When it comes to cooking up a storm in the kitchen, it’s hard to understate the culinary importance of the humble oven.

A key piece of kit for a variety of purposes – be it baking a batch of cookies, roasting a Christmas turkey or crisping up a few potato smilies – the kitchen oven is virtually irreplaceable.

That being said, knowing which oven is right for you can be equally important and choosing one type over another can have a dramatic effect on the way you cook.

To help you get to grips with what’s what, here’s a head-to-head overview of the two primary oven types: fan oven vs conventional oven.

What is the difference between a fan oven and a conventional oven?

At its most basic, the difference between a fan oven and a conventional oven is simple and almost self-explanatory.

Also known as convection ovens, fan-assisted ovens are – as the name suggests – equipped with a fan inside which forces hot air to circulate around the oven.

Conversely, a conventional oven simply heats up the inside to the desired temperature, cooking the food by blanketing it in a layer of heat.

Is a fan oven better than a conventional oven?

Circulated air transfers heat faster than still air, making fan ovens more energy efficient. Not only will this reduce your carbon footprint, but it will also reduce the size of your bills as well.

That being said, fan ovens aren’t perfect. Overfilling your fan oven can impact the way air circulated and lead to an uneven cook, while the fan can also make cooking times inaccurate.

Moreover, it’s important to note that, due to the way it circulates the heat and the necessary exhaust system, fan-assisted ovens remove the moisture within the oven as you cook.

While this moisture removal can be great for crisping up a pasta bake or firming up a lasagne, it can be adversely effective when baking items like cakes and bread.

However, some fan-assisted ovens feature a baking setting that lends itself better for bake purposes. This option uses a lower fan speed to more accurately mimic the traditional method.

Conversely, such fan-assisted ovens often also come equipped with a roast setting that utilises a faster fan speed to actively remove the moisture for a crispier surface finish.

The Verdict: fan oven vs conventional oven

Like most kitchen appliances, there are pros and cons to each option and ultimately the preference can be simply down to taste.

Meanwhile, the cooking purpose can also have a heavy influence on which route you take, with both options providing food for thought in terms of cooking quality.

For example, a baking connoisseur may lean more towards the conventional option for its moisture maintaining qualities, while a typical 9-5er might prefer the efficiency of a fan-assisted oven.

In terms of speed and all-round oven use for a variety of cooking purposes, the fan-assisted option is a great Jack of all trades solution; however, if you

For the true best of both worlds, it’s well worth finding a fan-oven that includes conventional settings as well for complete freedom to cook a variety of dishes to the highest standard.

For more advice on the fan oven vs conventional oven quandary, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 02920 452 510 or get in touch online by clicking the button below.

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Now, if there's something that we can all agree on, its that we all want our ovens to heat up. It's really the only thing we expect from our ovens, actually. But if your fan oven is not heating up properly it can be a real nightmare for your cooking, and you may have even considered getting yourself a new oven.

But there's no need to worry! You don't need to pay for a brand new oven when the chances are you just need to replace a faulty part. Luckily, we have a whole range of cooker spare parts that you can find here. Or to learn more about which part you need, keep reading. 

Fan oven not heating up properly? Here are some reasons why this may be happening, and the repair part you need to fix the problem: 

Faulty Oven Element

Your oven element is the part that is responsible for getting your oven hot. Unfortunately, it's quite common that this part will become faulty and similarly to a light bulb it must be replaced rather than repaired. We have a huge range of oven elements that will get your fan oven heating up in no time!

• New oven element 

Damaged Door Components 

If your door isn't closing properly it may be letting valuable heat escape from your oven. This means your fan oven won't be heating up properly, making it harder for you to cook your meals! There are a few things that can go wrong with your door, depending on which you may need a:

• New door seal
• New door hinge
• New door/ door glass

Broken Thermostat 

If your thermostat is broken your oven will no longer be able to regulate how hot it is getting. No matter how accurately you set your oven temperature or how closely you watch the time, without a working thermostat, your cooking may have some surprising results. You can get a new thermostat from our extensive range: 

• New thermostat

To make sure you get a replacement part compatible with your oven, be sure to use our search filters. By selecting your model and manufacturer you can avoid disappointment and get the right part for the repair. We also recommend you read the product description carefully.

If your fan oven is still not heating up properly or you have any questions about which part you need to feel free to get in touch. Our friendly team is happy to help with all your cooker related needs, so contact us today.  

It's great having a fan oven. Not only do fan-assisted appliances cook food faster than traditional ovens, they generally do so at lower temperatures - most cooking instructions nowadays specify one temperature setting for fan ovens and another, higher setting for everyone else (e.g. 200°C / Fan 180°C).

This means:

• Less waiting around for your oven to preheat
• Less energy used up per meal
• Shorter food preparation periods

As we said, it's great to have a fan oven. But just like any appliance, a fan oven can break down, and what good is an oven - fan-assisted or otherwise - that can't cook anything?

Today, we're going to introduce you to some common fan oven repairs to help you get your fan-assisted appliance up and running again. But there's one important question that we ought to answer first:

How does a fan oven work?

A standard electric oven cooks food via a heating element - basically a coil of wire that converts electrical energy into heat, warming up the oven and everything in it.

Fan-assisted ovens rely on heating elements as well, but with one big difference: the fan. The fan in an electric fan oven spins at all times when the oven is in use; this distributes the heat throughout the oven cavity, cooking your food more evenly and more efficiently.

Q: My fan isn't working - can I still use my fan oven like a normal oven?

A: No, unfortunately you can't. Fan-assisted ovens are specifically designed with the heat-distributing effect of the fan in mind. If the fan blades aren't spinning around and spreading the heat generated by your element throughout the whole oven, there's a high risk that the element will overheat and stop working. 

For this reason, you should NOT use a fan-assisted oven if the fan is not working. With this in mind, fan oven repairs are something that should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Now that you understand how a fan oven works, let's take a look at some common issues and how to fix them:

1. The fan has stopped working

If the fan in your fan-assisted oven isn't starting up when you switch the appliance on, you may need to replace the fan motor.

Buy a new fan oven motor here >

How to replace your oven fan >

2. The oven isn't heating up

What if your fan is working fine, but there's no heat for it to distribute? If that's the case, you may need a new oven element.

Buy oven elements >

How to replace a fan oven element >

3. Other issues...

There are lots of other things that can go wrong in a fan oven. Perhaps the door seal is broken and you're losing during cooking, or perhaps there's an issue with the power supply and your appliance isn't turning on at all.

No matter what's happened to your fan oven or what sort of repair work it needs, we at Cooker Spare Parts can help! We stock all kinds of replacement components for fan-assisted ovens, and our cooker experts are always on hand to help you work out which part(s) you need to purchase. Follow the link below to ask for advice on any fan oven repairs you may have. 

Contact us for expert cooker advice >

If you've discovered that your Hotpoint oven fan no longer turns and your cavity isn't heating evenly, you probably have a faulty motor and it's time to get a replacement!

Luckily we have this helpful guide and a wide variety of Hotpoint spares to get your oven up and working again in no time.

Signs of a Faulty Fan Motor

The fan-assisted oven is a wonderful invention. The fan distributes heat evenly throughout the entire oven cavity, meaning that every part of your food will be cooked at the same temperature - no cool spots like you sometimes get in standard ovens.

When your fan motor stops working, it is important to find a replacement as soon as possible. Otherwise your fan oven element may start to overheat and eventually break. 

Common Causes

If you notice any of the following, you may have a faulty fan motor:

• The fan blade is moving slowly, or not at all.
• The oven fan is noisy.
• The indicator light is on and the element is hot, but the heat is uneven.

Please note: we always recommend that you find a qualified electrical engineer to take a look at your appliance to diagnose the problem and carry out the repair.

How to Find the Replacement

In order to find the correct replacement motor for your Hotpoint single or double fan oven, you'll need the model and serial number on your appliance. This will be found on the data badge on the cooker or oven, usually around the door frame.

When you have these details either enter these details using the search bar above, call our team on 02920 452 510, or email us on enquiries@cookerspareparts.com with your model and serial number details.

Buy Hotpoint Oven Fan Motor

How to Replace Your Hotpoint Oven Fan Motor

Once you've found the correct replacement fan motor and it's arrived, you're now ready to start the repair on your oven.

You'll Need

• Replacement fan oven motor.
• Screwdriver set.
• Owner's manual (optional).

1. Unplug your cooker and move it away from the wall so that you can access the rear of the appliance.
   
   
2. Unscrew the cooker's back panel and take it off to expose the fan motor.
   
   
3. Take out your oven shelves and remove the oven door (this will make it easier for you to access the interior of the oven).
   
   
4. Inside the oven, unscrew and remove the fan guard (i.e. the panel at the back of the oven).
   
   
5. Now, remove the fan blade by turning the screw at the centre of the blade clockwise (not anti-clockwise as you would normally expect!).
   
   
6. Once the fan blade is off, unscrew the motor. Most motors have 3 screws, loosened from inside the oven, although this may vary.
   
   
7. Return to the rear of the cooker and take a photo of the motor so that you don't forget how the wires are connected to it. Then, disconnect all wires from the motor and remove it from the appliance.

Congratulations! You have removed your broken fan oven motor! Now follow this process in reverse to install the new one and get your oven working properly once more.

Not able to find the correct fan motor for your appliance or need extra spare parts?

Feel free to contact our spares team on 02920 452 510 or email us on enquiries@cookerspareparts.com with your appliance model and serial number information.

Unfortunately oven elements are not invincible and are prone to damage due to the high temperatures that they experience when fitted in your oven cavity.

 Below we list 3 common problems we find people tend to have with their oven elements, so if you have any of these issues with your own oven element, don’t hesitate when it comes to replacing it.

1.      If you own a fan oven, the element in your oven will expand and contract. When the oven is on, the element will expand and as soon as the oven is turned off, the element will contract. This can result in strain being put on the element and could lead it blowing;

2.      Staying with fan ovens, if the motor in your fan oven gets too dirty and covered in grease and dirt, it won’t be able to cool your oven element sufficiently meaning your oven element is at greater risk of overheating. Check your fan oven motor regularly to ensure it is clean and keeping your oven element cool;

3.      The most common problem with oven elements is when the oven light and fan come on but the oven element won’t heat up at all. This is the classic sign that the element needs replacing.

Here are a few tips we have to help ensure your oven element doesn’t become damaged:

·         Ensure the oven door seal on your appliance is keeping the hot air in the oven cavity. If it isn’t doing this, the oven element will have to work harder to maintain the temperature in the oven cavity, which puts added strain on it;

·         Keep your fan oven motor as clean as possible to help ensure it keeps your oven well ventilated when you are using it.

Here at Cooker Spare Parts, we stock a fantastic range of fan oven spares so if you are experiencing any of the problems listed above with your fan oven, take a look at our range of spares here!