Tried and Tested: What do all those Hotpoint oven settings actually do?

We’re constantly amazed by the new settings you can get on an oven which got us thinking about how many people actually use more than their one generic setting. So we challenged Emily of @Emily_etc to get creative with the other settings.

It’s unbelievable what culinary creations can be made in your oven at home these days. Gone are the days of one temperature for all, turning your trays halfway through or accidentally burning your bakes.

I’m one of those people who use their oven every day. I turn it on, turn it to the fan oven icon and stick the temperature to 200. But there are so many more icons and it got me thinking about how I could truly road test the features on my Hotpoint Class 6 Multiflow oven we tend to neglect.

Obviously, most ovens have their classic fan oven and a grill setting, but as technology evolves, it welcomes a multitude of fancy options too. Functions that range from classic cooking to a variation of baking settings, a range of grill settings, slow cooking and a feature to keep your food warm. Even better, when the dreaded oven clean approaches, some ovens even have a setting to clean itself.

No more burnt edges and raw middles (with Hotpoint's Multiflow technology)

We’ve all been there… Spending meticulous time on baking prep with high expectations for the turnout. Fast forward 45 minutes, you’re greeted with a half-baked brownie with a soggy bottom and the rest of the day wondering when and how it went wrong.

I learnt that (in a lot of cases) it’s not you, it’s your oven. Most electric ovens use a fan to distribute heat, but this can result in uneven heat distribution, hence the baking mishaps. Hotpoint innovatively approached this issue by introducing Multiflow technology and redesigning the shape of the oven itself to improve heat flow.

It works by releasing hot air from vents into the oven cavity which is then spread evenly by the fan at the back. This goes hand-in-hand with its ‘soft closing’ door, a new feature that uses next-generation hinges to prevent slamming and to ensure the heat in the oven cavity doesn’t escape. Whether you’re making a lasagne for the family or baking a birthday cake, the Multiflow technology is renowned to create even and delicious dishes so no slice is avoided!

I put this to the test by creating a homemade coffee and walnut cake and to my surprise, there were no burnt edges or raw middles. It all tasted and looked the same and went down a treat with the family – I’m not a bad baker after all!

As well as the usual oven and grill settings, with the turbo grill for larger joints of meat, there is also the forced air function. This is fantastic if you are cooking a few different foods together – or are rushed for time – but want to ensure the flavour or smell doesn’t transfer. So, you really could bake a cake, spicy pizza and seafood at the same time!

There are also eco-friendly ovens to save a little energy. If you are cooking one type of food then you can also use the automatic modes, such as the ‘meat’ ‘casserole’ ‘bread’ ‘pastry’ and ‘rising’ settings, designed especially for them – I told you it was clever! Other handy features are the automatic turn-off and soft-close door, whilst the buttons and technology are very intuitive and clear. And of course, it goes without saying that it looks super sleek too.

Testing, testing, 123 ... (perfecting the Sunday roast using the Automatic Meat Function)

A Sunday roast – a timeless and nostalgic dish. But for some cooks, it can cause a headache when the oven isn’t quite behaving. I thought it would be the perfect way to test the meat setting and use the included turnspit. This goes through your meat joint and secures with two spikes so that the meat and sit in the middle of the oven and cook evenly. My pork joint needed 170 minutes on 180 degrees C, so I used the automatic meat function and timed accordingly. This setting intermittently activates the fan at low speed to prevent the food from drying out.

Inserting the skewer itself was easy, as was the metal fixture to rest it on. It really did cook the meat beautifully evenly, and I even had my first ever success with crackling! At one point I needed to adjust the spit because I wanted to sprinkle salt on top – but the soft close door meant that the heat was kept in and the oven was still evenly heated. There is then enough room at the top for one tray, which I used to cook stuffing, pigs in blankets from frozen and cauliflower cheese together in the last 30 minutes – which had a mouthwatering golden top.

Giving it a grilling...

So far, I have simply made grilled cheese on sun-dried tomato bread. Extremely straightforward, but a good way to test out the grill in its simplest sense. The grill got up to temperature very quickly and stayed there, meaning I had perfectly toasted bread and bubbling cheese in less than ten minutes.

It also gave me an option to brown, which I then added on for an extra 2. It was also because I could shut the door whilst I prepared mushroom and poached eggs and keep it warm, rather than my old grill which would have either gone cold or set the smoke alarm off.

No need for the dreaded oven clean ... it cleans itself

Giving my oven a thorough clean became a dreaded chore of mine which made the pyrolytic clean feature a huge selling point for me. It means I can exchange my washing up gloves for a cup of tea and touch of a button – music to anyone’s ears.

The oven locks the door securely before heating up to 470°C – this burns off any unwanted and excess fat and grease without having to use any cleaning solutions. All that is required from me, is a swift wipe at the end to dispose of any residue!

The Hotpoint Class 6 Electric Oven truly is a fantastic addition with so many features that I can see myself using every day. From the ease of use to the technology of the settings themselves, it really is an oven that will stand the test of time, with genuinely useful functions that are used for the basis of most recipes.

As well as the clear instructions, there’s a cooking table which explains which function would be best for what, as well as what included accessories – and even oven level – to use. You’d be surprised what the helpful reference guide includes too: lasagne, baked fish, leg of lamb, rare roast beef, choux pastry and even meringues!

From seasoned chefs to foodie newbies alike, the Hotpoint does the usual things well, with a world of oven settings ready to explore at the touch of a button. As an added bonus, AO even installed the oven. They made switching out my old oven to the new one look easy and effortless!

Emily is using the Hotpoint Class 6 Electric Oven.

This product was gifted free of charge in exchange for @emily_etc's honest opinion.

Images supplied by @emily_etc