On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 10:29:14 -0700, Eric Jorgensen
> wrote:

>On Sun, 01 Jan 2006 17:03:52 GMT
>"Bob Giel" > wrote:
>
>> How much can an oven's temperature vary and still give good results?
>>
>> If set at 350 degrees F., what is the most it should go above or below
>> the set temperature?
>> Is there actually a standard or "generally accepted range"?
>> Is the acceptable range a percentage of the target temperature (e.g. up
>> or down 5%) or is it an absolute (e.g. up or down 10 degrees F maximum?)
>
>
> Maverick - people who made the oven thermometer i used until the
>thermocouple died - said it's normal for the temperature to fluctuate up to
>15% during use, and that their (reasonably good) digital oven thermometer
>thus averages the temperature readings it gives you. Which is totally
>valid.
>
> Anecdotally - A good friend of mine was working for a semiconductor
>company when they developed a laboratory grade electric oven controller
>that was far cheaper than any that had come before - back in the early 80's
>- so they decided to market it for use in high-end home ovens.
>
> It was capable of regulating the temperature inside the oven to within
>+/- 1 degree Celsius, and no oven made with it was ever worth a damn.
>
> Nothing that came out of them was ever cooked properly. Every recipe had
>to be adjusted. People hated them. It was a total flop.
>
> The engineers determined that since baking methods have evolved over
>time with these temperature fluctuations as a constant, they were actually
>required for proper baking without reformulation.

Howdy,

With respect, I don't buy it...

I used (for about 20 years) a Garland commercial gas oven
that fluctuated by about 40F at any setting.

I eventually replaced it with Bongard electric oven that
holds its temperature within a degree or two.

The results from the Bongard are far superior.

I would like to learn more about the ways that the
fluctuations could possibly be of benefit.

All the best,
--
Kenneth

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