Molly Ayala
If your food is consistently undercooked or overcooked, your oven thermostat may need adjusting. Calibration can be done yourself, and will vary depending on your oven model. For a manual oven, you will need to remove the knob and turn the screw to the Hotter or Cooler position. Digital displays usually have a calibration mode, which can be accessed by holding down one or two buttons and then using the arrows to adjust the temperature.
Characteristics and Values
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oven calibration | Use the buttons and knobs on the oven's control panel, press and hold the buttons for a few seconds to enter calibration mode. |
| Oven thermometer | Place an oven thermometer in the centre of the oven, set the oven to 350°F for 30 minutes, then check the temperature on the thermometer. |
| Digital thermometer | Use a digital thermometer for a more accurate reading. |
| Calibration mode | Press and hold the "Bake" and "Broil Hi/Lo" buttons or the "Oven Light" or "Bake" button to enter calibration mode. |
| Adjusting temperature | Press the "plus" (+) or "minus" (-) buttons or the "up" or "down" arrows to adjust the temperature. |
| Storing changes | Press the "Start" button to store the changes and deactivate calibration mode. |
| Knob adjustment | Remove the knob, loosen the screws, turn the arrow to the desired temperature, retighten the screws, and put the knob back on. |
| Knob settings | Turn the knob to "Hotter" to increase the temperature or "Cooler" to decrease it. |
| Calibration test | Perform the "biscuit test" before and after calibration to check if the temperature needs to be adjusted. |
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What You'll Learn
Calibration mode: Press and hold buttons to access
Calibration is necessary when your oven is not cooking at the right temperature. This could be because it is a new model, or it is producing undercooked, overcooked, or unevenly cooked food. You can test this by baking ready-made biscuits according to the package instructions, or preheating your oven to 350°F with an oven thermometer placed in the centre of the middle rack. If the biscuits are not evenly browned, or the thermometer reads 15°F higher or lower than the set temperature, your oven may need calibration.
To access calibration mode, you will need to consult your oven's manual. Different models have different ways to enter calibration mode. Some ovens use the combination of the "Bake" and "Broil Hi/Lo" buttons for calibration mode, while others use an "Oven Light" or "Timer" button. Press and hold the button(s) for a number of seconds to enter calibration mode. For some oven models, you would hold the button for 2 seconds until the letter-combination "SF" appears on the display screen. Other models may require you to hold the buttons for between 2 and 15 seconds until "°F TempOffset," "0° F CAL" or "00" appears on the screen.
Once you are in calibration mode, a double-digit number will appear on the screen, indicating the actual offset of your oven temperature setting. If the number is "00", your oven is probably still at its factory setting.
Now, you can adjust the temperature. Press the "plus" (+) or "minus" (-) buttons, or the "up" or "down" arrows, to adjust the temperature. The increments vary, from one to ten degrees, depending on your model.
Finally, press the "Start" button to store your changes in the oven's internal memory and to deactivate calibration mode.
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Adjusting temperature: Use plus/minus or arrows
Adjusting the temperature of your electric oven is a straightforward process. It usually involves accessing the calibration mode and then using the plus/minus buttons or arrows to adjust the temperature. Here's a step-by-step guide:
Locating the Calibration Mode:
Firstly, you need to locate the calibration mode of your oven. This can be done by consulting your oven's user manual, which will provide specific instructions for your model. Typically, calibration mode is accessed through the oven's control panel. Look for buttons like "Bake," "Broil Hi/Lo," or "Oven Light." Press and hold these buttons for a few seconds to enter calibration mode. On some models, you might need to hold the button for about 2 seconds until a specific letter combination, like "SF," appears on the display screen.
Once you have successfully entered calibration mode, you will see a two-digit number or indicators like "°F TempOffset," "0° F CAL," or "00" on the screen. At this point, you can start adjusting the temperature. Look for the plus (+) and minus (-) buttons or the up and down arrows on your oven's control panel. Press these buttons to adjust the temperature according to your desired setting. The temperature increments vary depending on your oven model, usually ranging from one to ten degrees Fahrenheit for each adjustment.
Storing Your Changes:
After you have made the desired temperature adjustments, press the "Start" button. This action will store your changes in the oven's internal memory and simultaneously deactivate the calibration mode. Now, your oven will operate at the new temperature setting.
A Note on Knob Calibration:
Some older oven models might have knobs instead of digital buttons. In this case, you would need to carefully remove the knob from its shaft to access the calibration mechanism. At the back of the knob, you will find a small adjustment screw with "Cooler" and "Hotter" markings. Loosen the screw and move it towards "Cooler" to decrease the temperature or towards "Hotter" to increase it. Each audible click represents about a 10-degree Fahrenheit adjustment. After adjusting, tighten the screw and replace the knob.
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Thermostat position: Loosen screws, turn knob, retighten
To adjust the thermostat on an electric oven, you will need to access the thermostat knob. First, ensure the stove-top is cool and turn off the burners. Then, grab the "Oven Temp" knob as if you are about to turn it on, and carefully pull it off its shaft. Now, you can see the back of the knob, which may have a pointing arrow and some screws. Remember the position of the pointer, as the default factory setting is in the middle.
Loosen the screws at the back of the knob. You can now turn the knob to adjust the thermostat. Turn the arrow or pointer to the "Hotter" or "Cooler" position, respectively, to increase or decrease the temperature. The notched increments with each turn are usually 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once you have made the desired adjustments, retighten the screws in the knob to lock in the new position of the pointer or arrow. Put the knob back on the shaft.
You can perform the "biscuit test" before and after calibration to check if the temperature adjustment was successful. Bake a biscuit according to the package directions, and if it is undercooked or overcooked, you may need to increase or decrease the temperature further.
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Testing calibration: Use an oven thermometer
Testing calibration with an oven thermometer is a straightforward process. First, centre an oven rack and hang an oven thermometer from the middle of the rack. Then, preheat your oven to 350°F. It is important to keep the oven door closed during preheating to avoid inaccurate readings.
Once the oven has signalled that preheating is finished, check the reading on the oven thermometer. If your oven door has a window, you can check the reading through it. If not, open the door and check the temperature before closing it quickly.
Because the oven temperature fluctuates throughout the baking cycle, it is recommended to take multiple temperature readings and calculate the average. The more readings you take, the more accurate the average will be. Appliance repair technicians sometimes take a reading every minute for 10 minutes.
If the average temperature is off by 15°F or more, your oven is likely in need of calibration. In some cases, the oven temperature can be off by as much as 100°F or more. If this is the case, do not attempt to calibrate the oven yourself and consult a professional instead.
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Digital display: Use keypad arrows
If your oven has a digital display, you can adjust the thermostat by using the keypad arrows. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- First, ensure your oven is turned on and displaying the home screen.
- Locate the calibration buttons. These may be labelled with functions such as "Bake" and "Broil Hi/Lo", or they could be other buttons like "Oven Light" or "Bake". The specific buttons required will depend on your oven model.
- Press and hold the identified calibration buttons for a few seconds. You may need to hold them for about 2 seconds until a specific letter combination, such as "SF", appears on the display screen.
- Once you're in calibration mode, you'll see a two-digit number on the screen. This represents the current temperature setting.
- Use the keypad arrows to adjust the temperature as needed. Press the up arrow to increase the temperature and the down arrow to decrease it. The temperature increments vary depending on your oven model, typically ranging from one to ten degrees.
- After making the desired adjustments, press the "Start" button to store the new settings in the oven's internal memory. This will also deactivate calibration mode.
- Your oven is now ready to use with the new temperature settings.
Remember to refer to your oven's user manual for specific instructions related to your model. Additionally, it's a good idea to perform an oven calibration test, such as the "biscuit test", to ensure the new settings are accurate.
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Frequently asked questions
If your food is coming out undercooked or overcooked, it might be a sign that your oven needs calibration. You can test this by performing the "biscuit test". Bake a biscuit according to the package directions and see if it is cooked correctly.
This depends on the model of your oven and how it was designed by the manufacturer. Check your oven's manual for the correct sequence. Typically, you will need to press and hold one or two buttons on the control panel for a few seconds. For example, some ovens use the combination of the "Bake" and "Broil Hi/Lo" buttons, while others use the "Oven Light" or "Bake" buttons.
If your oven has a knob, you will see a small adjustment screw at the back labelled "Cooler" at one end and "Hotter" at the other. Loosen the screw and move it towards "Cooler" if your oven has been overcooking, or towards "Hotter" if it has been undercooking. If your oven has a digital display, use the arrows to adjust the temperature as needed.
