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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be surprised she couldn't use the oven?

151 replies

LemonSherbetFancies · 13/05/2021 12:31

Last night partners sister came round and as I was on a potential new job call, I asked her to turn the oven on (Had a chicken in there already). When I got off the call, I checked and saw it had not been turned on. Aibu to say a grown woman should be able to turn an oven on?!
She said she thought she had done it.

OP posts:
EBearhug · 13/05/2021 12:34

I would have once said I agree, until I was thwarted by an oven in some self-catering accommodation, so depends how familiar she is with the particular model.

jimmyhill · 13/05/2021 12:34

Depends what kind of oven and how space age it is. There are some that are easy to just turn the light and fan on, but not actually heat up

SuddenArborealStop · 13/05/2021 12:36

YABU my mam always had a gas oven when I got an electric oven I hadn't a notion how to get it work

BlackRibboner · 13/05/2021 12:36

Yep, I've done this before (and am a confident cook!). Also frequently do it with the dishwasher I've used every day for five years Blush Easy mistake to make, annoying but not worth being cross over.

Chouetted · 13/05/2021 12:38

I did it yesterday - mine has no internal light, so very easily done.

SkepticalCat · 13/05/2021 12:39

I remember thinking I'd turned my top oven on once (I don't normally use it - only the main oven gets regular use) ready to put pizzas in after a quick trip to the supermarket when we had guests.

I'd turned one dial (which switches between grill and oven), but not the temperature one, so the oven hadn't been switched on.

randomsabreuse · 13/05/2021 12:41

Depends on the oven. Some need a timer set to work, others are just weird. I've been thwarted by induction hobs in the past as well, they're totally not instinctive for me.

In my own house we have done the oven "on" but temperature not set fail at least once a month (between the two of us). Or turned onto 'light' but no element...

ladygindiva · 13/05/2021 12:41

When we bought our new electric oven we had to consult the manual to switch it on, some of them are quite confusing! Still wasn't sure I was doing it right for about a week

Fluffyslippers123 · 13/05/2021 12:42

I'm a grown woman and I'm baffled by some. Mine is a simple turn to the temp I want. I went on holiday last year and the house there had this fancyass oven that none of us could work. Had to select a mode, a temp, pray to the gods to get it to work. Didnt have a clue what to do to get it to heat up

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 13/05/2021 12:44

How could we possibly know? My oven is a fucker and as sinple as it looks, there's an extra button you have to press to actually turn the oven on. It's not marked, and I still don't know why it has to be pressed bit I've turned the oven on several times and forgot to press that button and I've had that bastard for about 4 years.
I also hate trying to figure out new ovens when we go on holiday. They always seem to be gas, and I'm just not used to using gas. Don't really like them.

AnUnoriginalUsername · 13/05/2021 12:44

All ovens are different and the dial labels aren't consistent. Easy to think you've turned some ovens on when all you've done is turn the fan or light on

BigSandyBalls2015 · 13/05/2021 12:44

I'm curious as to why there was a chicken in the oven when it wasn't on!

Cocomarine · 13/05/2021 12:45

I’ve started many ovens over many years.
My latest one, I had to give in and read the manual.

She thought she’d done it. She fudge say she didn’t know how - either this one, or any other.

Are you usually this unkind?

Vates · 13/05/2021 12:46

My Sister had to explain how to switch her oven on, too many knobs to turn. Mine is very simple compared to hers.

Cocomarine · 13/05/2021 12:47

@BigSandyBalls2015

I'm curious as to why there was a chicken in the oven when it wasn't on!
Maybe the boyfriend’s sister could post, “AIBU to think that my brother’s bitchy sister could maybe get and learn to use an oven timer, instead of posting mean threads about me?” 😉
Cocomarine · 13/05/2021 12:47

*bitchy girlfriend

FuckyouCovid21 · 13/05/2021 12:47

Maybe she thought she had done it, you know, like she said

BikeRunSki · 13/05/2021 12:48

Did she say she couldn’t work out how to do it, or didn’t she even try?

RunHobbitRun · 13/05/2021 12:48

YABU if you've got anything remotely modern. I've had many a fight with other people's/holiday ovens that make programming a VCR back in the day seem a breeze.

YANBU if you have an oven like mine that is literally just a dial for temperature and a switch to turn on.

daisypond · 13/05/2021 12:49

She said she thought she had done it. Ovens can be complicated.

CatWillSaveMe · 13/05/2021 12:51

I’d be glad she left it be instead of turning random knobs if unsure.. not all ovens are intuitive to use.

melj1213 · 13/05/2021 12:53

Every oven is different so "turning on the oven" is not the same process for everyone. If she is unfamiliar with your oven then she may have used the process that turns hers on and not realised yours works differently.

My parents have a fan assisted electric oven where there are two separate dials you have to turn - one to determine which oven setting and one for the temperature; at my old house the electric oven just had one dial to turn it on to a certain temperature; now I have a gas oven you have to turn on the oven and then hit the spark button to get it to light, but you have to hold the oven button in for a few seconds first, and if you don't do it for long enough or at the right angle then when you release the button it just turns off rather than igniting and heating up.

zigaziga · 13/05/2021 12:53

This is so weird.

Some ovens are hard to use. Same with when you go on holiday and it takes you 5 minutes to figure out how to use the shower ..!

Why are you dwelling on this? Why did this annoy you?

dementedpixie · 13/05/2021 12:53

You need to turn 2 dials on mine to switch it on and to set a temperature. Not all ovens are the same

BikeRunSki · 13/05/2021 12:53

@BikeRunSki

Did she say she couldn’t work out how to do it, or didn’t she even try?
Sorry, of course she says she thought she had.

I think this is understandable. Different devices euro differently. I have been baffled by ovens in holiday cottages.DM grew up with an Aga, uses an Aga now, and has no instinct for domestic ovens.