If you set an electric oven to say 100 degree C on the control - what sort of swing would you expect between max and min temps in oven as thermostat switched in and out. What sort of temperature would you expect it to switch at - as I assume there is a "hysterisis" type lag.
Are they typically plus or minus x%?
You can easily measure this by moving the dial and listening for the click. IME on an electric oven the hysteresis could well be +/- 10C. The calibration might easily be 5-10 or even more out. For this reason you have to 'learn' your oven.
Doubtless commercial duty kit is a lot better in both respects.
That will establish the hysteresis band of the thermostat, but the temperature swing in the oven is likely to be larger. When the 'stat contacts open (temperature rising) the heat stored in the hot element will cause the general oven temperature to continue rising for a while. This overshoot will be greater if the oven is lightly loaded than if it is full.
And the temperature variation of different parts of the oven (even a fan oven) will be greater and more significant from the cooking perspective. Comes back to learning your oven, as Ed said.
I used a meter to test mine out of curiosity. I set the oven to 200C it took about 10 mins to reach 200C, The heater light came off and on somewhere between ~197 & ~209 as measured on a thermocouple dangled roughly in the middle of the bottom oven.
Cooker was a Zanuis/electrolux electric fan assisted one I brought from Argos for about £550 a year ago. The meter I'd say was about 2% accuracy . I was quite suprised how close the numbers were, another thing I noticed was how quickly the temepature fell once I opened the oven door. It could take 3-5 mins or so for the temperature to stabilise.
I just used almond macaroons to test mine. The ones on the back of the tray were burning while those at the front were not quite done. Belling cooker - top oven. Dreadfully uneven - will use main oven next time.
But very nice... mmmmmmmmmmm
Recipe available.
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