New World Cookers, Hobs and Hoods

1. Quick Defrost

Any kind of symbol which has a representation of ice, along with either water droplets or arrows to represent air currents. With this function there is generally not a lot happening other than a light coming on and the fan starting up. This movement of air will help to gently defrost items and doesn’t involve any cooking – unlike a microwave.

2. Fan Assisted Oven Cooking

Any symbol with a full fan and nothing else. Fan assistance is the most conventional form of cooking in most ovens and cookers. It simply means that the heat is being moved constantly, helping even cooking from all angles.

3. Upper and Lower Heating / Conventional Heating

Usually displayed as two lines to represent the heating elements at the top and bottom of a static oven. On some oven models, particularly less expensive models, the oven won’t use a fan to distribute heat. Instead the elements are located at the top and bottom, although this kind of cooking tends to make the top part of the oven the hotter section.

4. Lower Heat

Comparable to the upper and lower symbol, this one should only involve a lower line by itself. Cooking using the lower element only is useful when you want to cook something which needs to crisp on the base but stay moist on the top. This is not for regular, all-round cooking.

5. Lower Heat, Fan Assisted

This will again symbolise the use of the lower heating element only, but this time with a fan symbol as well. Once again, this function is great for any item you want cook on the bottom and keep moist on top, however, with fan assistance there is more chance of an even cook and you can expect a little crisping on the top of your food.

6. Full Grill

Either a full band across the top or large arrows along the top, signifying the grill. Not all grills glow red, so if yours doesn’t it is not necessarily faulty.

7. Economy Grill

Similar to the full grill but with a smaller bar or arrow, only part of the heating element actually produces heat.

8. Fan Assisted Grill

A full grill symbol with a fan or the depiction of heated air. This option is usually only available on a multi-function oven. It helps to cook your food quickly and thoroughly, with the fan spreading the heat out and increasing the quality of the cook. This will lock in goodness and moisture whilst crisping the outside of your food.

9. Alarm

Set the alarm for your chosen time and youʼll be alerted by buzzing or beeping when it’s time to check if your food is cooked.

10. Timer

A timer may be used to either turn on and/or turn off the oven automatically after a certain amount of time, depending upon the specific appliance and also give an audible beep or buzz at the end of cooking time.

11. Pyrolytic Cleaning

This is a programme that heats up the oven to a very high temperature, which has the effect of incinerating burnt-on cooking grime. You are then left with the easy job of wiping off the ash that is left behind.

As pyrolytic cleaning is a relatively new feature only available on new ovens, the symbol used by manufacturers is not consistent, but examples include a capital P, or a series of dots or diamond shapes that increase in size.

12. Lock/ Child Lock

These are more commonly found on hobs, but you do also sometimes get a child-lock option on ovens. They generally work by pressing and holding a touch control or button for a few seconds to activate or deactivate. When the child lock is on, the oven will not respond to buttons being pressed or dials being turned.

13. Plate Warming

A function to warm plates.

14. Warming oven

A Function to keep food warm in the oven without cooking it any further.