Let’s see if we can explain some of the common oven symbols, settings and functions. We will only discuss the common ones, considering nearly every brand has a special brand-only function.

1. Conventional Oven

2. Full or Half Grill

3. Bottom Heat Only

4. Fan Forced

One of our favourite settings, fan-forced setting runs a fan with a heating element around it. This is typically symbolised by a fan inside a square with no lines or a fan within a circle around it inside the square. Fan forced allows for even distribution of heat in the entire oven, allowing for faster cooking times and even temperatures on all levels. This is ideal for batch baking where all levels need the same bake time.

5. Bottom Heat with Fan

This is represented by a fan with a line or bar on the bottom. This allows for a combination of fan forced function together with the bottom heat only. This has the same function as bottom heat only but it allows for an additional function of helping cook the top part with indirectly radiated heat. If you need the bottom to be crispy but the top to be cooked softly, this is the right setting. Bottom heat with fan oven function is perfect for pizzas, open faced pies and tarts.

6. Top Heat with Fan or Grill with Fan

This has a near similar function as top heat or grill only electric oven setting, represented by a fan symbol with either a line on top or a jagged line on top.
This allows for good distribution of heat around the oven and is a great setting to use for meats, poultries and BBQ. If you need to brown a casserole quickly, this is a great option to use.

7. Fan Forced Full Bake

This is the highest heat setting that you can put your oven, symbolised by two lines on top and bottom and a fan in the middle. This radiates heat from the top element, bottom element and the fan’s heating element, allowing for a very even distribution of heat in the entire oven. If you’re concerned that your bake goods or roasts may not cook evenly, you would want to use this function to make sure of even cooking all-throughout.

8. Defrost

This oven function is fairly common in many modern ovens but typically absent in older models. The defrost function is represented by a snowflake or a snowflake with a drop of water. The defrost function well… defrosts. It thaws frozen food and can be used to slowly increase the temperature of delicate foods.

9. Slow Cook

Another of the newer settings on electric ovens, this is characterised by a pot or casserole pot symbol. This symbol is designed to run on low consumption for low heat and very long cooking times. This is perfect for stews, casseroles and even some large meat BBQ like ribs and steaks.

10. Keep Warm

One of the more uncommon but useful function in electric ovens, keep warm is represented by a plate with steam lines on it. Keep warm keeps whatever is inside it warm until it is taken out. This is very low heat and it is used to stop the cooking but keep the food inside nice and piping hot. Great for preventing breads from going stale or keep foods moist for a slightly later time.