Using a new oven for the first time.

Grislo

So, I'm currently doing the first 'burn' of a new oven, the whole firing it for X amount of minutes at max heat to burn off whatever residue and funky stuff might be in there, keeping the room very well ventilated and all.

But when can/should I then use the oven to actually cook food? Does it need to, I don't know, air out for a while?

Michelanvalo

I used my new oven pretty much that day without any sort of burn off period. I just made sure I stripped all the plastic and cardboard out of the interior. It worked fine, but now that I read your post.

Did I give myself cancer?

Grislo

I doubt it, and it's probably a thing where the manufacturer just needs to be super sure that there isn't something there that might possibly cause a minor problem on the first real use, covering their asses kind of thing.

There is a bit of residue from whatever getting burned off in mine, though. Bit of smoke and a delightful smell.

Delzhand

Edit: You know what, never mind, I should not give advice on things I know nothing about! Maybe machine oil is super toxic.

bowen

I'd imagine whatever the box says to do is all you need to do. If it doesn't say "let sit for 2 weeks before use" then you're probably fine.

I've never heard of the pre-use burn before?

Grislo

Yeah, I wasn't really familiar with that either, but it seems to actually have been a good idea with that particular oven.

I suppose it's basically a shorter version of a longer 'burn-to-clean' that some ovens have.

But I'm pretty sure* it wouldn't have killed me not to do it.

*As in, 100%.