I don't follow you....

 

[Wallydraigle]

Because the heating element is on the whole time while the oven is heating, thereby bombarding the pizza with a constant wave of IR radiation. Once the oven is heated to the proper temperature the food is heated by convection alone.

 

[JC]

<< Because the heating element is on the whole time while the oven is heating, thereby bombarding the pizza with a constant wave of IR radiation. Once the oven is heated to the proper temperature the food is heated by convection alone. >>



Well no, the heating cycles on and off to maintain temperature after preheating just like any electric oven.

 

[Thegonagle]

Maybe you?re falling asleep after all.

He just said that the whole time the oven is preheating, the element is on, bombarding the Stouffer?s French bread pizza with radiant heat. After the oven has preheated, the element cycles off and on as directed by the thermostat. While the element is off, there is no radiant heating, only convective heating, which is not as fast as radiant heat, so it takes a minute or two longer. That theory makes perfect sense to me.

Mmmm, pizza. . .

 

[JC]

Well a couple of pizzas and a couple of beers does make me sleepy....sleepy....