At a Glance:
Most homeowners only use the most basic settings on their ovens. They heat up the appliance, cook their goods, and then turn it off. However, modern ovens are packed with multiple settings and options that can be used to enhance your cooking. You can enjoy better-prepared meals and elevate your cooking skills.
Get to know some common oven settings and how to use them. See if you can use these settings on your current oven or look for them when you are shopping for a new range.
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Broil
One of the most commonly misunderstood oven settings is the broil feature. Few people know the difference between broil vs. bake and when to use each one. Essentially, the broil setting brings your oven to an extremely high heat, which allows you to directly and quickly cook your food. For example, you can melt cheese over soup and give it a nice crust in just a few minutes.
With broil meaning high heat, you need to be careful how you use this setting. When cooking meat, you could burn the outside of your food while the inside is raw. This setting is often used for just a few minutes to add the finishing touches to food.
Hotpoint® 30" White Free Standing Gas Range
This is a common feature and most ovens will have broil functionality as part of their standard settings. This base-model oven by Hotpoint allows you to broil your food or prepare it over four quality gas burners. This highlights how you don’t have to spend a lot of money on your appliances to enjoy quality units that allow for precision cooking.
Several customers write about how easy it is to use this range. One person says, “I bought this range about one and a half months ago and it's great! Does exactly what it is supposed to do with no issues. The buttons for the timer and turning the oven on are easy to use.”
Convection Bake
There are two types of ovens in today’s market: conventional and convection. With a conventional oven, there are two heat sources that cook your food – one on the top and one on the bottom. With a convection setting, hot air is circulated around the oven by a fan. Convection cooking is considered more efficient because the air is constantly moving, which creates a more even cooking experience. You can also use multiple racks at once because you don’t have to worry about blocking heat sources.
Bosch® 800 Series 30" Stainless Steel Slide In Electric Range
If you are an avid baker, check out the oven settings on this model by Bosch. The oven is considered large capacity by industry standards, which means it can hold a variety of baking sheets and dishes at the same time. It comes with 11 specialized cooking modes, including convection bake features.
More than 92% of customers would recommend this range to others. One buyer writes, “This is a beautiful appliance that heats to true temperatures and is a joy to cook on! The oven preheats very quickly, and the stove rings are similarly fast to heat up. I am very happy with my purchase.”
Air Fry
Air frying has become one of the most popular cooking styles over the past few years. Instead of buying a separate air fryer for your countertop, you can instead invest in an air fry oven that does the same thing. This setting adds extra crispiness to your food, allowing you to enjoy crunchy chicken wings and restaurant-quality french fries without having to handle the grease of a fryer at home. This option is also considered a healthier way of cooking instead of traditional frying.
Frigidaire Gallery® 30" Stainless Steel Freestanding Electric Range with Air Fry
This model by Frigidaire allows you to broil, air fry, and convection bake your meals. Air fry features are becoming more common in oven settings because of customer demand. It also comes with five electric heating elements – including one double-ring burner and one triple-ring burner.
This is a highly-rated oven model that has several positive reviews. One person says, “I love it! The burner with the three rings is a great idea. The oven is big enough for my turkey. I do a lot of baking so the three racks come in very handy.”
Preheat
Many oven settings highlight how technology has changed over the years. Ovens used to be slow and took a long time to heat up. Home cooks would preheat their ovens so they were at the right temperature instead of placing their dishes on cold racks. However, modern innovations are reducing the need to preheat – or at least speeding it up to improve the cooking experience.
If you are an impatient cook, look for features like a no-preheat air fry or fast preheat. These oven settings will quickly warm up your oven so you can start cooking your meals faster.
GE® 30" Stainless Steel Freestanding Electric Range
This range by GE comes with both no-preheat air fry and fast preheat settings. The goal of this appliance is to heat the oven as quickly as possible so it is ready to use. It also comes with convection cooking if you enjoy baking bread, cookies, and cakes for your family.
This is one of the highest-rated models on the market. One person writes, “I like the range. It is easy to use and cleaning is a breeze. The top seems to get hot very quickly for a quick and easy experience.”
Proof
The proof setting on ovens is used to warm bread dough. In most cases, bakers will let the dough rest in a warm area to let the yeast activate. The bread will start to rise, which makes it fluffy when it bakes. However, an ideal proofing temperature is between 90 –100°F and most homeowners cannot keep their house that warm – and don’t want to. This is where the proof setting comes in. Home bakers can place their dough in the oven and warm it lightly before kneading it and baking it thoroughly on high heat.
You can also look for ovens that have warming settings or built-in proving drawers to get the same experience.
Café™ 30" Stainless Steel Slide in Electric Range
For most home cooks, the only thing better than one oven is two ovens. This design by Café allows you to enjoy double ovens without needing to build them into the wall. You can set oven temperatures at different levels and cook two dishes at the same time. This means you can prove bread in one compartment while you bake cookies in the other.
You can see how people love these Café ovens in their online reviews. One person writes, “Baking multiple things is so easy- cookies are done in half the time utilizing two ovens at the same time. Easy touch screen options.”
FAQ
What are the different oven settings?
Oven settings cover a wide range of temperatures and heat levels. Two common settings you need to know include broil capabilities, which cook your food at extremely high heat, and warming (or proving) settings. The warming setting can keep prepared food hot until it is time for you to eat it. It can also prove bread before it is ready to be cooked.
What are the best oven settings for baking?
Check your oven manual to see if you have a convection setting. This can create a more even baking experience so you don’t accidentally burn the bottom of your cookies or quick bread. Your oven manual should also include cooking tips with the best settings for you to use.
What are the symbols on an oven?
The oven symbols highlight how the heat is moved around your food (like conventional vs. convection) and the heat levels. Your oven manual should have a dedicated guide that breaks down what each symbol means and how that setting can be used.
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Since 1973, Spencers TV & Appliance has grown to 10 locations throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. The secret to our longevity is simple: personal service. Customer satisfaction has always been the focus of our business, and throughout the years, we have been able to work hard with our suppliers to bring you the best prices. After all, getting customers the best price and personal attention is how we compete with big-box stores, day in and day out.
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At Spencers TV & Appliance, we provide high-quality, name-brand products at great prices — check out our catalog to shop ovens online today. Your friends in the business are always happy to help you find your next oven. Call us, or better yet, stop by at one of our locations in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Glendale regions. Visit us today!
Learn More: 5 Stunning 48" Ranges for High-End Kitchens