If you’ve lost your Beko cooker manual or don’t have access to it for whatever reason, then you are likely not getting the most out of your oven. On the dial of your Beko oven, you’ll find a variety of symbols that can help you zero in on the right setting for your needs. Your cooking experience is limited when you aren’t using the full potential of the electric oven by understanding the old symbols or if the symbols are rubbed off/worn off.
This article will provide a comprehensive guide on the different symbols and functions of Beko ovens, helping you unlock the secrets of your appliance’s control panel. So, whether you’re a novice cook or an experienced chef, read on for all the information to regain control of your fan oven.
Operating modes
By understanding the meanings of these symbols, you can ensure that you’re using your Beko oven safely and effectively. Remember that different models will have slightly different symbols and some shown here may not be available on yours.
Oven lamp
Overview: When you switch to this mode, represented by a light bulb, the oven light will be lit. The oven doesn’t need to be turned on or operating for you to use just the light.
Best for: Proving doughs and seeing your cooking progress.
Benefits/Drawbacks: This is convenient for when you have something in the oven that needs to be proven. The gentle heat of the lamp will allow the dough to rise without being too warm. The light will also allow you to see the progress of the rise.
Operating with fan
Overview: The Operating with Fan mode, represented by a snowflake with a drop of water, is essentially a defrost mode by another name. Next time you rush to get dinner on the table, use the Fan Defrost mode on your Beko oven for a quick and easy defrosting solution.
Best for: Getting food ready to be cooked quickly when frozen.
Benefits/Drawbacks: You can also use the fan-only function to cool the oven down quickly. The downside to using this function is that it can be quite noisy.
Steam cleaning
Overview: The Steam Cleaning mode, represented by a fan in a circle with a water drop over a pan, uses a combination of heat and steam to loosen and dissolve any stubborn grease or food residue that may have built up inside the oven.
To use the steam cleaning mode, add water to the bottom of the oven and select the cleaning cycle on the oven control panel. The oven will then heat up, creating steam that helps break down any stubborn grime or residue. Once the cleaning cycle is complete, you can wipe away the remaining moisture and debris with a damp cloth.
Best for: Gentle cleaning of the oven.
Benefits/Drawbacks: It uses far less electricity to clean the oven with this setting and also helps reduce the need for elbow grease. If your oven is heavily soiled, then this may not work to remove baked-on grease and grime.
Quick heating
Overview: The Quick Heating symbol on a Beko oven, represented by a thermometer with two arrows pointing up, is used when you need to heat rapidly. This mode is ideal for when you need to preheat the oven quickly, such as when you’re short on time. In this mode, the oven’s heating elements are turned on at maximum power, allowing it to reach its desired temperature faster. This mode can be particularly useful when cooking dishes that require a high temperature, such as pizza or bread.
Best for: Cutting down on your cooking time by heating the oven early.
Benefits/Drawbacks: There is less waiting when you need to cook using this function. The downside is that you will use more electricity since the elements run much higher than usual temperatures.
Oven operating functions
This section will help you understand your oven’s different settings and functions, allowing you to cook various dishes easily.
Top and bottom heating
Overview: A Beko oven’s top and bottom heating symbol, represented by a line at the top and one on the bottom, refers to a conventional cooking mode that uses both the oven’s upper and lower heating elements. This mode is ideal for baking dishes that require a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process, such as cakes and bread.
In this mode, the upper and lower heating elements are turned on simultaneously, creating consistent and even heat throughout the oven.
Best for: Dishes that don’t need special requirements.
Benefits/Drawbacks: This mode is great when you have simple dishes that don’t need anything special to get the most out of them. On the other hand, you won’t get crispy crusts or nicely browned roasts, unlike with other specialized functions.
Bottom heating
Overview: The bottom heating symbol on a Beko oven, represented by a line only at the bottom, refers to a cooking mode that uses only the lower heating element of the oven. This mode is ideal for dishes that require more heat from the bottom than from the top, such as pizza or pies. This helps to cook the base of the dish evenly and to give it a crispy finish.
Best for: Baking pies, tarts, and flans that need to be baked from the bottom without drying out the top.
Benefits/Drawbacks: You’ll get best results when using this function for the needs ot dishes that don’t benefit from heating from the top. The downside is that the process takes longer with only one heat source.
Fan assisted bottom and top heating
Overview: The Fan Assisted Bottom/Top Heating mode on a Beko oven, represented by a fan and a line at the top and one at the bottom, is essentially the same as a convection oven setting. In both cases, the oven uses a fan to circulate hot air throughout the oven, providing a consistent temperature and even heat distribution.
Best for: Dishes that would dry out with a long cooking time ie casseroles or vegetables.
Benefits/Drawbacks: The benefit is not only even cooking, but it also reduces the cooking time. The downside is that food can burn quickly in this mode, so make it a point to check on the food frequently.
Full grill
Overview: The full grill symbol on a Beko oven control panel, represented by a squiggly line at the top, refers to a cooking mode that uses the full surface area of the grill element to cook food. This mode is ideal for grilling a variety of dishes, such as meats, fish, and vegetables, and provides a quick and easy way to achieve a deliciously crispy finish.
Best for: Roasting vegetables, browning steaks, cooking kabab skewers.
Benefits/Drawbacks: In this mode, you can cook larger quantities of food at once, and ensures that your food is browned evenly throughout. The downside is that when you flip the meat over, it may lose its crust due to being out of the direct heat.
Fan assisted grill
Overview: The Fan Assisted Grill symbol is a cooking mode, represented by a fan under a squiggly line that combines the grill element of an electric oven with the fan. In this mode, the grill element is turned on along with the fan, providing an even heat source that covers the entire surface area of the grill. The fan helps to circulate the hot air throughout the oven, ensuring that your food is cooked evenly from all sides, and providing a crispy finish.
Best for: Small items such as chicken wings or kebabs that don’t need the entire grill element.
Benefits/Drawbacks: Using the Fan Assisted Grill mode on your Beko oven, you can achieve a deliciously crispy finish on your grilled dishes, with a perfectly cooked centre. The downside is that only some types of food can be cooked in this mode.
