Oven Temperature Converter

°F = °C × 9/5 + 32. For example, 180°C = 180 × 1.8 + 32 = 356°F. In practice, recipes round to 350°F.

Gas Marks are the UK temperature scale used on gas ovens. They are a lookup table rather than a clean formula — the step between marks varies. The standard values are: Gas Mark 1 = 140°C, 2 = 150°C, 3 = 170°C, 4 = 180°C, 5 = 190°C, 6 = 200°C, 7 = 220°C, 8 = 230°C, 9 = 240°C, with Gas Mark ¼ ≈ 110°C and ½ ≈ 120°C for very low settings. Gas Mark 4 (180°C) is the most common moderate baking temperature (per Which?, Smeg UK and BBC Good Food).

Fan ovens (also called convection ovens) circulate hot air, cooking more evenly and efficiently. They run about 20°C hotter in effect, so recipes written for conventional ovens need the temperature reduced by 20°C when using a fan oven.

Oven thermostats can be inaccurate, sometimes by 10-20°C or more. An oven thermometer (about £5) is the best way to check. Hot spots are also common — rotate bakes halfway through for even results.

The most commonly used oven temperatures in baking are: 140-150 degrees C for slow baking (fruit cakes, meringues), 160-170 degrees C for gentle baking (cheesecakes, custards), 180 degrees C for most cakes and biscuits, 200-220 degrees C for bread and pastry, and 230-250 degrees C for pizza and flatbreads.