Been a while since you’ve had a new oven? In recent times, ovens have evolved significantly, the latest models boasting a wide range of features that might surprise you. From cooking and grilling modes aimed at specific foods to warming and defrosting functions, there’s a whole lot more to a modern oven than meets the eye.
In this guide, we’ll be focusing on the defrosting function specifically. We’ll give you an overview of how it works, explain the advantages of using it, cover how to use it and tell you how you can get your hands on an oven that has a defrost mode.
How does the defrost function work?
The answer to this one is simple. Fitted exclusively to electric fan ovens, the dedicated defrost mode uses the fan to move air around the oven at room temperature – no heating elements are activated. This means that your food is warmed gradually, not cooked, allowing it to defrost without being dried out or burnt.
What are the advantages of using the defrost function?
When you leave food out on the kitchen worktop to defrost, there’s typically very little in the way of air circulation; the room temperature air will defrost your food eventually but, without the assistance of a fan, it’ll take far longer to thaw out.
It’s kind of like drying out your freshly washed clothes. They’ll dry far more quickly on the line outside than they will inside, simply because of the air moving over them. When you put your frozen food in the oven and use the defrost mode, the warmer air is able to reach every piece of food more easily, speeding up the process significantly.
In many cases, using your oven’s defrost function will allow your food to thaw out in as little as half the time, making it ready to cook that much sooner. Not only is this a bonus in terms of convenience, it’s easier than using the defrost mode on your microwave. With a microwave, there’s always the risk of leaving your frozen food in for too long. If you do, it’ll begin to cook, compromising its texture. With an oven’s defrost setting, this can’t happen because no heat is being generated: simply place it in the oven, switch it to the correct mode and go about your day.
How do you use an oven’s defrost mode?
If your oven is fitted with a defrost mode, taking advantage of it couldn’t be simpler. To begin, use the left-hand dial to select the correct function. On most models, the defrost mode is clearly labelled with a snowflake icon.
Once you’ve selected the right mode, place your food on the middle shelf of your oven, uncovered. Wondering what temperature you should defrost at? There’s no need to worry about the temperature setting at all; in this mode, neither heating element is active, so the temperature control isn’t needed.
Now your food is inside, simply close the oven door and check on it a little later. Defrosting times will vary depending on the type and volume of food inside the oven, so it’s worth checking on it periodically to make sure it’s completely defrosted before you start cooking.
Which ovens come with a defrost function?
Defrosting modes are now present on a wide range of different ovens, but all of them have one thing in common: they’re fan-assisted electric models. You won’t find any gas or non-fan-assisted electric ovens with defrost modes, as the setting requires the use of a fan in order to function.
Happily, electric fan ovens are commonplace today – they’re fast becoming the default choice for many homeowners, simply because of their versatility and immense range of functions. They can even cook food more quickly than other types of oven too, cutting down on your energy consumption.
The popularity of fan ovens has led to a gradual decrease in their price point. Once upon a time, these all-singing, all-dancing appliances were far more expensive than old school gas ovens, but nowadays they’re far more affordable. Here at Cookology, you’ll find built-in fan ovens with defrost modes from less than £220.
Explore our range of electric fan ovens today
In the market for a new oven? Our range is packed with affordable options, many of which come with multiple cooking modes. With a range of finishes, sizes and configurations to choose from, it’s never been easier to find exactly what you’re looking for. To get started, check out the complete lineup of Cookology ovens today.
