Last update: 20-08-2021 Home & Garden

Oven Symbols - Decipher The Hidden Meaning of Oven Symbols

Many people get confused about oven symbols. Sometimes even the best culinary masters think twice before they set the right programme in their oven. It involves the way the oven gets heated up and picking the right mode for a paricular dish. Should it get heated from top, bottom or from both sides? There are also other options like convection fan or grill funtion.

The basic oven symbols

Two horizontal lines - one on top and one on the bottom is the oven symbol everyone has seen at some point. This is the most recognizable oven icon. It indicates the traditional baking methods - using top and bottom heaters. Experts call this method static heating.

This oven icon is typically used with programmes for preparing dishes like:

• cakes,
• meats,
• pizza,
• homemade bread.

Note that this standard function is milder than using e.g. convection. In addition, it doesn’t dry out the prepared dishes, which is important for some people.

Grill function - oven symbols you should know

The grill function can be marked differently, depending on the oven’s brand. Typically, it’s a triangle or a zigzag in the upper part of the icon.

A grill element is always located in the upper part of the oven. Roasting is its most important function. An oven symbol for grilling can indicate two modes of this function - that is, part grill and full grill. A lot depends on the model of the device. All oven symbols should be depicted in the manual. For this reason, we recommend taking a peek at this document before using the device.

Convection mode - oven symbols to help you with cooking

Static heating is the basic function of every oven… but not the only one. Convection is key, in this case - a symbol depicting a fan in various variations.

• If the fan is inside a circle, it means it works with the heating element at the back.
• Analogically, the fan might be depicted with the upper or bottom line, or both. The horizontal line indicates the element that operates along with the fan.
• Sometimes, the convection mode is also depicted with the grill symbol.

The convection mode is very important, as it spreads the heat evenly inside the device. Thanks to this, you can avoid a situation in which your dish is perfect at the top but undercooked at the bottom.

The convection mode is often used when preparing large dishes. It’s perfect for baking big meat cuts or a stew which contains meat and hard vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrot or kohlrabi.

Other useful oven symbols

Some consider other oven symbols less important. Nonetheless, they allow for very useful, potentially helpful functions. Some of them might inform of meal defrosting - this function is often marked as a fan and a drop of water.

Depending on the model, some ovens also have a button for turning the light on and off. Most of the modern ovens available on the market have this feature. Its symbol is a lightbulb with rays around it. It’s very helpful during baking. Thanks to it, you can quickly look whether the cake has started expanding or if the meat has browned yet.

Some advanced devices have technologies that help with cooking - they are often referred to as one-hour programme. The oven icon looks like a chef’s hat combined with a twisted arrow. The mode should be turned on after putting the dish in the oven. The sensors pick the right temperature and heating elements, so that the meal is ready after an hour.