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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think self-cleaning ovens are too good to be true?

76 replies

biddybird · 02/12/2020 01:38

Just that. I'm looking for a new oven… is it worth going for the pyrolitic type? The only advice I've had on this is from my cousin, who said she used hers once and never again as it stank out the house so badly.

OP posts:
AnythingLegalConsidered · 02/12/2020 14:31

For the benefit of WilsonMilson, Pyrolytic ovens have a special setting which heats them up to a crazy setting for a couple of hours. When it’s finished all the grease has been transformed to a thin sprinkling of grey ash. You wipe the ash away with a damp piece of kitchen roll leaving it sparkling clean.

The disadvantages are
A) cost
B) may need special wiring because it takes more power
C) smells a bit (but then so does using chemicals to clean manually)

Santaisironingwrappingpaper · 02/12/2020 14:33

It's December - surely you mean elf cleaning ovens??
Grin

Changi · 02/12/2020 14:36

We have one but don't use the feature any more because it stinks the house out and the particulate emissions and give me a sore throat and eyes.

schoggiweggli · 02/12/2020 14:42

We have a Miele. We've had it 11 years. I LOVE the self cleaning. Run it about twice a year. Smoke alarm in same room doesn't it go off. No smoke ever. Slight smell but less than roaring a chicken for example. Heats the house nicely so I don't use it in summer. Would not be without self cleaning

lifestooshort123 · 02/12/2020 14:42

I have a Zanussi pyrolytic and love it. Slide out the shelves, the supports just ping off and you're good to go. I always do it when it tells me to (bossy oven) so it's not that filthy tbh. It smells slightly but I open the window and it's fine. I've never had any smoke so can't comment on smoke alarms.

MrsKiplingwasmymother · 02/12/2020 14:46

I had a SMEG one in my previous house. It was very good but the glass door exploded on the second use. Replaced by SMEG and worked fine for 7 years. I moved into a new house with a standard oven that I replaced with an AEG pyrolytic oven. It's great, I still have to clean the shelves but I put them in the dishwasher. The other oven is now working in the utility room and I never cook anything messy in it as I'm trying not to have to clean it!

FedUpAtHomeTroels · 02/12/2020 14:48

I've had self cleaning ovens in the past when we lived in the US. I, like your cousin would never use that feature again. The stink was awful. They get to a ridiculously high temp to burn off the dirt, uses lots of electricity to do it, and the smell lingered for ages, made my eyes water.
Once all done and cooled off, you brush the ash out of the bottom of the oven. Much faster to use the oven cleaner Dh gets from Home bargains.

MooseBeTimeForSummer · 02/12/2020 14:57

@biddybird Ours is an Electrolux. Luckily we were able to purchase a new circuit board as opposed to replacing the whole thing. Damn sure we’re not using that function again though!

D4rwin · 02/12/2020 15:00

My husband thinks it's amazing. I think it's a huge waste of electricity when I can just scrub away and get out my frustrations with life at the same time.

D4rwin · 02/12/2020 15:00

And yes, if it's not already really clean the smell does get to you.

Smallfry79 · 02/12/2020 15:11

I had one, think it was Electrolux but not100% certain. First time i used the self cleaning mode it fried its electrics. Repair guy said it couldn't be fixed and better off with a new oven. Bought a bog standard one with just two functions, oven and grill and still no bother with it years later. The grill part/roof is filthy though!

satnighttakeaway · 02/12/2020 15:36

@D4rwin

And yes, if it's not already really clean the smell does get to you.
Why would you be cleaning it if it was already clean?
RaaRaaeee · 02/12/2020 15:51

I loves ours, only negative is that it sets the fire alarm off all the time when running a cleaning cycle.

WellIWasInTheNeighbourhoo · 02/12/2020 15:51

Mines Electrolux and its brilliant, just a fine dust to wipe out afterwards. I leave the racks in and it cleans them too. It does smoke out the kitchen so best to do when you can open everything up. Had a Miele one before this, and it was even better.

unebaguettepastropcuite · 02/12/2020 15:53

They are very dangerous for some animals, namely birds. Something to bear in mind if you have pets

SNStoday · 02/12/2020 16:32

I have two Neff ovens and hesitated to get pyrolytic cleaning on both of them as the price was so high . I only got one pyrolytic in the end as the other had its own 'easy clean' steam programme.
I really regret not getting the pyrolytic on both. For my oven all I need to do it take out the trays and start the programme. It doesn't melt my cupboards or set my fire alarms off. Afterwards there is only a tiny bit of ash to wipe out. Bliss!

Changi · 02/12/2020 17:00

They are very dangerous for some animals, namely birds. Something to bear in mind if you have pets

They can't do human respiratory systems much good either.

GCAcademic · 02/12/2020 21:18

@biddybird

Thanks for the input all! I am now leaning toward the self-cleaning type but would like to avoid the brands with exploding doors etc if possible. Shock

@MeeshW which brand is yours… so I know what to avoid!
Same question to @SilverIvyRing @GCAcademic (your friend's oven) @MooseBeTimeForSummer

Hi OP. Friend’s oven was a Samsung too.
biddybird · 02/12/2020 23:38

Thank you! Think I'm going to go for a Bosch.

OP posts:
Losingthewill8 · 03/12/2020 11:39

Get one! They are brilliant.

My electrician told me the reason that some have ‘fried’ is because of the way they have been wired, basically wired into a circuit that doesn’t allow for the extra power used when using the cleaning function.

The door purposely doesn’t allow you to open it until it has cooled down to a safe temperature. It gets very HOT! I’d say this is an excellent feature and would never see it as a problem.

If there are bits on the glass, I give a quick clean with some Astonish oven cleaner from the pound shop. A tub lasts forever, and takes less than a minute!

Then power on and away you go. It may ‘smell’ a little but not horrific, and not every time. Maybe if you have been cooking something extra ‘spitty’/fatty, like duck, it would vary to the extent of the cleaning smell.

At the end there may be a little bit of white residue which, when oven has cooled down, you just wipe away

I have Neff ovens, so I just take out the shelves and unclip the side shelf holders before switching on the clean function. I clean the shelves separately, again depending on how often you clean them and what you’ve been cooking, the easier it is to finish the job.

I wouldn’t want to be without them now.

NotwatchingSpooks · 03/12/2020 11:42

I have one it’s been brilliant and I’m Just about to replace it with another self cleaning one. Once you have one you won’t go back

UpHereForDancing · 03/12/2020 11:50

We've had ours for a year and would never go back. After the high heat cleaning process all the grease turns to ash and you just wipe it off with a damp cloth.

Actually it's always my DP who insists on doing this as he enjoys the process!

biddybird · 03/12/2020 12:46

Thanks everyone! It's ordered and being delivered two days before Christmas (gulp!).

OP posts:
MooseBeTimeForSummer · 03/12/2020 18:57

@Losingthewill8 I fully understand the door not opening during the cleaning process as being a safety feature. However, when ours fried itself it meant the door could not be opened even after it had cooled down.

Lily7050 · 27/08/2021 15:31

Unfortunately, I found this thread after ordering Samsung Dual Cook oven with pyrolytic cleaning. This is the one I ordered ao.com/product/nv75k5571rs-samsung-dual-cook-electric-single-oven-stainless-steel-40723-45.aspx.
Now I am a bit worried. I hope because the model is quite old Samsung has sorted out the faults with pyrolytic cleaning.
I have chosen Samsung because of Dual Cook.

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