I totally get where you’re coming from—old habits really do stick around, especially if you’ve spent years with a finicky oven. I used to rotate trays religiously, too. With my 1920s stove, it was basically required. When I finally upgraded to convection, I was skeptical about just letting things be, but honestly, the fan does most of the work. If you’re still seeing uneven bakes, maybe try an oven thermometer in a few spots? Sometimes those “hot spots” are sneakier than we think. But yeah, sometimes it’s just hard to trust the tech after years of micromanaging.
Yeah, those old ovens really kept you on your toes. I’ve found even with convection, some models still have quirks—like the fan not circulating evenly if the oven’s not level. Quick check with a spirit level and a couple thermometers can save a lot of frustration.
Quick check with a spirit level and a couple thermometers can save a lot of frustration.
That’s a solid tip. I learned the hard way after moving into our 1920s place—turns out the kitchen floor isn’t exactly flat and neither was the old oven. Even after swapping in a newer convection model, I still get hotspots if I don’t keep an eye on things. Sometimes it feels like these ovens have their own personalities...
One thing I’ve noticed: in older homes, drafts or uneven insulation can mess with oven temps too. A thermometer inside is a must for me, otherwise my bread ends up half underdone, half overbaked. Convection helps with that, but only so much if there are bigger issues at play.
Leveling made a difference, but honestly, sometimes you just have to learn your oven’s quirks and roll with it.
Funny how you mention ovens having personalities—couldn’t agree more. When I remodeled our kitchen, I spent a good afternoon with a level, shims, and a handful of thermometers just to figure out where the hot spots were. Even with convection, it’s not always a magic fix if your old house has weird drafts or insulation gaps. I ended up sealing some cracks around the window and that actually did more for even baking than switching oven modes. Sometimes it’s less about the tech and more about the quirks of the space, you know?
I get where you’re coming from—drafts and insulation can definitely mess with oven performance. But I’ve actually seen convection make a pretty noticeable difference, even in some older kitchens. If the fan’s working right and you give the oven a good clean (grease buildup can block airflow), it really does help even things out. I’d say it’s a combo: fix the quirks in the space, but don’t underestimate what a well-tuned convection setting can do. Sometimes folks forget to adjust bake times or temps for convection, too, which throws things off. Just my two cents from tinkering with a lot of these over the years...
