If you have a gathering at your place and want to prepare several treats for serving your guests, you require a specific temperature for each treatment, which means you have to wait for your oven to cool down first.
Like preheating, every type of oven requires some time to lower its temperature. Though the question is, how long does it take for an oven to cool down? To find your answer, let’s have a look at the article below;
Normally an oven takes approximately 30-45 minutes to cool down completely. However, this time varies greatly because it depends on various factors like the size, type of oven, fan working, insulation type, and whether the doors are open or shut.
Apart from this, the higher the temperature you use for cooking food, the more time it will take to cool down.
The average temperature for most dishes is somewhere between 350 Fahrenheit to 400 Fahrenheit. The ovens hold this heat and take more than 30 minutes to cool down.
When the oven reaches the set temperature, the hot air inside it increases the temperature of the walls and racks. In turn, the oven takes more time to cool down.
Unlike small ovens, large capacity ovens have high insulation and hold more heat, so it will naturally take more minutes to lower its temperature.
Besides that, an older oven will cool down quickly because of its less insulation and low working efficiency.
New high-end ovens have exceptional working efficiency, making them the buyer’s first choice. In addition, they have a large capacity and fiberglass insulation that hold the heat perfectly.
The glass doors of these ovens prevent the escaping of hot air and maintain the internal temperature for a long time. Therefore, these ovens take more time to cool down than older ones.
How long does it take for an oven to cool down?
The average time an oven takes to cool down is between 30-60 minutes. Though, this cooling time can vary in different types and sizes of the oven.
When you turn off the oven, the heating elements release the heat gradually and attain room temperature. The higher the temperature you select for preparing your meal, the more time the oven will take to cool down.
For instance, if you have cooked a meal at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, your oven will take at least 15 minutes to cool down, the same as preheating.
Besides that, several crucial factors play an important role in cooling the hot oven.
Factors that affect the cooling of the oven
Here are some factors that affect the cooling of the oven, just like heating it;
Size of oven
The most important factor is the size of the oven. If you have a large oven with a large area and capacity, it will take more time to cool down than an oven of small size from the same brand.
Insulation
Another factor is the insulation of the oven. Nowadays, ovens are built with high-end insulating material that holds the heat and improves the working efficiency of cooking appliances.
Modern electric or conventional ovens have insulation between the interior and metallic casing. This insulation holds heat and keeps the interior warm for a long time.
The most common insulating material used in ovens is CMS and fiberglass, which can withstand high temperatures without damage.
The ovens with such insulations take more time to cool down than the old ovens with no insulation.
Fuel
Mostly the ovens use gas or electricity for their operation. So, the fuel source affects the process of heating or cooling the oven to a great extent.
If you have a gas oven, you will know that it cools down faster when you turn off the supply.
Whereas an electric oven takes time. Different components of an electric oven, like heating elements and metallic racks, hold heat and release it slowly. That’s why it cools slower than a gas oven.
Which temperature level indicates that the oven is cooled down?
Modern electric ovens speed up the cooking process by reaching the desired temperature within a few minutes. However, such high temperatures are dangerous for human health. So, it would help if you cooled down your oven’s temperature before using it again.
To lower the oven’s temperature, turn it off and leave for at least 30 minutes. Once it reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit, it is safe to use. You can also use oven thermometers to check the exact temperature of the oven.
Some people believe that opening the oven door speeds up the cooling process. Well, it does, but it is dangerous because the hot air inside the oven can burn your hand if you mistakenly put it in.
What happens when the temperature of the oven is turned off?
When you turn off the oven, the heated interior doesn’t cool down instantly. Instead, it takes almost an hour to lower the temperature of the metallic racks and grills of the oven.
As you know, modern electric ovens heat up quickly because of the fiberglass insulation that holds heat. When you shut off the oven, the heating element in them cools down gradually and takes more than an hour to reach room temperature.
Gas ovens take less time than electric ovens to cool down because after turning off the heat source, you only have to wait for the temperature to drop in the air and interior of the oven.
Unlike electric and gas ovens, conventional ovens cool down faster. Once you turn off the oven, the cooling fans start doing their work and cool down the oven’s interior.
While cooling your oven, leave the door open to speed up this process.
How can you make your oven cool faster?
Opening the oven door is the fastest way to drop the temperature of the hot interior and air inside the oven when you open your oven door a little, the temperature drops by almost 50%, which is way faster than any other means.
It happens because the extremely hot air inside the oven rushes outside, and the considerably cool air of your kitchen moves into the oven to lower the temperature of walls and racks.
This cooling method is recommended for the winter season because, in summer, it can make your kitchen incredibly hot, and you may feel sweaty & uncomfortable.
Is it safe to open the oven door to help it cool down?
Yes, it is completely safe to open the oven door for cooling. Opening the oven door can drop the temperature of the heated interior up to 50%.
Besides cooling, opening the oven door can prevent the smell of one dish from reaching the other.
Though, if it is the summer season, you should avoid opening the door because it can disturb the temperature of your kitchen and make it super hot and sweaty.
Is it good to air out your oven?
No, it is not good to air out your oven. When you turn on the oven, the heating element increases the temperature of air circulating inside for cooking food. This hot air remains in the small interior of the oven even if you open the door.
Besides that, when you leave the door of your appliance open for a long time, it overheats and catches fire. That’s why you should keep the oven door closed while cooking food.
Once you finish cooking, leaving the door of your oven open is absolutely fine because it will help the appliance cool down faster.
Are there any risks associated with the food that is cooked in ovens?
An oven is a handy cooking appliance for cooking food faster. There are multiple types and brands of ovens available in the market. Each type of oven has different sizes and designs, so you can buy the one that matches your kitchen interior.
Besides the advantages of an oven, the food you cook in it has various bad effects on health. The harmful radiation penetrating the food causes deadly diseases.
If the food is partially cooked, it will contain bacteria that cause food poisoning, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, etc.
Moreover, before eating the food, make sure you leave it for a few minutes at room temperature to lower its temperature first because eating hot food can cause stomach problems.
How long should you wait before using an oven again?
No, you don’t have to wait before using the oven again. Most people wipe and dry the oven immediately after every use, it helps to lower the temperature of the oven. However, it is not necessary, you can cook dishes one after another in the oven.
Before starting cooking, set the timer & temperature and let the oven preheat. When it beeps, put the food inside and wait for it to cook evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time does an oven take to reach 350F from 400F?
The time ovens take to cool down and heat up varies because of the size and insulation type. However, the average time a standard oven takes to reach 350F from 400F is 15 minutes. You can also open your oven door to speed up the cooling process.
How long does it take for an oven to cool down from 450F?
An oven’s average time to come to room temperature from 450 F is 40-60 minutes. This time of cooling down depends upon the oven’s size, type, and working efficiency.
For instance, if you have a big oven with a large food capacity, it will cool down slower than an oven having a small size. Similarly, electric ovens take longer to cool down than gas ovens.
Additionally, the higher the temperature you set for cooking food, the more time your oven will take to cool down completely.
Will food still cook if the oven is off?
Yes, the food will still cook even if the oven is turned off. This feature can be an advantage because it will keep your food hot until you serve it. Though on the other hand, it can overcook or burn your food.
When you turn off the oven and keep its door closed, the internal temperature is hot enough to cook food. Sometimes, this temperature can cause the food to overcook, dry, and even burn.
After turning off the oven, it remains hot for 15-20 minutes. Many cooking experts use this temperature for cooking several dishes or keeping them hot until you serve them. However, they keep watching the dishes to avoid any accidents.
Except for cooking, many bakers use the residual heat from the oven to keep the baked goods moist and tender.
If you are a beginner, leaving your food in the oven after turning it off is not recommended because it can burn your dishes or make your baked goods crunchy and tasteless.
Why is my oven still hot after turning off?
Turning off the oven after preparing a meal doesn’t cool down quickly because the heating element holds heat and dissipates it gradually.
Whether you have a gas or an electric oven, both require almost equal time to come to room temperature. However, the time these ovens take to cool down depends on various variables like size, working efficiency, and the oven’s heating element.
Moreover, while cooking, the hot air circulating in the oven increases the temperature of grills and metallic racks. So, the oven takes more time to cool down.
Another important factor is the insulation of ovens. Modern conventional and electric ovens have fiberglass insulation that holds the heat for longer and doesn’t allow it to escape easily even if the oven is turned off.
The average time ovens take to cool down is 30-40 minutes. You can also open the oven door to speed up this process.
Wrap up
As you know, like preheating, cooling down the oven takes time. Though the question is How long does it take for an oven to cool down?
The average time an oven takes to cool down is 30-60 minutes. However, it can vary in different types and sizes of ovens.
According to some professionals, The higher the temperature of your oven, the more time it will take to cool down.
In addition, several factors can increase or decrease the cooling time, such as the oven’s insulation, fuel type, and whether the oven door is open or closed during the cooling process.