Oven temperatures
°F, °C or gas mark?
Type the temperature your recipe gives and see it in every other scale, plus roughly where to set a fan oven.
Gas marks and common oven settings
| Gas mark | °F | °C in recipes | °C exact | Fan oven, about | Often called |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ | 225 °F | 110 °C | 107 °C | 90 °C / 200 °F | Very cool |
| ½ | 250 °F | 120 °C | 121 °C | 100 °C / 225 °F | Very cool |
| 1 | 275 °F | 140 °C | 135 °C | 120 °C / 250 °F | Cool |
| 2 | 300 °F | 150 °C | 149 °C | 130 °C / 275 °F | Cool |
| 3 | 325 °F | 170 °C | 163 °C | 150 °C / 300 °F | Moderately slow |
| 4 | 350 °F | 180 °C | 177 °C | 160 °C / 325 °F | Moderate |
| 5 | 375 °F | 190 °C | 191 °C | 170 °C / 350 °F | Moderately hot |
| 6 | 400 °F | 200 °C | 204 °C | 180 °C / 375 °F | Moderately hot |
| 7 | 425 °F | 220 °C | 218 °C | 200 °C / 400 °F | Hot |
| 8 | 450 °F | 230 °C | 232 °C | 210 °C / 425 °F | Very hot |
| 9 | 475 °F | 240 °C | 246 °C | 220 °C / 450 °F | Very hot |
| 10 | 500 °F | 260 °C | 260 °C | 240 °C / 475 °F | Extremely hot |
Using the converter
Type the number from your recipe and choose its scale. Gas marks go from ¼ to 10; mark 1 is 275 °F and every mark above it adds 25 °F. Celsius recipes round to the nearest 10 degrees, so 350 °F becomes 180 °C on the page even though the exact figure is 177 °C. The converter shows both.
A fan oven blows hot air around the food, so it cooks a little faster at the same setting. The usual guideline is to set it about 20 °C (25 °F) lower than a recipe written for a conventional oven, or to keep the temperature and check for doneness earlier. If your recipe already gives a fan temperature, pick "A fan oven" and the converter works the other way. Ovens vary, so an oven thermometer is the best way to know what yours really does.
Sources
Gas mark figures follow the conventional table summarised in Wikipedia's article on gas marks. The fan adjustment is a common guideline, not a rule.
Questions
Is 180 °C the same as 350 °F?
Close enough for cooking. 350 °F is 177 °C exactly, and recipes round it to 180 °C. Both are gas mark 4.
Should I lower the temperature for every fan oven recipe?
Only when the recipe was written for a conventional oven. Many newer recipes give both temperatures; use the fan one as it is.