How to Check and Calibrate Your Oven

Having an accurately calibrated oven is essential for successful baking. Temperature discrepancies can lead to unevenly baked goods and overall inconsistency in results. If your oven runs hot, you are more likely to over-bake items. If your oven runs cold, you are more likely to under-bake items or bake them for longer than stated in the recipe.

Why should I calibrate my oven?

An accurately calibrated oven ensures that the temperature set on the display is the temperature achieved inside the oven, leading to more reliable and consistent baking outcomes.

Quality recipes are tested with accurately calibrated ovens. If your oven temp is off, it could lead to drastically different results from what the recipe intended.

An oven that accurately reaches the desired temperature uses energy more efficiently, which can help save on electricity or gas consumption over time.

Proper oven temperatures are especially crucial for delicate baked goods like soufflés, meringues, and cakes, where even a slight temperature variation can mean the difference between perfect and poor outcomes.

Checking Oven Calibration

To determine if your oven is calibrated correctly, you will need an oven thermometer. These are generally inexpensive and can be found at most home goods stores. Look for a thermometer that is easy to read with a wide range of temperatures detected like this one.

Here’s how to check your oven:

1. Place the Oven Thermometer: Position the oven thermometer in the center of the middle rack. This placement gives the most accurate reading of the oven’s internal temperature. Close the door.
2. Set the Oven Temperature: Preheat your oven to a specific temperature. I suggest using 350°F/180°C for testing because it’s a typical baking temperature.
3. Wait and Read: Let the oven stay at the set temperature for at least 15-20 minutes. Then read the thermometer. This gives the oven ample time to stabilize and provides a more accurate reading.

Interpreting the Results

• If the oven thermometer matches the temperature you set on the oven, your oven is accurately calibrated.
• If the thermometer reading is higher or lower, note the difference. This discrepancy indicates how much your oven is off. Your oven runs hot if the measured temp is higher than 350°F/180°C. Your oven runs cold if the measured temp is lower than 350°F/180°C.

Recalibrating Your Oven

If your oven runs hot or cold, you might need to recalibrate it. Here’s what to do:

1. Consult the Owner’s Manual: Some ovens have a calibration dial that can be adjusted manually. Others might have digital controls that allow you to adjust the oven’s temperature offset. Since all ovens are slightly different, you’ll have to figure out what your specific oven needs.
2. Adjust the Dial or Digital Settings: If your oven allows for it, adjust the calibration dial or digital settings to compensate for the difference. For instance, if your oven temperature is 25 degrees too high, adjust it down by 25 degrees.
3. Re-test the Oven: After making adjustments, repeat the testing process with the oven thermometer to ensure the calibration is now correct.

If Calibration Isn’t Possible

If your oven doesn’t have an easy way to adjust the calibration:

• Adapt Baking Habits: Note the average temperature discrepancy and adjust recipes accordingly. For instance, if your oven runs 25°F hotter, consider setting the temperature 25°F lower than what recipes specify.
• Regularly Monitor: Since ovens can shift out of calibration over time, it’s a good practice to check the oven’s accuracy periodically.

By ensuring your oven is properly calibrated, you can dramatically improve the consistency of your baked goods. Achieving the textures and correct doneness that recipes intend will also improve your confidence in the kitchen!

About My Oven

At Pretty Simple Sweet, I use a standard electric American oven from KitchenAid. It does have convection capabilities, but I write all recipes with my oven set to conventional baking for consistency purposes.

I’ve used a gas oven in the past and my experience is that it got hotter much faster. You’ll have to get familiar with your specific oven to understand how it affects your baking results. Following the calibration technique noted in the post is the first step!