Checking my oven temperature.

[missprim]

Bit worried about cooking the turkey as my main oven doesn't appear to get as hot as it should and so things take much longer to cook than they should. I can usually get away with just using the top oven but a turkey isn't going to fit in there.
How can I check if the temperature is right and if it isn't, how would I get it fixed.
Many thanks.

[vulcan]

Amazon sell oven thermometers, bought one last month, only a fiver.My oven was down but just compensated by increasing the temperature.

[puternut]

A site called 'TipKing' advises

You can check your oven's temperature with this simple test. After preheating it, lay a sheet of plain white paper on the centre rack and leave it for five minutes. The paper's colour will tell you the oven's temperature:

* pale biscuit, 150°C/300°F or less
* light brown, 180°- 200°C/350°-400°F
* golden brown, 200°- 230°C/400°-450°F
* dark brown, 230°- 260°C/450°-500°F
* black, over 260°C/500°F

To determine the temperature in a wood-burning oven by the same method, let the fire burn for 20 minutes to preheat the oven.

Second option -

http://www.amazon.co....ilicone/dp/B000EW6ZOE

Salter Thermometer at Amazon £9.45

Third Option

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk...0a0e204148db4fd154b9c

Thermometer from E-bay for a fiver including PnP

[missprim]

Thanks for your answers. The one on e-bay seems the cheapest but will try the paper test first.
Do you know how I could get the oven fixed if the temperature is wrong? Would I have to contact the manufactorer?

[heathfield]

Once you have an oven thermometer you'll be able to see the difference between the supposed temperature setting as indicated by the control knob and the actual oven temperature. Note the difference, and increase the control knob setting by this amount. You'll then have the correct oven temperature. This same difference should work satisfactorily over the whole range of temperatures you would use when you are cooking.
Getting a replacement thermostat would mean contacting the manufacturer for one, and having someone in to fit it. And there'd be no guarantee that the replacement would work any better than the present one. Just adopt the described method

[coccinelle]

Have you checked that both elements are working (one on the top and one on the bottom)? An element can be replaced quite easily. This is of course if it's electric!

[missprim]

Thanks everyone. It's gas coccinelle so no elements.
I understand what you are saying heathfield but if I need to cook something on the highest number which is 9 and it's not cooked in the alloted time, it means having to cook it for longer and it's difficult to know how much longer so it means checking every 5 minutes for what could be another 30 minutes so other things you have cooked to go with it have to be kept warm. Plus there are hungry mouths shouting 'is it ready yet?'
This is why I wondered if it can be fixed if need be. Anyway I'll send for the thermometer and see if the cooker is out .