Oven Temperature Names (Cool, Moderate, Hot) to °C, °F & Gas Mark Conversion

A guide to common descriptive oven temperature terms and their approximate ranges in Celsius (°C), Fahrenheit (°F), and UK Gas Marks. These terms are often found in older or less precise recipes.

Temperature Descriptor	Fahrenheit (°F) Range (approx.)	Celsius (°C) Range (approx.)	UK Gas Mark Range (approx.)	Typical Uses
Very Cool / Very Slow	225 - 275 °F	110 - 135 °C	Gas Mark 1/4 - 1	Slow cooking, meringues, drying fruit/herbs
Cool / Slow	275 - 325 °F	135 - 160 °C	Gas Mark 1 - 3	Slow-baked custards, rich fruit cakes, some slow roasts
Moderate / Medium	325 - 375 °F	160 - 190 °C	Gas Mark 3 - 5	Most cakes, cookies, muffins, casseroles, standard roasting
Moderately Hot	375 - 425 °F	190 - 220 °C	Gas Mark 5 - 7	Roasting vegetables, some breads, pies with pre-cooked fillings
Hot	425 - 475 °F	220 - 245 °C	Gas Mark 7 - 9	Breads requiring quick rise/browning, pizza, searing
Very Hot / Extremely Hot	475 - 500 °F+	245 - 260 °C+	Gas Mark 9 - 10+	Specialty breads, pizza on stone, broiling/grilling

Temperature Descriptor

Fahrenheit (°F) Range (approx.)

Celsius (°C) Range (approx.)

UK Gas Mark Range (approx.)

Typical Uses

Very Cool / Very Slow

225 - 275 °F

110 - 135 °C

Gas Mark 1/4 - 1

Slow cooking, meringues, drying fruit/herbs

Cool / Slow

275 - 325 °F

135 - 160 °C

Gas Mark 1 - 3

Slow-baked custards, rich fruit cakes, some slow roasts

Moderate / Medium

325 - 375 °F

160 - 190 °C

Gas Mark 3 - 5

Most cakes, cookies, muffins, casseroles, standard roasting

Moderately Hot

375 - 425 °F

190 - 220 °C

Gas Mark 5 - 7

Roasting vegetables, some breads, pies with pre-cooked fillings

Hot

425 - 475 °F

220 - 245 °C

Gas Mark 7 - 9

Breads requiring quick rise/browning, pizza, searing

Very Hot / Extremely Hot

475 - 500 °F+

245 - 260 °C+

Gas Mark 9 - 10+

Specialty breads, pizza on stone, broiling/grilling

Important Considerations:

These descriptive terms are subjective and ranges can overlap or vary slightly between sources.
Always refer to specific temperature settings (°C/°F/Gas Mark) in a recipe if provided, as these are more precise.
Oven thermostats can be inaccurate. Using an oven thermometer is the best way to ensure your oven is at the correct temperature.
Fan-assisted or convection ovens typically cook faster and at lower temperatures. Reduce the stated conventional oven temperature by about 15-20°C (25-30°F) if using a fan oven, or consult your oven manual.
Visit kitchencalculator.app for specific temperature conversions.