Oven efficiency

Pingu20002

I have a double electric oven with a conventional small oven and a larger Fan oven. Can anyone tell me which is the most efficient?

ABrass

Pingu20002 said:

I have a double electric oven with a conventional small oven and a larger Fan oven. Can anyone tell me which is the most efficient?

Yes. There's a sticker on new appliances that will tell you the efficiency of each oven.

You might still have that with the paperwork, or you might need to look it up with the manufacturer.

Cardew

They are all 100% efficient in producing heat. The insulation properties of the construction will determine how much heat is retained in the oven and how much 'leaks'. If built to the same standard, less heat will leak from the smaller oven.

Spies

Buy an air fryer, more efficient than any conventional oven as its heating a much smaller space, assuming you can fit what you want to cook in there of course! 

coffeehound

Without disagreeing with Cardews point, recipes and cooking instructions always state either a lower temperature or a shorter cooking time for fan ovens, plus they are quicker to pre-warm, which indicates they use the heat more effectively

Exiled_Tyke

I found two ovens with published specifications for the individual ovens.  The first a NEF quoted exactly the same energy consumption for both ovens. The other a BOSCH quoted .83 kWh per cycle for both ovens in conventional mode and .81kWh for the main oven in convection.  So it appears there is very little difference. I'd therefore choose according the oven which gives the best result! 

[Deleted User]

Recently bought one but looked up all the data first to decide, there should be an energy rating for every one. My larger oven using the fan is the most efficient (by a whisker). Larger non fan worse. Different settings affect it.
The manufacturer web site will have them but compared to the old gas oven we had, it is insanely good at keeping the heat (appreciate gas has different requirements).

Cardew

https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/consumer_guide_cooking_appliances_en.pdf

[Deleted User]

Cardew said:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/consumer_guide_cooking_appliances_en.pdf

Two comments. Manufacturers produced their own energy efficiency product labels that they lodge with BEIS. How does the advice to replace old appliances for a more efficient model sit with the Government’s push towards ‘Right to Repair’?

YellowCarBlueCar

Whichever one you use, it's best to take out any shelves and trays that you aren't using, and store them somewhere else if you have space.  Otherwise you're using additional energy to heat those bits with every heating cycle.

We replaced our old oven last year, and the instructions for the new (Neff) one include cooking times for many items without pre-heating the oven - something I'd not really considered before.  Although the "cooking times" are extended, the total pre-heat + cooking time is less.  It also suggests turning the oven off a few minutes before the cooking time completes, which makes sense in a newer better insulated oven.

And of course, don't open the door to check progress when you can peer through the door...