Regular cleaning is essential to maintain a consistent oven performance. If your oven is not clean, it can not only ruin the aesthetics, but also compromise the quality, flavor, and safety of your food. Fortunately, there are some excellent self cleaning features on modern ovens that you may wish to consider if you’re buying a new oven.

Catalytic Cleaning

This is one of the most common types of oven models. They are popular as they are also one of the most affordable options. The interior walls of the oven are porous, which allows cooking grease and other residue to be absorbed. This helps to keep the interior surfaces clean at all times. After every use, the oven switches to its maximum temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to remove any residue.

This type of oven is a great choice for those who use their oven to roast meat and vegetables, but don’t tend to often bake cakes or bread.

Pyrolytic Cleaning

Pyrolytic cleaning can eliminate sugar and fat, so the oven will not require additional cleaning. The temperature of the appliance can reach over 900ºf during the cleaning cycle, so everything inside is completely burned away. This type of appliance tends to be more expensive initially, but there is a lower cost of ownership compared to a catalytic cleaning oven.

This type of oven is well suited to those who tend to bake often, since the self cleaning mode can remove both grease and sugars that tend to be typical of cake batter spills. So, if you’re a baking enthusiast who tends to have baking accidents, this is the best type of oven for you.

Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning or hydrolysis is an effective, simple and eco friendly method of oven cleaning. Essentially, the appliance uses a steam bath to remove all debris, grease and stubborn stains. Once the cleaning cycle is complete, you just need to use a sponge to wipe down the interior surfaces.

This is a great option for those who want an easy way to keep their oven clean without needing to resort to harsh chemicals or excessively high temperatures.  This type of oven is easy to use and simple, without using too much energy. So, if you want a greener lifestyle, a steam cleaning oven can be a good choice.

How Often Should You Self Clean?

This is another factor that you’ll need to consider before you make your purchase decision. How often you’ll need to self clean your oven will depend not only on what you typically cook, but also how often you cook it. For the best performance, it is important that your oven is free of grease and food build up. If you have baked on detritus, it could allow odors to drift onto other foods and it may cause excess smoke as you’re cooking. You may notice an unpleasant odor when you open the door even if you’re not actually cooking at the time.

So, if you anticipate needing to frequently run the self clean program, you may be better to choose a steam cleaning oven or a pyrolytic oven.

Consider Other Features

Finally, before you make your purchase decision, be sure to consider the other features on offer. There is no point in opting for a particular type of cleaning oven if it lacks particular features that would enhance the functionality for you.

So, take a look at the full package to ensure that the oven fits your cooking style, preferences and ease of use.

If you’re considering an oven upgrade, you can explore your options with our online oven collection or speak to a member of our team for expert advice and guidance.