The oven has several functions: upper and lower heating, air recirculation, grill. There are big differences between individual settings that make the difference between success and failure in cooking. But which oven icon means which function? What is the meaning behind individual symbols?
Not every oven has every feature, so not all icons listed below will be relevant to you. The symbols indicating the basic Back settings are the same for all manufacturers.
Straight lines top and bottom: top and bottom heating
The sign with two lines symbolizes that the heat with this function of the oven comes from both above and below, that is, it is distributed evenly, with soft air circulation, inside the oven, thereby the pie, roast or even soufflé is baked smoothly, without overdrying. Top and bottom heating is a universal function of any oven, although it is the least energy efficient. Energy saving tip for the function: turn off the oven about five minutes before the end of the baking time and use the residual heat.
Advice from professionals
Which grill icon is on the oven is now clear. But how to use this function correctly? On the grill you can cook chicken and sausage, all kinds of hamburgers, sandwiches and toast. If a person loves barbecue, he will also have the opportunity to cook it in his kitchen. This feature will come in handy when the meat has already been marinated, but the weather suddenly changes your picnic plans.
If people do not eat meat, they can grill many healthy, rich dishes that retain their natural flavor, vitamins and microelements.
Straight line from above: top heating
Heat comes only from above with this function. Therefore, this setting is suitable if you want a nice crust for your bread or if you want a crispy casserole. There are also stove models that have two straight lines on top. In this case, the upper heating will be more intense. If you select this oven icon, you must keep an eye on the food, otherwise it will burn very quickly.
Electromechanics
This control panel allows you to more accurately set and control the operating modes of the oven. That’s why we use our own icons here – in much larger quantities. And although different manufacturers may have their own set of icons, large and most popular brands like Siemens, Bosch, Electrolux and Hotpoint-Ariston chose to simplify the task for their customers and adhere to approximately the same designation system.
- A horizontal line with a wavy “stream of steam” rising above it (one or three) – maintaining the temperature of ready-made dishes at +60..+100 °C.
- A pie shaped with three vertical wavy lines is the so-called Gratin mode, which allows you to create a brown baked crust on the surface of the food.
- The same three waves, but on their own, or the “Sun” icon indicate the drying mode.
In addition, on the panels of multifunctional ovens you can find icons corresponding to such modes as: heating plates before serving, preparing yoghurts and sourdough (“Glass”), proofing yeast dough, sterilizing canned food.
Today, quite a few additional icons have appeared for various convection modes. The following symbols may appear next to the fan:
- LTC – Slow cooking, which results in juicier, larger roasted cuts of meat.
- Three drops – additional processing of products with hot steam.
- “Leaflet” is the so-called eco mode with minimal energy consumption.
Zigzags or triangles on top: top heat and grill function
The grill function is represented by three connected downward-facing triangles or a zigzag line. If you want to roast something extra deep, such as nuts, meat or vegetables, slide the tray onto the top rack of your oven and select the zigzag icon.
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Turn on the grill
You can use only the grill or set it as the main mode. But then the food should be ready to eat. For example, you can cook hot sandwiches or pizza this way. Raw meat will simply burn without being cooked through. Or as a final chord. Then the finished dish will have a browned, crispy crust.
Before using the grill function, the oven is preheated. Electric ovens provide the ability to select the desired mode, for example, fried chicken, using a low or medium grill temperature.
Center fan: air recirculation
The fan icon on your oven indicates the air recirculation function. In this case, the oven uses top and bottom heat, but the heat is distributed more strongly inside by the fan. This allows you to set the oven thermostat 20 degrees lower than using the top and bottom heat icon. The temperature should be the same throughout, allowing multiple sheets to be placed in the oven at the same time. However, the air recirculation function dries out food, so it is not suitable for every cake, not all vegetables and certainly not for meat dishes. The oven does not need to be preheated when recirculating air. This saves energy.
Grill icon designation
The grill icon on the oven may be shown next to the convection. This function is indicated by a four-leaf flower placed in a circle. This means that in the oven of this sample, uniform air distribution is ensured using a fan. This function allows you to cook frozen foods and baked goods as long as the temperature does not exceed 170 °C.
The convection functions in combination with the grill enhance the heating capabilities of food that is cooked in the oven. The already indicated convection icon is used for designation, only in combination with dotted lines. This means that both the convector and the grill operate in parallel.
The grill icon on the oven is an image of zigzag or italic lines at the top in a square. To heat this element, a heating element is used, which is capable of covering a large area inside the oven. For the camera to work, the oven temperature must rise to 225 °C. With the functions of a large grill, you can successfully cook lasagna and grill meat, so that the dishes are browned and have an even more appetizing appearance.
The grill mode icon in the oven can be an image of this function in combination with the upper heating element. Then you can see a zigzag in the square, where the arc at the top of the figure is also depicted. To heat the oven, use a heating element, which is located in the upper part of the oven. By applying heat directly to the grill, you can ensure that your food remains juicy.
Fan in quadrangle or circle: hot air
The oven uses hot air, which is heated in a radiator and then transported by a fan to the inside of the oven. The radiator in this sign is represented by a quadrangle or circle in which a fan is depicted. Hot air, distributed equally throughout, allows several trays to be baked at the same time. Preheating the oven is not required with the hot air function. This protects the environment and saves you money.
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Electronic PU touch screen
LED symbols look attractive and intriguing on the screen of such a panel. And all because there can be an unlimited number of them, which is what manufacturers take advantage of, coming up with new designations for the cooking modes being introduced. In addition, the operating features of the sensor allow you to set additional options for individual programs, which are also displayed in the form of icons.
- “Clock” or two vertical stripes with an arrow pointing to the right indicate that the cooking time can be set for the selected mode. If the arrow points to the left, it means you are required to set the end time for the oven.
- “Bell” – a sound notification about the end of the program and the readiness of the dish.
The number of various icons on touch panels is really large, so it is better to clarify their decoding in the instructions for a specific oven model. At first, keep it at hand, placing it on the right page; soon you will get used to the new technique and will be able to put the “cheat sheet” away from the rest of the documents.
It is also worth considering the pictograms of ovens with a steaming function. Usually there are 4 options used here:
- A cloud with three lines – wet steam with 100% saturation.
- One dash and/or the inscription Low – slight humidity in the chamber.
- Two stripes, “Med” - medium level of steam generation, ideal for baking.
- Three dashes, “High” – intense steam generation.
Icons on the oven help you choose the right cooking mode for any dish. Therefore, you should not ignore them, so as not to be disappointed in your kitchen appliances. Study the meaning of the icons and the characteristics of the corresponding programs. And once you become familiar with all the basic functions of the new oven, you will no longer need any tips.
Review of the performance characteristics of popular models
Bosch brand ovens are presented in different price categories, because... the company is looking for its consumers in various segments of the population, and, I must admit, it succeeds. The following table shows the most popular models in different types and price categories. The cost of ovens is as of the second quarter of 2018.
mid price range
"Bosch HRG 656XS2"
premium
With microwave function
Gas
Free and forced convection
The movement of warm air masses itself, as noted above, is convection. But depending on what prompts them to circulate and mix, it is customary to distinguish between free (natural) and forced convection. Free convection occurs on its own in many processes, and occurs without external influence. Hot air becomes lighter, causing it to rise upward. Cold, being heavier – down. The efficiency and speed of such natural convection is much lower than that of forced or forced convection.
In the case of forced convection, air masses, under the influence of, for example, a special fan, circulate and mix much faster and more efficiently. As a result, hot air flows are fairly quickly distributed evenly in a confined space.
What is this mode used for?
The grill is a built-in tube-shaped element that is attached to the top of the oven. Its distinctive feature from standard heating elements is the use of infrared radiation. This radiation warms up not only the air in the oven, but also the dish itself.
This option will appeal to lovers of grilled chicken and sausages, as well as hamburgers, hot sandwiches and toast. The function will also be useful for lovers of barbecue - they can be cooked in any weather at home, without going out into the countryside. Vegetarians will also be able to pamper themselves by preparing healthy vegetables rich in vitamins and microelements.
The grill can be used both as a main mode and as an additional one. For example, it can be turned on at the end of cooking so that the top of the dish is covered with a uniform, appetizing crust. Baked goods, meat, fish, chicken in the oven in grill mode can be cooked with a browned and crispy top.
Forced convection in the oven: what is it?
Every housewife knows: in order to achieve uniform baking of a dish during cooking, you need to periodically change the location of the baking sheet, moving it from one level to another. This is especially familiar to owners of simple gas stoves, which are equipped only with a lower heating element. However, the second (upper) heating device, which is built into more modern oven models, cannot cope with the problem of burning and uneven baking. Let's figure out why this happens.
Natural convection is a fairly slow phenomenon. While the air flows are mixed, the dish has time to burn due to the targeted thermal effect that comes from the heating element. In addition, other factors also influence the convection process:
- the tightness of the oven (a loose door or poor-quality sealing rubber increases heat loss);
- width of the baking sheet (a wide baking sheet slows down the process of mixing air masses, especially if it is not equipped with side clearances).
In addition, the size of the baked dish also plays an important role. Large pieces of meat or a whole bird, due to their size, simply do not have time to bake inside during cooking, but burn on top or bottom, since some parts of the dish are located closer to the heating elements.
Housewives go to great lengths to prevent food from burning: moving the baking sheet from level to level, turning it over to the other side and adjusting the heating temperature of the oven. Many people use foil and baking bags, pre-simmer dishes at a low temperature, or place a container of water in the oven so as not to dry out large pieces of meat during long baking.
Most often, the fan is installed on the back wall of the oven.
The convection mode in the oven saves housewives from such manipulations or, at least, allows them to be reduced.
Forced convection in the oven is ensured by a built-in fan (convector): due to its operation, air circulates much faster than with natural convection, and hot air masses, immediately after heating, are evenly distributed throughout the entire space of the oven. The constant movement of air flows not only creates a uniform temperature, but also reduces the point effect of the heating element on the product. Thanks to this, dishes are baked in the middle, browned on top and not burnt on the bottom. In addition, forced convection in the oven allows you to cook several dishes at the same time, using 2-3 levels at once. Agree, this is the dream of any housewife. By using this function you can save time and have time to do many other things.
Convection in the oven allows you to use the entire volume of the oven to the maximum, since you can cook on all levels at once
Let's sum it up
If you are interested in the possibility of using a grill in an oven, you should consult with the seller of this type of household appliance about the availability of this function. If there is one, the corresponding icon will be displayed on the front panel of the oven.
The grill function can be found in both gas and electric ovens. Professionals recommend using it after heating the oven. Then the finished dish will acquire a golden brown crust. Prepare for your health!
Bosch ovens are reliable and functional, easy to use and maintain.
Types of Bosch ovens
On the domestic market of household appliances intended for cooking, Bosch offers several types of ovens: gas and electric models, compact and equipped with a microwave oven.
Gas models
There are 6 models in this category: “HGN22H350” and “HGN22F350”, “HGN10G060” and “HGN10G050”, as well as “HGN10E060” and “HGN10E050”. The limited volume of offers is due to low consumer demand for this category of devices, associated with the need for gas networks at the intended location of such equipment.
Built-in gas oven model “HGN10G060”
Electric models
This equipment segment includes devices of a built-in design with an independent type of control. The standard 600mm height range includes over 140 models with downward or side opening doors, different design styles, specifications and available options. In the category of compact ovens with a height of 450 mm, there are 6 models: “CBG633NS1” and “CSG656BS1”, “CMG636BB1” and “CMG636BS1”, as well as “CMG6764B1” and “CMG6764S1”.
The nuances of repairing Bosch ovens
Bosch brand appliances are famous for their quality and reliability, however, there are situations when the device breaks down and requires repair.
You should not carry out repairs yourself if the equipment’s warranty period has not expired, because... In case of damage to the seals, repairs at the service center will be carried out under general conditions.
After the warranty period has passed, in the event of a malfunction of the oven, repairs can be carried out independently, and the nature of the failure can be determined using self-diagnosis of the device.
A variety of models allows you to choose a Bosch oven in accordance with the selection criteria and personal preferences of the user
To determine a malfunction, the manufacturer programs the devices in such a way that if there is a malfunction, an error code corresponding to the malfunction appears on the display. The main error codes and their causes are shown in the following table.
Advantages of convection
The main advantages of the convection mode in the oven are the following:
- fast heating of the oven;
- speeding up the cooking process and, as a result, reducing electricity and gas consumption;
- uniform baking of dishes without unnecessary manipulations. Since the temperature is the same throughout the oven, there is no need to change the position of the baking sheet. This is especially important when baking biscuits and meringues, when opening the oven causes the dough or delicate egg foam to settle;
- obtaining a crispy golden brown crust and maintaining the juiciness of the dish. (If necessary, you can dry the excess juice that is released when cooking some dishes.);
- possibility of using several levels. You can bake all the cake layers at once, simultaneously prepare 2-3 meat dishes for a holiday, or bake cookies for a large company;
- quick defrosting of food;
- high-quality drying of fruits, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, etc.
Gas ovens with convectors are produced less frequently, and their price is usually higher than their electric counterparts, but the savings in operating these devices are obvious. Such models are produced by: Zanussi (Zanussi), Kaiser (Kaiser), Gefest (Hephaestus) and some other manufacturers.
If you turn on the convector and set the temperature to 100-130 ℃, you will get perfect meringues and meringues
So, we found out what convection in an oven is and what advantages it has. Now let's look at how to use this function.
