Self-Cleaning Ovens

• A Guide to Cleaning Ovens
• Self-Cleaning Ovens
• Cleaning Tips

Self-Cleaning Ovens

Pyrolisis

The most comprehensive of the cleaning systems available, though only usually found on top-end appliances, pyrolysis is fast and practically labour-free. When the pyro function is selected, the oven cavity heats to a very high temperature, reducing spills inside to a grey ash that can be wiped away once the appliance has cooled. As well as saving you money (a 90-minute pyro cycle costs around 27 pence in electricity, which is much cheaper than the cost of oven cleaner), pyrolytic ovens come with a host of safety features. They include locks that prevent a door from being opened until the cavity cools, and quadruple-glazed doors to keep exterior temperatures low. Some ovens even allow you to extend the programme time – useful if your oven is particularly dirty.

Other Cleaning Systems

Though pyrolytic cleaning is the ultimate labour-saving function, there are other, more affordable options that will reduce the time and number of products you'll need to dedicate to cleaning your oven cavities.

Stay-clean liners are found mainly on budget-priced appliances. These are detachable metal liners on the sides, and sometimes the back, of the oven, which can be lifted out for cleaning. Available on both gas and electric ovens, the great thing about this method is that it's inexpensive, and the liners can be cleaned in the dishwasher. However, quite a bit of elbow grease is needed to remove stubborn stains, and removing and refitting the liners can be tricky.

Self-cleaning catalytic liners and easy-clean enamel are available on gas and electric ovens in mid and premium price ranges, and like stay-clean liners, are found on the sides and sometimes the roof and back of oven cavities. The liners are treated with a special material that absorbs grease. When the oven is heated to 200°C or higher, the grease is burnt off. A plus point of this system is that there's no need to remove the liners for cleaning, but if you don't regularly run the oven at a high temperature, they will become ineffective.

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