AIBU to be horrified by this?

[Ovenoff]

Friend has just revealed that when she makes a stew/curry/casserole, anything that can be put in the oven for a few hours and cook on low heat, she would do that and go out for a few hours.

I can’t imagine doing that, anything could happen. What if you got caught up, run over/injured honestly anything could happen and nobody would know you have the oven on 😳.

I often leave my oven on and go out. I thought it was normal. My mother always did too.

i work for a company that deals with insurance claims so i've seen pictures of exploding washing machines and lots of other appliances so i wouldn't leave anything on that i didn't have to and go out really.

Well I do it with the slow cooker, for some reason I wouldn’t with my oven though!

Same.

If you are horrified by this op, make sure you don’t watch the news

I have done this.
I also go to work leaving the washer, tumble drier and dishwasher all on!

Have you ever been run over, OP?

I was, in July. Until I was run over, I hadn't been run over. How's it relevant?

If you got run over you wouldn't give two shits about what's in your oven.

If I was taken to the hospital while there was something in the oven I very much would have given a shit about returning to a burnt down house.

I can't believe anyone goes out with their oven on. It only takes one bit of splashed fat to start smoking.

Years ago smoke started coming out of our dishwasher during the cycle. Fortunately I was in the kitchen at the time. The Fire Brigade advises never ever leaving washing machines, tumble driers and dishwashers running while you're out of the house (or overnight). After seeing that smoke, I've grasped why.

Theres another thread currently trending about calling 999.

This is one of the times I did this - strong burning smells from outside house, no one in.

They'd left a pan on, all day I think.

Firemen came, smashed a window to get in and then simply turned the cooker off.

It impressed my young children as they were with me returning from school.

But if you're using a slow cooker they barely boil the stuff and if left empty don’t really overheat.

People are so naïve

YABU

I can't leave anything on when I go out...nothing. I am terrified there will be a fire and the cat will be trapped. I don't have a catflap yet.

My oven is basic and doesn't have a timer.

I leave something in the slow cooker all day though. I never leave the washing machine on, thought the advice was to never leave the washing machine on if you're out.

I don't have a dishwasher so can't comment on that.

My house fire was caused by my fridge-freezer, not something you can really turn off when you leave the house so I try not to worry too much now! I did buy a neat WiFi smart plug for our slow cooker recently though - if our plans change I can always turn the SC off from my phone that way.

I was brought up in the 70s by a working class mum who slow cooked all her meat in the oven by leaving it on all day. It's no different to having your central heating on.

Far more dangerous to leave on washing machines and dishwashers and go out. If they get stuck on spin/drying cycle they could catch fire.

And leaving a tumble drier on is insane.

No insurance company would pay out in those circumstances.

Ovens are designed to be left on low.

Lord, I have a double slow cooker and love it. Use it loads.
Also shove stuff in the oven in between taxi ferrying kids to activities and then food is ready when they finish.

Doesn't everyone do this?

I'm clearly destined to burn down the entire building. I regularly turn on the washing machine, heated airer and dishwasher as we go to bed, would think nothing of leaving e.g. the Xmas cake in a low oven overnight and would equally do all of those things before leaving the house for the day without a second thought.

*If I was taken to the hospital while there was something in the oven I very much would have given a shit about returning to a burnt down house.

*Oh yeah a well known happening, car accident, house burnt down ..... happens all the time 🙄

@DeRigueurMortis lol.

Never leave the oven on and I’m a bit twitchy about the washing machine now since the latest scandal. Even though ours isn’t one of the ones that catches fire.

My stepdad got run over and killed 13 months ago. The police were at my mum's house within hour and half. I don't think the oven was on their mind at that point to be honest .

I never leave anything on when going out, or to bed. The only exception is the slow cooker (which feels somewhat different). I’ve seen the result of dishwashers which have gone on fire in an empty house.
I live in a flat, and often wonder if others in the building are as vigilant, as it would affect us all.

I wouldn't but that is because I don't know how to work my oven timer! And we get random power cuts here quite a lot (2 in the last 2 months) so I wouldn't trust it. Otherwise I think I might well do that. I don't go out with dishwasher or washing machine on though apart from walking to the shop 2 streets over.

When my late MIL went out of the house for a couple of hours she would turn off the gas 'just in case'!

Have an Aga. It would make no difference if there’s anything in there or not. In fact I’ve been known to forget many a time that I’ve put something in there only to find it cremated the following morning. Last week it was naan breads. 🤷🏼‍♀️