An infrared oven is an oven that heats objects or cooks food using infrared radiation instead of conventional conduction or convection heating. People can use infrared ovens in commercial kitchens, homes, or industrial settings.

The major benefit behind infrared (IR) heating is that IR heaters in the ovens enable the transfer of heat energy directly to the part rather than into the air through radiative heat transfer. As a result, IR ovens typically perform tasks faster than an equivalent convection oven.

Regardless of the air temperature around them, infrared waves move through the air and release heat energy when they come into contact with a surface. The molecules of an item encountered by an infrared oven are excited by that heat energy and start to vibrate and gain energy (and warm up). Water is particularly well-absorbed through infrared ovens. An infrared oven is distinguished from a convection oven by how it heats food. A convection oven uses a fan to surround and help heat the food. An infrared oven allows you to cook food without heating the surrounding air.

Infrared heater heats the material under process from the outer surface to inner surface, as waves are absorbed by the material, whereas microwave heats the substance from inner to outer surface of material due to movement of molecules.

However, infrared radiation has a larger wavelength and a higher frequency than microwave radiation, which has a shorter wavelength.

Infrared ovens are made to heat up quickly, cutting down on the time the oven uses electricity. The smaller size of infrared ovens over convection ovens contributes to their energy efficiency. Infrared ovens are perfect for small kitchens because of their small size. Since they don't utilize a fan, infrared ovens are quieter than convection ovens.