Food & baking · Oven
Convection oven temperature converter.
Recipe written for a conventional oven? Enter its temperature and get the setting for a convection (fan) oven, with Celsius and gas mark alongside.
Inputs
Oven settings
Enter an oven temperature.
How to convert an oven temperature for convection
Convection ovens blow hot air around the cavity, so food browns and cooks faster. King Arthur's rule of thumb is to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F and make the first check of baking time 10 minutes earlier than the recipe says. LG's convection guide gives the same 25°F (14°C) reduction when auto conversion is off. In the UK, Which? notes that fan oven temperatures are typically around 20°C lower than conventional ones, which is a slightly different size of step. The calculator shows both so you can follow the rule that matches your recipe's country.
Worked example. A cake recipe asks for 350°F (177°C) in a conventional oven. Set a convection oven to 350 - 25 = 325°F (about 163°C). Using the UK fan rule instead gives 177 - 20 = 157°C, and the Which? chart lists gas mark 4 as 160°C fan. If the recipe says 30 minutes, check at 20.
The gas mark column comes from the Which? conversion table. The calculator picks the nearest gas mark when your temperature is within 12.5°F (half a gas mark step) of a listed value, and says so when it falls outside gas marks 1 to 9. Gas mark charts differ by a few degrees between publishers (Beko lists gas mark 4 as 177°C, Which? as 180°C), so treat the result as approximate and check your oven manual.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I lower the temperature for a convection oven?
King Arthur Baking and LG both give 25°F (about 14°C) lower than the conventional recipe. UK guidance from Which? says fan oven temperatures are typically around 20°C lower.
Do I also shorten the baking time?
King Arthur suggests making your first check 10 minutes earlier than the recipe says. Cooking times vary by food and oven, so judge doneness by appearance and a skewer or thermometer rather than the clock.
What is gas mark 4 in Fahrenheit and Celsius?
The Which? table lists gas mark 4 as 350°F and 180°C, with a fan oven setting of 160°C. Other charts round slightly differently, for example 177°C.
Can I go the other way, from a fan oven recipe to a conventional oven?
Add the same amount back: 25°F (about 14°C), or 20°C using the UK fan rule. This is the inverse of the published rule, not a separately published figure.
Sources
Retrieved
- King Arthur Baking: Convection conundrum
- LG: Understanding convection cooking
- Which?: Oven temperature conversion table
- Beko: Oven temperature conversions
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Scope
Ovens differ in how accurately they hold temperature. Use an oven thermometer if results are uneven, and follow your manufacturer's manual where it differs from these rules of thumb.