How a pyrolytic (self-cleaning) oven will change your life
A pyrolytic oven is a kind of magic. Often referred to also as a self-cleaning oven it does deliver on its promise. Such an oven will indeed clean itself with minimal user intervention. How is this possible and why not all ovens are pyrolytic by default?
We are here to answer the most common questions about the pyrolytic oven. How does it work? It works just like any other oven. And, like any other oven, it gets dirty over time. Cooking food in an oven is accompanied by different fat splatters, juices, and all sorts of grease and grime. These will get on the sidewalls, ceiling, and doors of your oven. Keeping in mind that ovens are used predominantly with high(er) temperature, the dirt gets baked on the surfaces which can be difficult to clean off.
So, how does a pyrolytic oven clean itself then? Well, it takes a lesson out of the automotive playbook. Just as modern cars trap the dirty and unhealthy parts of the exhaust fumes and burn them to ashes at super high temperatures, the pyrolytic oven has a similar approach. It also burns dirt and grease with fire. The oven heats up to about 500°C where it makes sure the dirt carbonizes and turns to ash. This process is called pyrolysis, hence where the name comes from.
Who is it for? Well, just about any household. If you do a lot of grilling or roasting, be it meats or vegetables, a pyrolytic oven should be on the top of your home appliances list. Such an oven is also a godsend for people that are allergic to cleaning products. Or just anybody who is “allergic” to the cleaning itself.
Empty it up
There is one thing you must do before activating the automatic cleaning process – empty the pyrolytic oven. Remove the grid, the spit roasting kit, glass baking trays, meat probe, and any other cookware that is not a part of oven equipment. Larger food residues and other impurities from the oven should also be removed each time before the automatic cleaning process.
Even if you own a premium pyrolytic oven that came with extra glass or insulation, the generated heat from the automatic cleaning process will still get very hot on the outside. Therefore, it is advisable to keep any towels off the door handle too.
Wipe the ashes after it’s done cleaning
We have learned that pyrolytic cleaning is the most efficient way to clean an oven. The extremely high temperatures will leave the oven spotless. While the oven will do the cleaning (most of the work), you just have to finish it – take out the (tr)ash. When the oven cools off, there is just one thing to do – wipe away the leftover ash with a damp cloth. Or vacuum it if you have a suitable vacuum cleaner. That’s it.
Once a month will do
How often should you “fire-clean” a pyrolytic oven? For average use of the oven, manufacturers usually recommend running the pyrolytic cleaning program once per month to keep the oven cavity clean and free from old grease and dirt. Gorenje’s superior ovens also feature an adjustable cleaning intensity which will deliver excellent results every time. When shopping for a pyrolytic oven, seek out models with the premium self-cleaning function called PyroClean.
Is it worth it?
How much is your time worth? Do you enjoy cleaning grease? While pyrolytic ovens do cost more than regular ones one cannot put a price on never having to clean the oven again. Ask around, households with pyrolytic ovens will tell you it is one of the best investments.