Most of us use only a couple of settings on our ovens. Understanding a little more about how they work can improve your cooking and cut the energy you use.

Know your settings

• Fan oven: circulates hot air evenly around the cavity, so you can cook on several shelves at once and usually at a lower temperature. As a rule of thumb, reduce conventional recipe temperatures by about 20°C.
• Conventional (top and bottom heat): heat comes from elements at the top and bottom, with a hotter zone at the top. Good for traditional roasting and rich fruit cakes.
• Bottom heat: for crisping pastry bases and pizza.
• Grill and fan grill: fan grilling cooks thicker items such as chicken more evenly than a standard grill.

Preheat only when it matters

Baking, bread and pastry need a fully preheated oven. Casseroles, jacket potatoes and many roasts do not, and putting them in as the oven warms up saves energy. Fan ovens also heat up much faster than older conventional models.

Use the right shelf

In a conventional oven, the top shelf is hottest. In a fan oven, heat is much more even, but leave space between dishes and around the edges so air can circulate.

Keep the door closed

Every time you open the door, the oven loses heat and has to work to recover it. Use the oven light and window to check on food instead.

Cook more at once

Batch cooking, or cooking vegetables and a pudding alongside the main dish, makes the most of the energy used to heat the oven. For small portions, a microwave or air fryer uses far less energy.

Use residual heat

Switch the oven off five to ten minutes before the end of cooking for dishes that are nearly done. The retained heat will finish them off.

Keep it clean

Built-up grease affects how evenly the oven heats and can smoke. Wipe spills once the oven has cooled, and use the cleaning function if your oven has one. See our guide to pyrolytic self-cleaning ovens.

When your oven is not performing

If food cooks unevenly, the oven takes far longer to heat, or the fan is noisy, a part such as the fan motor, element or thermostat may be failing. Our electric oven repair service can help, or browse new built-in ovens.