Great idea, fair implementation

Let me start off by giving a short explanation of GE's model numbers and the different Advantium types. The SCA prefix indicates that it's an over the range model; SCB is a built-in type (like a regular wall oven). The letters after the digits in the model number refer to the color code, and aren't relevant for the purposes of reviewing.

SCA1000 - Advantium 120; runs on 120 volts, available in over the range style only, in black, white, biscuit and stainless steel. Adds conventional heating element (for use as a regular oven) that 200x series lacks.

SCA2000/SCB2000 - Ultimate Advantium (previously Advantium 240 or just Advantium) - runs on 220/240 volts; available in black, white, biscuit

SCA1001/SCA2001/SCB2001 - same as above, but with stainless exterior. I haven't been able to determine why GE uses a different number for stainless steel (one possibility that occurred to me after I wrote the initial review; the "color" models have an all-glass front [yes, it's real glass, not plastic; I found this out when we purchased our first one and the porter at the appliance store broke the glass when he was getting it out to our car], while the stainless models are all metal).

I will not talk about the 1000 series, only the 2000. Operation for the all models of the 200x series is the same. The differences are:

SCB series do not include exhaust fan or stovetop light, and have membrane type controls rather than rubber pushbuttons. Also, when microwaving, the light in the SCB series stays on; the SCA cavity light does not run in microwave mode (light is provided by the high-power halogen bulbs when in speed cook mode).

On to the review...

GE markets this oven with the catch phrase "cooking with light". You're not actually cooking with light (except in the sense that the heat is provided by high-energy halogen bulbs; light actually has very little energy); you're still cooking with heat, with a combination of radiant, conductive and microwave cooking. GE has done a really miserable job of marketing this oven and most people haven't heard of it; those that see it can't figure out why you'd pay $1,500 for a microwave.

GE claims that this oven can cook up to 8 times as fast as a regular oven. So far, I haven't found anything that can be cooked that fast. You do have the advantage of no preheating time, though. Example cooking times: two hamburgers can be cooked in 3 minutes (typically 10-12 minutes on the grill); reheat two slices of pizza (with a crisp crust) in about 4 minutes (figure 5-10 minutes in the oven plus preheating time), cook frozen fish fillets in 4 minutes.

Most recipes work fairly well; there are certain ones that need some adjustment. For example, I found that biscuits rose OK, but tended to be a little hard on the bottom.

The problem here is that you've got a whole new method of cooking, and since this product is not widely known, you won't know how to cook something until you experiment a little (although after a while you kind of get the idea, sort of like you know how long to microwave something even without instructions). There are many different types of prepared foods preprogrammed into the oven, and there's also a recipe book, but if you purchase a premade entree which isn't listed, you're on your own. Additionally, while GE provides a mechanism for you to program in your own recipes (which can be saved), they aren't as flexible as the built in ones; for example, the setting for frozen fish stops at one minute until being done and tells you to turn it; you can't do this with your own recipes. Also, you don't have as much flexibility in naming: the oven has a few main categories (e.g. beef, chicken, potatoes, seafood, breakfast), under which there are sub-categories such as chicken nuggets, French toast etc. Beneath that you can choose the size of the portion and then the quantity. If you're creating your own recipes you can only choose the main category (chicken), then you can only specify a recipe number. GE gives you a reference chart to write down your recipes, but this is inconvenient at best, it would have been much better to allow you to actually enter the name. You also can't set up different parameters for different portion sizes; you have to create a whole new recipe. And possibly most annoyingly, you can't do multi-stage recipes; so, for example, you can't set up something to defrost frozen hamburgers and then start cooking them.

Programming the microwave has similar weaknesses; you can't set up a two-stage recipe (cook at 100% for 2 minutes, then at 50% for 2 minutes) or have it pause so you can turn the food over, like you can do with pretty much any other $100 micro. Also, entering cooking times is inconvenient; there's no keypad (most likely for aesthetic reasons), only several buttons to select certain functions plus a dial to choose categories, recipes and select times. To select microwave cooking times is a relatively complicated key sequence (press microwave, turn dial to time cook, press dial, then choose minutes and seconds and press start). We find ourselves using the micro express button most of the time, which is a 30 second cook cycle at full power (and can be pressed multiple times to add 30 seconds each time). A nice feature, cooking times and power levels can be changed on the fly by rotating the dial, even in micro express mode. And a last annoyance: the interior light does not stay on during microwave mode (although there is a button you can press to illuminate the cavity for a few seconds), which makes it difficult to "cook it 'till it bubbles".

The microwave does, however, have a moisture sensor, which I believe is becoming more common on regular microwaves as well. This allows you to put in common types of food (such as a single plate of leftovers, a bowl of soup, or a package of microwave popcorn), select the appropriate setting with the dial and press start. The Advantium will do the rest, figuring out how long to cook the food by how much moisture it senses in the air. For most foods this works fairly well, although I still prefer cooking popcorn by ear, as it tended to stop too soon in automatic mode.

Another major annoyance is cleaning. Food cooked in here tends to spatter, and there's no self clean. I find myself cleaning the oven very frequently, which certainly obviates some of the time savings. Cleaning is not all that difficult; the interior is stainless steel and can be cleaned up with most kitchen cleaners. A razor scraper can be used on the glass over the light bulbs.

Also, be aware that this is a 240v appliance, which means that you can't plug it into a standard 120v outlet. For most people, that will add several hundred dollars to the cost of the product to hire an electrician to install the necessary wiring and outlet (for you DIYers, it has a standard 4 prong, 220V, 30 amp plug). Other than that, installation is relatively straightforward, the same as a regular over-the-range microwave (although it's much heavier, so you'll probably need the assistance of a second person if you're installing it yourself).

Since this is an over the range product, it also naturally includes a rangetop light and a vent fan. The fan works quite well (even turning on automatically sometimes when it senses a lot of water vapor in the air), although the low setting is not much quieter than the high. The range light has two levels and works well. It also has an automatic nightlight (range light at the lower level) which can be programmed to go on and off at specific times - nice if you get up in the middle of the night for a glass of water or something.

One last concern: this is a very (electronically) sophisticated product, so the possibility exists that it will break. GE provides a 10 year warranty on the bulbs, but anything else is at your expense. Because of that you may want to invest in an extended warranty (our retailer offered a comprehensive 10 year, which we gladly paid for). I shudder to think what repair costs would be for this, especially considering GE's reputation for high replacement part prices.

This product was designed in the late 90s, so it may be somewhat understandable that GE shied away from the sophisticated programming features that you expect in almost all electronics these days. Because of the likely limited market for this product (considering its price) I wonder if they'll ever design a new version; if they do, they should strongly consider adding a computer interface (like an ethernet jack or USB port) so it can be programmed better.

But surprisingly, overall, I'm still glad I got it (although I probably wouldn't be if I had paid even close to full price; I purchased a customer return at a major discount). It does a great job of cooking things fast without the microwave rubberiness or mushiness. And once you get used to it, it does get a little easier.

If you have further questions, or you decide to buy one, you may wish to join the Yahoo Advantium group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Advantium/. We have a small community, but it's slowly growing.

Update: 4/9/07

We moved out of the house where the Advantium was installed when I wrote this review. We are now renting it out and it has been fairly reliable. I believe we had one repair (covered under our retailer's optional 10 year warranty) to the microwave magnetron, but other than that it's been pretty good (especially when you consider it's being used by tenants). I have now purchased a second Advantium, which will be installed in the kitchen in our new house as soon as our cabinets are finished.

GE has now come out with a wall oven version of the 1000, but in my opinion, if you're going to be doing a wall oven installation, you'd be better off spending the extra money for the 220 volt version. They still have not been marketing it very well; in fact, I have seen it in fewer stores now than when I wrote my review. I have also noticed that there are quite a few new Advantiums available on eBay, so if you don't need the handholding that comes with purchasing from a regular retailer, this may be a reasonable option for someone looking to save money.