Electric wall oven advice - temp fluctuations

[texastweeter]

I hear some people have bad experiences wit KA, but ALL my kitchen appliances are matching KA and have only had one problem ever. Popped a thermal protection fuse once using the auto clean feature when stopping a bunch of black iron in it, replace it ($10) and have never had an issue.

[Bruceski44]

Nice! The addition of thermal mass (the bricks and stone) will make it slower to heat up (and cool down) but will often help reduce the temperature fluctuations.

[Oak Smoke]

We bought a new Kitchen Aid 2 years ago when we remodeled the kitchen. I have the repairman’s number in my phone. Temp control and even heating have been hard to get right. The first time the wife put cookies in it they were burnt in 8 minutes. With it set on 350 it was fluctuating between 450 and 400. We just had our 5th service call new circuit board, new temp sensor, and new heating element, it’s ok now but still not great. We baked hot rolls in it Wed. The ones on the left were still white when the ones on the right were brown. I’m ready to try texastweeter method.

[das85]

Thanks, using a data logger to see average could help a lot to manage this

[das85]

Thanks.. I think it has always been this way. I will put that down as a good mark for Bosch!

[Razor]

I bet it's easier for ovens to hold a "typical" temp ~ 350-425, than it is for them to hold a "warming temp" like what GroceryBoy is experiencing. Plus it's Bosch. They're spot on.

Many people don't know this but the Brits use to build hands-down the world's best warming ovens. They went under the trade name Lucas Refrigerators.

[holehogg]

Has the oven always behaved this way or is this something new?
I ask because if it's new development then might have to do with the thermostat not functioning correctly anymore.
I just bought a new Bosch oven and the drop at worst is 18F and more often around 12F. I did my measuring with oven set at 360F.

[RonB]

Have you found a difference in the amount of time above and below the set temp? My Chef Alarm displays max and min temps and I assume that the average temp is in the middle of that range, but that might not be true. More time above or below the middle temp could affect the average temp.

[texastweeter]

I have a kitchenaid oven that I have the bottom lined in firebrick, ant then the top rack all the way up with a cordite pizza stone cut to fit. Holds pretty damn steady temps. Better than any other oven I have had.

[GroceryBoy]

I have a GE oven also. I have noted at hold (170 degrees) my oven varies from 140 - 250 per my FireBoard. Impossible to use it to hold ANYTHING!

[Jerod Broussard]

I'd find the average temp. If 325 gives a less than ideal temp bump it up. I used a data logger from Thermoworks and realized temp swings are pretty much a moot point. Somewhere in there is an average.

Wouldn't hurt to have a technician to look at it in case that baby is about to give up the ghost. Potentially have a technician by 2024.

[RonB]

Swings of the set temp of 15° to 20° either side of the set temp are considered normal. I'd call the manufacturer for advice.

And you'd think that manufacturers would have come up with an oven with a chip that could learn and keep the temp more stable by now...

[das85]

Since so many people here are highly skilled at keeping a stable temp in outdoor cooker, seeking advice for indoor..

My parents have a lot of trouble maintaining temps in their GE electric wall oven (between 5-10y old). This gets extra frustrating for a long cook like turkey.. If you set oven for 325, it gets all the way below 250 before heat cycles on to bring temp back up.

They try to correct for this by turning oven off as temp gets low, then back on to put in preheat mode where it comes back more quickly to set temp.. But that doesn't work super well, and an electric indoor oven really should be set-and-forget!

Any advice on either how to pick a better oven or get better results from this one?

Looking at online reviews, they all seem to evaluate ovens' fun features but I haven't found a site which evaluates ability to just hold a temp.. Some say all ovens stay +/- 30deg from set temp but that is definitely not the case here.

Any thoughts very much appreciated and hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

(Obviously my preference would be a pellet smoker but that is not an option for their apartment..)