Conventional vs Fanned Ovens
18/12/12 15:54 Filed in: Help & Advice
As cooker specialists are often asked about electric ovens, particularly multifunction ovens, which offer combination of conventional and fanned settings to give users a really versatile variety of heat sources for different types of meal. More information about multifunction ovens can be found HERE, but as a starting-point it is useful to explain the difference between conventional and fanned ovens.
The electric oven was invented, like many useful things, in the late 19th century, and in the UK started to become popular in the 1920's and 30's when pioneering companies like Belling began to see the opportunities it presented in an era of significant social change. The principle remains today, with conventional heating elements placed at the top and bottom of an oven cavity, inducing a natural convection which makes the oven hotter at the top than the bottom. This heat graduation proves high useful, allowing cooks to plan their meal accordingly, and the classic British roast dinner could be prepared with the meat in the middle of the oven, the potatoes at the top for maximum heat and crispiness, and the "pudding" or dessert at a more gentle temperature at the bottom of the cavity. People who are accustomed to gas ovens will find this a familiar arrangement, although may take time to get used to the slightly drier heat of an electric oven.
Fanned ovens have been around for a while now, and have become a firm favourite in busy domestic households where speed and efficiency play an important part in family life. Invented in 1945, the first fanned or convection ovens were introduced to allow the US airline industry to prepare hot meals more quickly. The Maxson Whirlwind Oven did the job an impressive 25% quicker, in fact, but surprisingly the idea of domestic fanned ovens did not really begin to develop in the US until the 1960's, and although it is unclear who was the first to introduce the technology into the UK market, this seems to have gathered pace in the 1980's. Oddly, the rate of popularity in the US seems to have been slower than that in Europe, to the extent that they are sometimes referred to as European Ovens.
Fanned, or forced convection ovens, use a coiled electric element placed around a rotary electric fan, all of which is housed behind a vented panel at the rear of the oven cavity. The fan takes air through this panel and passes it through the element coil, distributing hotter air around the side, top and bottom walls so it evenly heats the oven cavity. This has various advantages over conventional ovens:
The oven gets to the required temperature much quicker.
Heat reaches all parts of the food at the same time, which speeds up the cooking time significantly, typically by around 25%.
Users can cook more food at one time without changing oven position. Great for batch baking.
Because the air is constantly moving, cross-contamination of flavours is minimised if cooking different foods at the same time.
Many fanned ovens allow you to use the fan without the heating element, which is a great way to defrost your food.
As may be expected, the very mechanical nature of a fanned oven means that over a period of time the bearings of the fan motor may be inclined to wear out, but you should expect a good few years normal use before this happens. The technology of the heating elements are no different to those on a conventional oven, but they tend to be slightly less resilient so in time you may need to replace this as a result of normal wear and tear.
Domestic range cookers with multiple electric oven cavities will typically feature one conventional oven and one fanned oven as standard. More up-spec models will feature a multifunction oven (which allows users to use it as a conventional, non-fanned oven) plus a fanned oven. Smaller, 50 or 60cm wide cookers will tend to feature a fanned main oven as standard, often with a conventional electric oven within the top, or grill, cavity.
Quick Links
CLICK HERE to browse dual fuel and electric range cookers (90cm+)
CLICK HERE to browse smaller freestanding cookers (under 90cm)
CLICK HERE to browse built-in or integrated ovens
How Does a Conventional Electric Oven Work?
The electric oven was invented, like many useful things, in the late 19th century, and in the UK started to become popular in the 1920's and 30's when pioneering companies like Belling began to see the opportunities it presented in an era of significant social change. The principle remains today, with conventional heating elements placed at the top and bottom of an oven cavity, inducing a natural convection which makes the oven hotter at the top than the bottom. This heat graduation proves high useful, allowing cooks to plan their meal accordingly, and the classic British roast dinner could be prepared with the meat in the middle of the oven, the potatoes at the top for maximum heat and crispiness, and the "pudding" or dessert at a more gentle temperature at the bottom of the cavity. People who are accustomed to gas ovens will find this a familiar arrangement, although may take time to get used to the slightly drier heat of an electric oven.
A conventional ovens is great for roasts, complimented by a fanned oven for perfect baking
When Was the Fanned Oven Invented?
Fanned ovens have been around for a while now, and have become a firm favourite in busy domestic households where speed and efficiency play an important part in family life. Invented in 1945, the first fanned or convection ovens were introduced to allow the US airline industry to prepare hot meals more quickly. The Maxson Whirlwind Oven did the job an impressive 25% quicker, in fact, but surprisingly the idea of domestic fanned ovens did not really begin to develop in the US until the 1960's, and although it is unclear who was the first to introduce the technology into the UK market, this seems to have gathered pace in the 1980's. Oddly, the rate of popularity in the US seems to have been slower than that in Europe, to the extent that they are sometimes referred to as European Ovens.
How Does a Fanned Oven Work?
Fanned, or forced convection ovens, use a coiled electric element placed around a rotary electric fan, all of which is housed behind a vented panel at the rear of the oven cavity. The fan takes air through this panel and passes it through the element coil, distributing hotter air around the side, top and bottom walls so it evenly heats the oven cavity. This has various advantages over conventional ovens:
Speed
The oven gets to the required temperature much quicker.
Heat reaches all parts of the food at the same time, which speeds up the cooking time significantly, typically by around 25%.
Evenness
Users can cook more food at one time without changing oven position. Great for batch baking.
Flavour-safe
Because the air is constantly moving, cross-contamination of flavours is minimised if cooking different foods at the same time.
Defrosting
Many fanned ovens allow you to use the fan without the heating element, which is a great way to defrost your food.
Reliability of Fanned Ovens
As may be expected, the very mechanical nature of a fanned oven means that over a period of time the bearings of the fan motor may be inclined to wear out, but you should expect a good few years normal use before this happens. The technology of the heating elements are no different to those on a conventional oven, but they tend to be slightly less resilient so in time you may need to replace this as a result of normal wear and tear.
Ovens Used on Range Cookers
Domestic range cookers with multiple electric oven cavities will typically feature one conventional oven and one fanned oven as standard. More up-spec models will feature a multifunction oven (which allows users to use it as a conventional, non-fanned oven) plus a fanned oven. Smaller, 50 or 60cm wide cookers will tend to feature a fanned main oven as standard, often with a conventional electric oven within the top, or grill, cavity.
Fanned ovens are pretty much the default option on modern domestic cookers, which is one advantage of buying a larger range cooker with an additional, conventional oven which is ideal for traditional cooking. If you do not have the space for a wider oven, many smaller cookers feature a multifunction oven, which offers the best of all world. Find out more about multifunction ovens HERE.
Quick Links
CLICK HERE to browse dual fuel and electric range cookers (90cm+)
CLICK HERE to browse smaller freestanding cookers (under 90cm)
CLICK HERE to browse built-in or integrated ovens