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My modern whirlpool electric oven take forever (about 20min) to heat-up to 200C. This seems similar to other electric ovens I have used in Ireland.

Hoever, when visiting my mother in law in the USA, I noticed that her very old(20+ years) electric oven heats up very quickly, about 5 minutes.

Is this rapid heat-up time typical of american ovens or is there something special about hers?

Why does my oven heat-up so slowly in comparison?

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    Is that measuring with a thermometer or waiting until the oven says it is ready? I have noticed that my newer oven seems to reach the temp and hold it for a bit while the interior surfaces heat up- instead of just the air. Alternatively is the older oven a higher wattage?
    – Sobachatina
    May 9, 2012 at 15:14
  • There are two ovens in my house. A newer oven that might take up to 30 minutes to heat up to 375 F(190.5 C). While my old oven only takes like 10 minutes. I was kind of curious too.
    – Jay
    May 9, 2012 at 15:42
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    Perhaps newer ovens have to conform to relatively recently introduced safety standards that effect the speed they heat up at.
    – ElendilTheTall
    May 9, 2012 at 16:30
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    I noticed that my (old) oven heats up by just putting on the grill. So when putting something in the oven before the oven is reached the right temprature, it will get toasted. I noticed that my mom's oven does not give that effect when heating up. Maybe new ovens use an other way than just putting on the grill until the right temperature is reached? Just guessing..
    – Lotte Laat
    May 9, 2012 at 18:07
  • @Elendil- That was my thought as well.
    – Sobachatina
    May 9, 2012 at 18:12

3 Answers 3

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There is a large collection or reasons, some are:

  1. Differences in makes and models

  2. Modern form over function problems

  3. Crap EU standards (EN 60350 etc) that limit the amount of power a element can use. It's something like <= 0.25 W per cm2, and a typical domestic over is around 1100 cm2

  4. For same standards the typical total KW/h of modern over is 3.5 KW/h, where ovens of twenty years ago where around 4.5 KW/h\

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20 minutes for around 350 F is pretty normal for electric ovens with HIDDEN elements. Older ovens tended to have OPEN, VISIBLE elements. Plus the reasons other people gave.

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  • My hidden element oven takes 11m to reach 350. I think you're right the old visible ones are faster...
    – rogerdpack
    Nov 9, 2020 at 3:52
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Very possible your oven has a faulty element. Most use both the lower and the upper/broil element to get the oven to set temp

Once the oven gets to temp it only uses one element. Check your broiler first to see if that is working properly

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