We hate cleaning our ovens, don’t we? It’s dirty, smelly, and takes time and effort. In fact, it’s the household cleaning task we loathe the most according to Ideal Home. Yes, even worse than scrubbing the toilet!
So, why not invest in an oven that cleans itself? An auto-clean oven will need nothing more than a quick wipe-down every once in a while. It can save you time — wouldn't you rather be relaxing in front of the TV or going out for a stroll rather than scrubbing the oven? And save you money too — you’ll spend much less on cleaning products and scouring pads.
There are lots of self-cleaning ovens out there. But how exactly do they work, and which one is right for you?
How does auto-clean work?
Auto-clean ovens come with a feature known as ‘pyrolytic cleaning’. It’s an automatic cleaning function that works by heating the inside of your oven up to around 400-500ºC. At that temperature, grease will be burnt off the sides, and any spills and scraps of dried-on food will be reduced to a pile of ash that's ready to be swept away.
It'll take roughly a couple of hours for the cycle to finish, and you’ll probably need to give your oven racks and the glass door a quick wipe too. But that’s not so bad when compared to scrubbing a whole oven, right?
A self-cleaning oven will also save you energy in the long run, because the system requires high levels of insulation — making your oven more economical than standard models. And of course, you'll no longer have to shell out for oven cleaning products.
Need some buying inspiration? Here’s a great auto-cleaning electric oven from Bosch…
Bosch HBS573BS0B Electric Pyrolytic Oven
This Bosch Serie 4 electric oven makes it easy to cook like a pro and impress the family with dishes that taste amazing. It doesn't just blow hot air over your food — its 3D HotAir technology distributes heat evenly throughout the oven. That’s really handy if you’re tackling a roast or any meal that involves cooking different dishes at once. You’ll be able to throw in a tray of roasted veg at the same time as your Yorkshire puddings, without having to worry about which gets the top shelf.
And when it comes to cleaning, it couldn’t be easier. The pyrolytic cleaning function heats the oven to a really high temperature to reduce any grease and food scraps inside to ash. You then simply wipe it away with a damp cloth when the oven’s cooled down.
We also love its…
AutoPilot 10 feature: with ten pre-set programs to make sure you get perfect cooking results every time.
LED display with touch controls: making it easy to control your cooking.
Collection of slim pans: perfect for smaller dishes — you’ll never have to make more food than you need, even if you’re cooking a meal for one.
Preparing for an auto-clean cycle
Before you set a self-cleaning oven off on a pyrolytic cycle, you'll want to ensure you've removed any pots and pans and wiped away any big food spills or debris you can see.
Check your oven vent isn't covered up too, and make sure your kitchen is well ventilated so any fumes can escape. Just open up some windows or switch your cooker hood on to extract any nasty smells.
Duration of auto-clean cycles
Most pyrolytic cleaning oven cycles take between one to three hours. This can depend on the model though, with some self-clean ovens letting you choose different settings based on how dirty things are inside.
But it's always best to look for a pyrolytic oven that can do a heavy soil clean and burn off anything stubborn. That way, you won't even have to even think about putting those Marigolds on!
Safety tips during auto-clean
The auto-cleaning feature on pyrolytic ovens is super safe. During the cycle, the outside of the oven stays at a far lower temperature than what’s happening inside. Although it'd still be wise to remove things like tea towels hanging off the oven door and to make sure kids and pets are kept away.
Pyrolytic ovens have doors that'll lock automatically until the cleaning’s done too, so they can't be opened by accident. They'll also stay locked for a while after to make sure the inside cools down to a safe temperature.
Differences between self-clean and steam-clean
We already know what self-clean ovens are all about. They use high heat to reduce food residue to ash, which can then be easily wiped away with a damp cloth or even sucked up by a vacuum. But some models have a steam cleaning option too, where the cycle is assisted by steam.
We all know how effective it can be leaving dirty plates and cutlery soaking in a bowl to wash off baked-on food. Well, this works in a similar way, where moisture is introduced to loosen up grime. The water then mixes with the debris and you can wipe the oven when it cools down.
Some advantages of steam cleaning are that it doesn't need as much heat, can take around half an hour to complete, and doesn't create as much of a smell. But it's not quite as good at removing really tough stains.
Need more advice?
If you’re burning to buy an auto-cleaning oven for your kitchen, check out our whole range of pyrolytic ovens. And if you need any more tips and guidance, we’ve got a built-in ovens buying guide filled with expert advice.
