Electric oven help!

[VotePedro]

OK so I grew up cooking on gas but have had two electric ovens since then one for about 6 months in my last flat (brand new Bosch supposedly self cleaning thing) and then some totally unheard of piece of cr*p that was in our new place when we moved in (all I can tell you is it is electric with an optional fan and an element at the top - the bottom heats up so you can't put anything on it). I'm in the process of buying a new cooker (possible even a rangemaster ooh the excitement)but all the info seems to be electric is best go for a dual fuel etc. I am so tempted to go for a gas oven though as I just have not got on with either of my electrics BUT this maybe because I have no clue what I am doing with them - these are the problems I've had

1. Despite scrubbing oven before use smoking and burnt tasting meat on the outside and black crusty bits in the roasting tin.
   

2 Seemed to need a thorough clean after every use (I swear I could leave my gas cooker for ages before cleaning with no ill effect)
3 Self cleaning oven I had the same problems with and it didn't seem to clean itself at all but I wasn't meant to touch the inside
4 Cakes - in my current nameless oven despite cooking at recommended temp they burn on the outside and stay goey on the inside.
I'm normally a good cook honestly! So do I just throw in the towel and go for an all gas or can you help me with where I am going wrong. I'm off out in a tick so sorry if I go silent but would love any wisdom on the subject. Thanks

[ShinyAndNew]

I went from using gs to electric with no problems like you describe.

Are you sure the ovens were working properly?

[dexter73]

It sounds like you are cooking things in an oven that is too hot hence things being burnt on the outside but not cooked on the inside. If the fan is on you need to have the oven at a lower temperature than for a fanless oven. Maybe the thermostat isn't working properly.

[VotePedro]

Haven't been using the fan as that makes more smoke. Anyone had the smoke problem or is that just me too.... Shiny I think the Bosch must have been working fine as was brand new - not so sure about the one in my new house as it's clearly old a cheapo brand. Do you have to clean an electric oven every time you use it? (horrified slattern emoticon?)

[ShinyAndNew]

Erm, I got mine the day before x-mas and i have not cleaned the inside of it ever in ages There's no smoke. Although I do give it a quick wipe and pick up food spillages when it starts getting really rammy

[VotePedro]

Gosh what the hell am I doing wrong! What sort of oven do you have please Shiny? Does it claim to be self cleaning? I can do a quick wipe!

[ShinyAndNew]

Just checked for you and it is Beko. It doesn't ahve a model name or number, but it's silver and black and we got it from Comet if that helps And it cooks things great, although the top oven, when used as an oven is shite, but it's a good grill and good for keeping things warm.

No, not self cleaning.

[VotePedro]

Thanks!