500°F — all four oven scales
The exact conversion is (°F − 32) × 5/9, so 500°F works out to 260°C. 500°F sits beyond the standard recipe pairings, so there's no published equivalent to quote. On a metric oven, 260°C is the nearest 5°C stop to the exact figure.
For a conventional recipe in a fan (convection) oven, use 240°C — the standard UK adjustment is conventional minus 20°C (a 36°F difference), because moving air transfers heat faster than still air; the oven isn't hotter than its dial, it just cooks faster at the same setting. Hoover also says long cooking times can be shortened by up to 10 minutes per cooking hour — check the food is cooked. Bake times are otherwise unaffected by converting between scales: 500°F is 260°C whichever unit your dial shows.
Where 500°F sits on the chart
| °F | °C | Fan °C | Gas mark | Descriptor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 375°F | 190°C | 170°C | 5 | Moderately hot |
| 400°F | 200°C | 180°C | 6 | Moderately hot |
| 425°F | 220°C | 200°C | 7 | Hot |
| 450°F | 230°C | 210°C | 8 | Hot |
| 475°F | 245°C | 225°C | 9 | Very hot |
See the full chart on the oven temperature converter → · Fan oven conversion chart →
What bakes at this temperature
500°F / 260°C is the territory of pizza, flatbreads and the hottest setting most home ovens reach. Home ovens cycle above and below their set point and many run hot or cold from the factory — a standalone oven thermometer on the middle rack tells you more than any conversion chart can.