Convection Fan (When It Helps and When It Hurts)

[@SophieBird07]

Now I know my phone is listening. A couple hours ago I said to my son, that the oven we have has a convection option, but that I had no idea how or when to use it. And instantly here you are to answer my question!

[@P3rmissionD3ni3d]

This happens to me a lot

[@c.Ichthys]

I've mentioned often I need more money, but my phone ignored me 😊

[@SophieBird07]

@@c.Ichthys Sigh. There are times we are ignored.

[@SophieBird07]

@@c.Ichthys Lucky to get directions to an ATM, lol

[@bridgiesue7]

I always think I know most of the basics to cooking and baking, and then every single video Helen posts reminds me that I dont know crap 😂 Helen is the guardian angel of all of our kitchens

[@sbm1961]

"I don't know crap" haha...that makes two of us, lol

[@ajmilagros]

I know right! I was like I know how to use my oven - oh actually maybe I don’t! 😂

[@jojo-tl5ei]

no kidding lol! 🤣

[@Garlarg]

Let's not forget convection means hot air flow. Since the hot airflow takes the vapor away form the top surface take into account that the top will not just bake more but it could dry out more significantly too.

[@___Laura]

I use convection for getting rid of excess water too! This can be really helpful when trying to brown things like zucchini before it turns to total mush.

[@shastahill]

Indeed :) I use convection most when making crackers.

[@perspicaciouscritic]

@Garlarg Your tip inadvertently saved an apple pie from being an apple disaster. Thank you.

[@bc24us]

My oven has a "pizza" setting that turns on the convection, and I discovered after a while that it is best to only used it at the end, to toast the cheese a little bit and get it nice and bubbly, otherwise the cheese and topings might burn. Nice to hear that this is the right technique!

[@robertknight4672]

With the internet now I think people that write recipes should still specify whether they're using a convection oven or not. I appreciate the ones that do.

[@garywallenphd885]

Big help here. Today I made a German style apple cake. I first used over under heat for the first 35 minutes then finished using convection for the last 10 minutes - perfect. 🤩

[@wyominghome4857]

I like the "moving to the top shelf" trick. You get browning without using more energy. I have convection on my new KitchenAid dual-fuel (electric oven, gas range) model, but have never used it. Your comments make sense, so I may try it on some recipes. Since it's just my husband and me, I use my air fryer a lot however, and that's basically just a counter-top convection oven. It's great for making crispy garlic bread, reheating pizza, etc. without having to warm an entire oven.

[@LKMNOP]

This explains so many things that have gone wrong with my recipes. Thank you very much for just stating without embellishment and yet with a very pleasant voice the ways to cook with confection. And thank you so much for no background music!!

[@MankindFails]

Her wisdom made me change my convections!

[@FR-tb7xh]

Ha! Clever!

[@PatB415]

I own a 30 yr old stand-alone Farberware. I live in S. Florida. I follow manual instructions: reduce both temp & time by 25%. Best & only convection oven I've ever purchased.

[@evelynwald9132]

I have 3 convection settings, bake, roast and convection. I was told by the manufacturer, Wolf electric, to use bake with a single cookie sheet, convection with 3 cookie sheets. I’ve successfully used convection with 3 cookie sheets and they baked beautifully and evenly. but not so much with one sheet, using convection bake, as they browned too fast. I do check and rotate my pans. I used convection roast for a stuffed 14lb turkey set at 325°F and it baked beautifully, juicy with a crisp evenly browned skin. It cooked in 2.5 hours and I do check the internal temperature. Loved your test with the bread because it really helped to show what was happening clearly! Thank you for sharing your test results!

[@dirtyketchup]

Convection is also useful for removing lots of moisture, which can help or hurt. For example when trying to roast bones for a stock, without a convection oven, all of the liquid releases onto the pan and pools up, and I have to wait for it to boil off. But with convection, that moisture gets wicked away as it is released, and helps lower the time it takes to get to browning. In fact, once browning begins, I'll even turn off convection so I can get more even radiant browning instead of those little burnt edges you can get from convection. Moisture control with convection is super useful. It can also create faster rises in baked goods, but dries them out more quickly.

[@carrierichardson6619]

Im American & i moved into a new to me home about a year ago. I had no idea what that fan was for! Thank you

[@Marmaseuth]

I have a Blue Star gas range. This is my first gas. I’m still getting used to it. Things cook very unevenly and too hot. After watching your video about the fan it makes sense. At first I didn’t use the fan and things took forever to bake. Then I noticed that the front knobs were getting way too hot and thought the lack of fan was the reason. Now I use 5he fan all the time and things get browned too quickly but the knobs are cooler lol. All this rambling to say, thank you for this information, it explains and helps a lot. I was ready to ditch this oven for an electric flattop. ❤

[@godminnette2]

I use an "air fryer," and since it's really just a tabletop convection oven, I've been experimenting with the range of fan speeds, temperatures, and cook times to create beautifully browned foods that are still cooked all the way through. Having access to such high-powered convection can be quite useful, as can changing the speed of that fan!

[@englishliterature7403]

if my oven does not have a convection fan, would buying an fir fryer be a good idea?

[@raraavis7782]

​@@englishliterature7403 It depends a bit, on what you mainly use it for. Baking cake and bread? Pizza or such for more then one person? Large roasts? Not so much. Making roasted veggies, potato wedges or chicken/fish? Absolutely. Especially, if you only cook for one or two people. It's just super convenient for making delicious, yet healthy meals on a daily basis. Just just chuck stuff in there and boom, dinner is ready in 20 minutes. No spattering and less smell then with a frying pan are also great advantages. The only downside is: they take up a lot of counterspace. But that's it, really. They're really useful appliances, imo, not just some fad.

[@sunspot42]

@@raraavis7782 You've nailed it. They're a small countertop convection oven. I recommend the tray-based models where you just pull out the tray and put the food in it. Do not buy the little toaster-oven like units, because you'll have to fiddle with pans and racks and they're much harder to get food in and out of and much harder to clean. I have a large tray-based model that can be divided into two separate chambers, so I can either cook one large item in it - like a whole chicken, or a dozen cookies - or two smaller sets of items, like chicken thighs on one side and green beans on the other, a different temperatures and for different cook times. Because they're much smaller than a traditional oven, you get a LOT more radiant heat bouncing off the walls onto your food since the food will be sitting very close to the walls. That rapidly speeds cooking and browning. The fans are also much more intense than in a convection oven. Think about how wind chill factor makes it feel colder outside in the winter - the same goes in reverse in a convection oven. The more hot air passes over the surface per second, the faster heat is transferred to the food. If you put a lot of oil on something - like breaded chicken - it'll behave as much like frying it as baking it. You can get some pretty amazing results, fast, with a lot less mess and expense. You can also burn things to a crisp rapidly in an air fryer, so check the contents often until you get a good feel for how yours cooks. Another great thing about them is, they use a lot less energy because of the small size, shorter cooktimes and eliminating the need to preheat in most cases (I almost never preheat, even when the recipe calls for it).

[@TheMaartian]

I've used air fryers for years. I recently replaced my Ninja Max with a Cosori Dual Blaze (top and bottom heating elements). It's Bake function reduces the heat generated by the top element, focusing more on the bottom one. It works great. After watching this video, I'll pay more attention to the fan speed between Air Fry and Bake settings, to see if the fan speed for Bake is reduced. i.imgur.com/Ltef7Of.jpg

[@swicheroo1]

@@englishliterature7403 Air fryers are great for small quantities. If you are looking to cook a large meal--say, a turkey--it won't do much. I suggest getting a Cuisinart Airfryer, which is like a toaster oven.

[@GeelongVic7140]

Excellent discussion of the basics of convection. Thank you so much.

[@tdbarton7712]

I learned more in under 5 minutes than I did reading the oven manual. Miele Electric.

[@davidporter9131]

Excellent information. Not all convection ovens have the option of turning the fan off.

[@nancydelu4061]

Always a pleasure to learn something new! Thanks, coach.

[@danielpreilly77]

An American who moved to Europe with my wife and family, thanks so much for this, very informative explanation. Makes sense to me based on my experience cooking in my convection oven. I vary on when I use convection on my personal experience with my oven. Thank you for this info!

[@danielleshelbourne220]

Thank you for this immensely helpful video Helen. I appreciate all the time and effort you put into creating your outstanding videos to educate us home cooks. 🙏🥰

[@NidhiSharma-yn3xv]

Thank you for doing this. These questions have been bothering me since long. Never found these answers any where. Thankyou

[@heatherforsythe8525]

I have a Fisher Paykel dual fuel range. It’s my first electric oven since my childhood home. I continue to learn new oven tricks. Convection is still pretty new to me. I’d love to be more confident using the convection setting.

[@alexandralupu-bjerke3342]

Samsung gas stove. I use my convection for a lot of my baking but I do reduce heat and increase time. This is very helpful. Thank you Helen!

[@rigomortiz]

Thank you! We recently bought a convection oven and I have been using it and was wondering if I was supposed to unless the recipe specified. You've cleared that up, thank you!

[@Timejump369]

Thank you I was gonna read the directions to find out what the difference was. But it was much better just watching your video❤

[@KBTCaseyFlynn]

I have a Samsung NQ70M9770D and it needed servicing. While there the tech pointed out that most modern ovens have the fan come on intermittently even when not in convection mode to speed up heating. The manual does actually allude to this.

[@zigarten]

Good info, I use a Electric (Induction that I LOVE) Electrolux convection. It's a beaut and has many modes. Proofing, drying, cook from zero temp, too many to name. It's been awesome. Got it for a song. It has dual fans, making these issues a little less of a problem

[@myc0p]

Breville Smart Oven BOV900BSS. Bakes pizza all the way at the bottom, cooks veggies at the bottom, air fries small potatoes in the middle, broils meat at the top. It's also large enough to toast 9 slices of bread.

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

I put my pizzas in the middle right on the rack with no pan. Turns out awesome !

[@paintbrushful]

I NEVER knew about the dangers of raw garlic under the conditions you explained. THANKS for saving us from possible sickness. I'm throwing out my old vinegrette that I made and had at room temp. LOVE your channel I just found you!

[@kkacz7783]

Very helpful! I have a convection option on my oven but have never used it as I did not have an understanding of how it worked. Now I do and will give it a go! Thank you Helen!

[@rb-ex]

it's a good summary. i would add some technical details for those who are interested, along with some conclusions. conventional ovens employ 3 types of cooking: conduction, radiant, and convection conduction is the flow of heat from a hotter object to a cooler one when they contact each other. the burn you get on your hand when you accidentally touch something hot is an example of conduction. so is bottom browning when the food rests on something hot, like a pan or a stone or a steel radiant cooking is cooking with light. it's invisible light but it is light called infra-red. infra-red light bounces all around an oven and is absorbed by food surfaces. the light itself has no temperature but when it is absorbed it makes the surface hot. as the surface heats up, the heat conducts slowly to the inside of the food and eventually cooks it. an example of pure radiant cooking would be broiling. broiling does not brown the bottom because the bottom is shaded from the top, so normally you would flip things in a broiler if you want them to brown on both sides. hibachi and other open types of grills also use intense radiant heat to cook, though there is some conduction from the steel grate (those beautiful grill marks), and convection from hot gasses-- discussed next convection cooking involves immersing the food in a hot fluid. when the fluid is heated from below it expands and buoyancy causes it to rise, forcing cooler fluid to fall, where it gets heated at the bottom, and a cycle continues like that. the purest form of convection cooking is probably boiling. if you've ever cooked chinese wheat flour noodles you will see once they get a little soft they'll flow upwards in the center of the pot and continuously open like a flower as they rise to the surface and then fall around the sides of the pot. air is also a fluid and a similar thing happens in ovens, except your food is not floating and so it doesnt move with the flowing air. in this sense all conventional ovens are convection ovens that also use conductive and radiant cooking, but those called 'convection' ovens also use a fan to increase the movement of air, resulting in more convective cooking. with the fan on, faster moving air causes heat to exchange more quickly between the oven and the food. it's the same principle in reverse when you use a fan to cool your body, it causes heat to exchange more quickly. also note that convection, like radiant cooking, also relies on conduction from the outside to the inside of the food to cook food to its center, which is why, for example, the center of a potato cooks last this is a simplified explanation that leaves out some nuances, but it accounts for most of what is happening so when should you turn your convection fan on? if you didnt detect a clear rule on this from helen it's because there isnt one. but for most purposes i ask this question: how much do i want this food item to be cooked through conduction from the bottom up? if it's pizza, the answer is, a lot. if it's cake, the answer is, just a little. with that cake then, by turning on the convection fan it'll cook faster on the top and the sides, which reduces cooking time and leaves less time for conduction from the bottom

[@EstherJohnson-m1q]

🤔very knowledgeable. Can you tell me why my cupcakes won’t rise, even though I tried doing conventional & turning off the conventional? And they tend to get dark on the bottom. If I turn the temp down, then they take longer to bake.

[@rb-ex]

@@EstherJohnson-m1q more convection would always be better with cupcakes, tending to produce a loftier rise while avoiding bottom burn. but that's not necessarily an answer to why your cupcakes dont rise, because other factors could be involved

[@stevedoe1630]

No convection fan on my electric oven. The last couple minutes of the cook, I brown with the broiler element using the second rack from the top. Of course, a keen eye and an aware nose are paramount.

[@jacalynmiller]

too late for this Christmas but hopefully I'll use these techniques all year so I remember for next Christmas! Great video thank you!

[@ShannonMichelle7937]

Omg you explained this so clearly. I have this setting on my oven and I’ve never used it. But I have a few recipes that this would make sense to use. Thank you beautiful lady 😊😊😊❤

[@Jupiter0ne]

Thank you so much for this explanation! I've always heard about convection making it cook more evenly or just hotter, but never about how it affects top browning. Valuable information!

[@malikmps]

very interesting, thank you. we have a Miele standard oven and a combo steam oven.

[@itravellight]

This will be the most informative 4:38 of my entire day. Excellent video!

[@1remjr]

Thank you Helen, I found your video enlightening. Old bachelor here, and I use a Kitchen-aid counter top oven most of the time. It does have the convection feature which I can turn on and off. I'll try your suggestions. The two racks are fairly close together being a counter top oven. I generally use the lower position for baking.

[@susied6383]

Thank you for those tips. I’m always confused about this. Just upgraded to a LG convection. When I turn it to bake. I still hear a fan🤷‍♀️. Guess it’s time to look at the manual 😊

[@morefiction3264]

Our new house has a convection oven and si far I'm not a fan. Mostly I just use the regular bake.

[@annasamek5179]

Since I got my new oven with convection option, I've been asking myself all those questions that you just answered today. Thank you Helen!

[@wheatgerm1208]

This was very helpful. I recently moved into a condo with an electric range and combo oven (both new to me). I'm still learning how to use the convection option, and your information helped speed up that process. Now I know why it dried out my chicken, but makes wonderful cookies. I'm looking forward to more exploration. Thanks for the handy tips!

[@meloysmusicstudio]

Thank you so much for the comment about the oven walls radiating and moving to the top or bottom rack based on where you need more browning. I never knew why some recipes say to cook on one rack VS another.

[@dfb8854]

Thank you Helen for some great tips, I just purchased a Cosori Convection Oven so Im a 66 yr old beginner here in Arizona, hoping to learn more ways of cooking on this and keeping the home cooler here in the Desert 🌵

[@norain31]

Great video helen . I just ordered a ge gas convection oven .to replace a gas oven which will go on deck beside bbq for summer cooking keeping house cool .we bake 25 loaf batches of homemade bread i do pizza pies ect briskets hams and your tutorial was a good reminder for moving food up and down with rack hieght . Plus i was clueless on convection oven .I only used a air frier before. And with price of food nobody wants to be exsperimenting with the browning .thanks again ! good job.

[@shirleylessard717]

Incredibly helpful! Thank you so much! I now understand some problems I was having. I was using convection all the time and was having problems with insufficiently baked things. Loved your video

[@samanthahoos9827]

❤ Thank you for this video! I’ve never used the convection setting on any of the ovens I’ve owned, but always wondered what I was missing. I have a gas oven with electric broiler and if I want something to brown I flip it half way through cooking.

[@Zimzimhk]

Hi Helen, I find your videos most informative. I'd like to know, when baking large pieces of meat that require long cooking time, like a whole turkey for example, would you also recommend not using convection until the last 30mins or so?

[@21Diddley]

Thank you so much for this. It explains why my pizzas are always slightly soggy underneath with slightly burned cheese on the top. I should have realised why but never have. I'm in the UK with a British-made Belling electric convection oven that we bought new over 20 years ago. I've had to replace the top element a couple of times but it cooks at exactly the temperature it says on the dial (allowing for the 20 degrees when using the fan) and I absolutely love it.

[@SHTFchef]

Very timely information. The girlfriend just bought a convection oven and we were wondering when/how to use the fan.

[@raoufallam1615]

Simple & easy illustration.. 👌 thank you ❤

[@westleyanson]

Great tips…👍🏼 I have a Bluestar 36” with convection oven. General Rule I use is to use convection for cooking high moisture content dishes. Casseroles, fish, breads, roasting vegetables, etc. Other dishes like pizza, pies, and covered dishes I turn it off.

[@norwegianviking69]

For pizza, I always use highest temperature (300 degrees celsius / 572 degrees farenheit on our oven), convecton fan and pizza stone, to mimic a pizza oven. Comes out perfect every time.

[@doodaddy1454]

yeah! I thought it was odd that Helen didn't want her pizza "top" "burned." Who doesn't want little bubbles and toasty cheese bits! Now I'm hungry.

[@bobe3250]

@@doodaddy1454you don’t want the top ingredients burning before the crust has time to cook.

[@747captain]

What a great video! Thank you! I have an IKEA wall oven (made by Whirlpool) with a convection setting. I use it only occasionally, like when I want to roast vegetables or bake fries. Unfortunately my fan is off balance or something (it was like this from the day we bought it) and the fan makes a horrible vibration noise and I don't like using it when I have company over.

[@dianamayfield5615]

Thank you. I have had a convection-capable gas oven for several years and have had no idea how to use it. LG double oven range with convection only on the lower, larger oven. Now I'll start experimenting.

[@REMY.C.]

Could you do a video about oven temperatures and food categories and why they vary? Thanks a lot.

[@franguidry]

Thanks for the tips on placement as well as convection. I'm using a Wolf Dual Fuel which has an electric oven. I was baking tonight after watching your video and decided I needed a little browning on the top of my apple pie so went top shelf with fan - would have been great if I had stayed close and checked often but I set a 10 minute timer, walked away, and burnt my little darling a bit. So I learned to utilize the power of convection and placement and also the importance of attention and patience. As always, thanks.

[@henrylove3302]

I am using a Miele convection oven that has settings for top or bottom heat, simple convected air or fan assisted air with a few other variables. Results are predictable: fan assisted air will brown, AND DRY the top surface and as you commented this will be more intense close to the sides and front ( door ) walls. The least affected part will be close to the fan ( back wall ). Straight convection, ie, non fan will result in even heat top and bottom but surface drying and browning will be slower. With yeast goods I have found the following works for me, with this type of home oven. To start use non fan with added moisture, spray or hot water in a bowl, for the first 1/3 of cooking/baking. then remove the moisture for a further third of cooking time, still with no fan followed by fan assisted cooking/ baking for the final third of the cooking period. Every oven I have ever used has its own 'personality' which is governed, in part by the degree of insulation and the force of the fan, cleanliness and recipe. I will not go into all the possible variables of humidity, temperature and manhandling the ingredients as these will be different in the red centre of Australia and the windy cold dry air of western Norway to say nothing of the high humidity in UK where I am now.

[@wendydawe3874]

Great timing as I just purchased a convection capable oven and need a thorough explanation. Thank you and love your channel.

[@cindyallen8755]

I just purchased a new LG Gas Range with Convection option. Appreciate your explanation, as I really was clueless on how to use.

[@papageorge9950]

Thank you, very helpful !

[@stephanstephan3094]

Hi Helen, I use an electric Miele Walloven. I almost only use the classic top and bottom heat. I use convection when I want to dry something in a very targeted waynor, as you said, in the last minutes to give a good browning Thank you very much for your great videos and greetings from Berlin. Stephan

[@WinstonSmithGPT]

Same but smaller version. The convection is a big help in a smaller oven and always helps in cooking on multiple trays at once. European convection (only the invisible element by the back fan heating up) doesn’t cause as much browning but is way more even from shelf to shelf.

[@RobertaOrchid1]

I have a GE Profile convection. It touts true convection over ovens with a convection fan. I never had a convection oven before but find that when I use it, food is cooked more quickly and more evenly than when I don’t.

[@dianecarrozzo9545]

Thanks Sooooo Much! I'm new to convection oven use and have not used it successfully at all. Your video explained sooooo much to me. I've subscribed to you (which I never do) because you explain things soooo well. Thanks again.

[@GiGi-si9mo]

Thank you. I have never used my convection oven as I didn't know what it did. Your video helped alot.

[@malenadoty5643]

Thank you so much! I have a new LG electric double oven/gas cooktop range, and I just don’t know when to use convection and when not to. I’m still getting used to it. When I made shortbread in it for the first time, I did not use convection, and I just couldn’t get any golden color on the top. The 2nd time I used convection, and it was much better. I can’t wait to continue experimenting.

[@MD-hd1cp]

Good info, I've always wondered about the convection setting. Thanks

[@MT-kb8df]

Thank you for your explanation because I never knew how to use my convection oven.

[@meesalikeu]

my mother in humid florida has a new convection oven and does not know how to use it. this was very helpful and i can talk to her about it and maybe get her to watch your video. thank you!

[@bobe3250]

I have a GE Profile gas stove (25+ years old) has convection roast and bake. Love it! Also have a newer Ninja air fryer for smaller amounts of food. As far as the right temperature settings on the oven when following recipes with no convection instructions, I first cook the recipe using their instructions. The second time I try it I adjust for what I have experienced using convection. Third time is a charm:

[@steelgranny9027]

Thank you for this information...I just bought a new oven with convection and had no idea of how and when to use it. I have a Kitchenaid Gas, and I love it.

[@PCAKnight]

We have an electric convection and roast convection options. I have an "air frying" basket and tray to go underneath the basket. I'd love to hear how to mimic an air fryer in a convection oven!

[@Overdoer949]

Thanks Helen-good content. I use a Breville Smart Oven (with convection) which has so far lasted me about 12 years (only has a finicky start button which sometimes takes a couple of pushes to get the right outcome). For cauliflower crust pizza, NO convection! Comes out with perfectly even browning and crispy crust. Most reheated foods use convection to get faster results. Banana bread, NO convection. The sugars caramelize WAY too fast and you get a burned crust. The latest ovens just use a simple timing process to start the oven hotter, ramp down after “initializing” the cooking, perhaps a ramp-up at finish for better browning (depending on whether or not a cover is used). Amazing just how much we can all learn from one another by sharing.

[@Crystalelic]

This is genius! I always used convection fan because my mum told me to, but now I know how to properly use it!

[@flirtilitioush]

Very Helpful Video. You explained very nicely.. Thanks from India..

[@valemendoza1940]

BlueStar electric. I loved this video. You’re such an inspiration to keep practicing and get better. Thank you.

[@unconventionalideas5683]

There’s a rare brand. They make some really interesting stuff. The electric option is fairly new if I understand correctly.

[@jamesshepherd1995]

My 25 year old Cuisinart countertop electric convection oven still cooks and browns skin-on chicken perfectly. Similar results to an air fryer for breaded foods, frozen french fries, etc. Perfect size for cooking for 2-4 people without using much electricity, or heating the entire kitchen in summer... lol

[@gonnfishy2987]

Mm summer kitchen heating…Thing we don’t want but get anyway!! 😅

[@normlor]

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS AND THIS HELPS AS WE BOUGHT ONE IN SEPTEMBER BUT ARE NOT SURE HOW TO USE IT!!!

[@Keith80027]

I haven't use the convection fan yet, but will try it to brown the top of pies and the like. I have an LG Signature Kitchen suit oven.

[@ellakouzmenko4240]

OMG that was the first video i watched on your channel and it was so helpful . my problem is for some reason my oven only does fan and all other modes are not working . now i know where my problems come from. i have a question - i signed up for a bread making course, we are making our rye starter now which will take a while, but then will start baking. am i right to worry that my only fan mode is not great ? should probably do smth about it right. thanks again, you are so sweet and helpful. looking forward to learning more from you. ❤

[@rcg5317]

May I recommend using a metal grate or grill (I got mine from the hardware store). Place over a baking sheet (I use a very large cast iron skillet) preheated in the over. This radiats top and bottom evenly while allowing for the convection to pull moisture away for browning. I cook poultry and fish this way to get crispy outside with tender and moist centers. Yes, cut cooking time and use thermometer to make sure you hit the target before it gets dry. ❤️ your videos.

[@michaell4898]

We have a relatively new GE Cafe gas range with a convection option. I set a small oven thermometer on the middle rack to monitor temps while baking. Temps on the thermometer are consistent with the oven setting when using the regular oven. When I switch to convection the oven temperature drops by at least 25 degrees and cooking times increase. Based on this informative video it sounds like I might have an issue with my range?

[@Frederic1406]

I am in Spain and I have a Miele electric oven that I, indeed, almost use always with the fan as a default setting. Conventional oven is an exception for me.

[@debmurray2734]

Thanks for this! I always wondered when to use convection so this was SUPER helpful to me. Our JennAir propane gas oven went kaput so we are using our toaster oven, air fryer and slow cooker as alternates. We dont bake much and only cook for 2 or 3 so this approach is working great for us.

[@gunlovingliberal1706]

👍👍👍👍👍 Thank you for this advice. I have a JENN-AIR electric oven. I usually use convection, but it tends to burn the top of pies. Now I know to turn off convection for pies. For everything else I use the 25 degree rule and it works well. I have found that most of my friends don't even know the 25 degree rule. They just reduce the cooking time which is a big mistake for meat. The center of a piece of meat is only cooked by heat diffusing from the surface of the meat. Diffusion is inefficient and the center will either be underdone or the surface will be burnt if you don't reduce the temperature.

[@ignominia]

I thought "Convection" meant a SPECIAL air flow , and mine just a lowly fan, now it turns out l have a convection oven! Who knew!!!😅 thanks Helen!

[@marydoughten1151]

Very helpful! Not going to use my convection for my pies this Thanksgiving. They usually get too brown on top. Thanks!

[@janeyre49]

I make granola each week and 275 convection for 30 minutes-stir 15 minutes makes crunchy wonderful granola. 350 convection oven for 45 minutes to an hour (depending on size of potatoes) makes fantastic baked potatoes with crunchy skin and perfectly baked potato. Because I want them to be resistant starch I bake a number and cool some for another day. Salmon in the last 15-20 minutes is also delicious.

[@jasonmunday9056]

Thank you! Getting ready to purchase a convection oven and this was very helpful.

[@agcons]

Mine is a Kenmore electric that came with the house - I believe Whirlpool was the contractor. It's pretty basic: a single fan at the back of the oven controlled by an on/off switch on the console. It won't work when Broil is selected (naturally), but otherwise there is no restriction: when I turn it on, it runs. I do not like convection one bit for baking bread, cake, or pie. With bread, especially, it dries out the surface too quickly, which significantly inhibits that last rise in the oven (before the heat kills the yeast). The one time I tried it with layer cake I was not happy at all with the dried-out, too-brown top and slightly gummy interior. Without the fan, this oven does a decent job with baked goods. For roasting meat and poultry, or heating casseroles, etc. I use the fan. I really like the drier surface that results in crisper poultry skin and crunchier beef and pork, without overcooking the interior, and the nicely browned tops of casseroles. Overall, lowering the heat by 25 degrees Fahrenheit when using the fan has been a pretty good rule of thumb so far. I have not noticed the time required to be less in any consistent way, so I don't even consider altering the time spent in the oven.

[@garybullen5191]

Most modern built-in electric ovens are fan assisted. NEFF (Part of BSH Group - Bosch, Neff, Siemens and Gaggeanu) for example call theirs `Circotherm`. This aim to heat the oven cavity evenly and quickly. However with commercial ovens they often have variability of the fan system. For some things as conventional non convection oven is better. This Christmas we tried cooking Yorkshire puddings using standard oven and at 220 degrees C. A bit risky but with 24 Yorkshire puddings they ere all excellent. Also left them once cooked for a few minutes and no sticking with all of the puddings coming away cleanly. Just worth looking at the various options offered by your oven.

[@sylviat2098]

Convection allows you to bake more than one tray of cookies, or two trays of muffins at the same time with good results. Also, uncovered meat that is convection roasted tastes so much better. I have an LG electric stove/oven with optional convection that automatically lowers the temperature 25 degrees.

[@tmurrayis]

I have a GE Profile gas stove. It has a Convection Bake setting and a Convection Roast setting. The temperature is reduced by 25°F when Con Bake is selected.

[@wcwright44]

GE Cafe Gas. I’m going to experiment more with confection. I use it rarely. Thanks for this video.

[@dwightphillips6164]

thk u. love to hear how convection roast falls into this. it seems too much top heat when i try it.

[@bren1375]

I'm eagerly awaiting the delivery of a new GE Profile gas range with convection and air fry capabilities this weekend (my 24 year old GE Profile range just died last night!). The timing was tight with Christmas around the corner, but I'm relieved it will arrive in time to save our holiday cooking plans. To prepare, I've been watching videos about convection ovens, and I found yours particularly helpful. I've subscribed to your channel and look forward to learning more. Thank you!

[@karenbrooks3765]

Great info thanks. You won't know my oven as I'm in South Africa but it is electric with both static, connection and thermafan which is an element at the back with a fan. Never got to grips with that. I bake sourdough bagels on the middle and lowest shelf at the same time. I do my first ten minutes static, five minutes convection then switch to and bottom trays, so another 5 minutes convection and finish with 5 or 10 minutes static depending on the day. Sometimes the tray that ends up at the bottom is damp underneath and I flip them upside down to dry off.

[@madeketir]

We have an LG electric induction stove model LSE4617 with convection oven. In (non-convection) Bake mode the fan actually comes on during the heating process to speed up getting to the desired temperature. We find that the Bake mode is at least as fast as the Convection mode, and that Convection mode is more likely to burn our bakes even when compensating for the temperature. So we rarely use Convection mode. I'm wondering if I'm missing something - we are very happy with the stove overall, and happy with the bake, roast and probe modes.

[@judyross182]

Yes, some good tips. One for you, either heat something with grated cheese or other loose topping (like pork panko) in either the microwave or on bake for a few minutes before putting it in an air fryer and then the cheese will be melted enough it won't blow around. Also, if you have something lightweight like a folded tortilla that will blow open, put some sort of a grate on top to hold it down. I live in a big RV with a Furrion RV Convection/Microwave. I use glass pie plates for baking and I am experimenting with various dishes to decide if the microwave/convection oven will give me the best results or if I prefer the Ninja air fryer.