Show the formula and working
This free oven temperature converter changes any recipe temperature between conventional Celsius, fan oven Celsius, Fahrenheit and gas mark, for home cooks in the UK and Europe using recipes from anywhere. Enter the temperature your recipe gives and it shows the setting for your own oven, with the working.
Quick answer: An oven temperature converter uses °F = °C x 9 / 5 + 32, subtracts about 20 °C for a fan oven and matches the gas mark scale. So 180 °C conventional is 356 °F, about 160 °C fan and gas mark 4, while 200 °C is 392 °F, 180 °C fan and gas mark 6.
What Is an Oven Temperature Converter?
An oven temperature converter translates a cooking temperature from one oven scale to another so a recipe works in the oven you own. UK recipes usually list conventional °C, fan °C and gas mark together, but American recipes give only Fahrenheit and older British recipes often give only gas marks.
The formulas in plain words: to turn Celsius into Fahrenheit, multiply by 9, divide by 5 and add 32. To turn Fahrenheit into Celsius, subtract 32, multiply by 5 and divide by 9. For a fan oven, take the conventional Celsius figure and subtract the fan reduction, which is 20 °C by default. For gas marks, the tool picks the mark whose standard Celsius value is closest.
How Do You Use the Oven Temperature Converter?
- Choose what your recipe gives in Convert from: “Conventional oven °C”, “Fan oven °C”, “Fahrenheit °F” or “Gas mark”.
- Type the recipe figure into Temperature (°C or °F). Skip this if you are converting from a gas mark.
- If the recipe uses a gas mark, pick it from Gas mark (when converting from gas mark).
- Leave Fan oven reduction at 20 °C unless your oven manual gives a different figure.
- Read the result, check the breakdown for all four scales, and open “Show the formula and working” to see each step.
What Is 180 °C in Fahrenheit and Gas Mark?
180 °C is 356 °F, which recipes round to 350 °F, and it matches gas mark 4. In a fan oven the same bake needs about 160 °C. This is the most common baking temperature for sponge cakes, brownies and many casseroles, so it is worth remembering as the “moderate” setting.
How Much Lower Should a Fan Oven Be?
A fan oven should usually be set about 20 °C lower than a conventional oven, because the fan moves hot air around the food and cooks it faster. The 20 °C figure appears in the description of the convection oven on Wikipedia and in manufacturer guidance such as AEG’s explanation of true fan cooking. Some ovens and recipes use a different figure, so the reduction is an editable field.
If your recipe already lists a fan temperature, use that figure as it is and do not subtract again.
Why Do Recipes Round Oven Temperatures?
Recipes round oven temperatures because oven dials are marked in coarse steps rather than single degrees, and a few degrees make little difference to most dishes. The exact conversion of 350 °F is 176.7 °C, yet British recipes print 180 °C. Ovens also cycle above and below the set point as the thermostat switches on and off, so a perfectly exact setting would not stay exact anyway.
Does an Oven Thermometer Help?
Yes, a cheap oven thermometer is the simplest way to see whether your oven runs hot or cold, which can matter more than the conversion itself. Place it in the centre of the middle shelf, let the oven preheat fully and compare the reading with the dial. If your oven runs 10 °C hot, set it 10 °C lower than the converted figure. While you are checking your oven, the electricity cost calculator shows what an hour of baking costs at your tariff.
Oven Temperature Conversion Chart
| Description | Conventional °C | Fan °C | °F | Gas mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very cool | 110 | 90 | 225 | 1/4 |
| Very cool | 120 | 100 | 250 | 1/2 |
| Cool | 140 | 120 | 275 | 1 |
| Cool | 150 | 130 | 300 | 2 |
| Moderately slow | 170 | 150 | 325 | 3 |
| Moderate | 180 | 160 | 350 | 4 |
| Moderately hot | 190 | 170 | 375 | 5 |
| Moderately hot | 200 | 180 | 400 | 6 |
| Hot | 220 | 200 | 425 | 7 |
| Very hot | 230 | 210 | 450 | 8 |
| Very hot | 240 | 220 | 475 | 9 |
| Extremely hot | 260 | 240 | 500 | 10 |
Celsius and Fahrenheit values follow the standard gas mark scale. Fan values assume a 20 °C reduction.
Worked Example: An American Recipe in a Fan Oven
Example: in Dublin, an American cookie recipe says to bake at 375 °F, and the oven is a fan oven. Set Convert from to “Fahrenheit °F”, type 375 into Temperature (°C or °F) and leave Fan oven reduction at 20 °C.
The tool works out (375 minus 32) x 5 / 9 = 190.6 °C, shown as 191 °C conventional. Subtracting 20 °C gives a fan setting of 171 °C, so the dial goes to 170 °C. The breakdown also shows gas mark 5, which matches the 190 °C recipe value on the gas mark scale.
Oven Temperature Converter FAQs
What is 350 °F in Celsius?
350 °F is 176.7 °C, which British recipes round to 180 °C. That is gas mark 4, and about 160 °C in a fan oven. It is the standard moderate temperature for cakes, so many American baking recipes use it.
What is 200 °C in a fan oven?
200 °C conventional is about 180 °C in a fan oven, using the usual 20 °C reduction. It is also 392 °F, which recipes round to 400 °F, and gas mark 6. Roast potatoes and many traybakes are cooked at this setting.
How do I convert Celsius to Fahrenheit for an oven?
Multiply the Celsius figure by 9, divide by 5, then add 32. For example, 220 °C x 9 / 5 + 32 = 428 °F, which recipes round to 425 °F. To go back, subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit figure, multiply by 5 and divide by 9.
Do I need to change the cooking time in a fan oven?
Usually you lower the temperature and keep the same time, then check the food a few minutes early. Fan ovens can brown the outside faster, so look at cakes and pastry near the end. For large joints of meat, check the centre with a food thermometer rather than relying on time.
Which oven setting do I use if a recipe gives only one temperature?
Assume a single temperature is for a conventional oven unless the recipe says fan. If you have a fan oven, subtract about 20 °C. If the recipe gives Fahrenheit only, it is almost certainly American and means a conventional oven.
Is gas mark the same as fan temperature?
No, gas marks match conventional temperatures, not fan temperatures. Gas mark 4 is 180 °C conventional, which is about 160 °C in a fan oven. If you cook a gas mark recipe in a fan oven, convert to Celsius first and then subtract the fan reduction.
For more tools that help you run your home, see our energy bill calculators.
Checked October 2026. Sources: Wikipedia: Gas mark, Wikipedia: Convection oven, AEG: What is true fan cooking.