Oven smoking..

thatguy · Apr 10, 2011

We have a self cleaning Kenmore oven that has a hidden heating element in it (IE its flat bottomed and with no exposed element) that has a habit of smoking horribly at times..

We do let it self-clean quite a bit, but at temperatures above 400 it smokes bad enough to set off the smoke detectors at times.. Last night there were a few crumbs in the bottom, but no really big stuff, when it started smoking..

I am wondering what i could put at or near the bottom so it would be quicker/easier (and less costly) than running the self clean mode.. What about a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom OR maybe move an aluminum foil wrapped rack to the lowest position??

Other suggestions or thoughts??

Brian

polo1665 · Apr 10, 2011

I've seen people put those disposable aluminum foil cookie sheets on the floor of their oven to keep them clean before. Seemed to work.

We have a Kitchen Aid convection oven with the hidden element, have had no real trouble with smoking though.

Western · Apr 10, 2011

Aluminum foil is what all the ladies I know use, in a self cleaning oven or not.

Just to be on the safe side, you might check with the manufacturer to see if it has any effect on heating or cooking temps, I would doubt it, but worth double checking.

woodchuckie · Apr 10, 2011

If you use foil, make sure you take it out when you use the self cleaning feature. The foil will melt into the oven interior and will not come out.

drifter2518 · Apr 10, 2011

The wife ruined an oven by placing foil on the bottom of the oven. It melted to the bottom so bad we had to order a new one. Read your owners manual to see if you can do this first(wife read this AFTER it happened! LOL)

rus_geek · Apr 10, 2011

Can you remove the lower cover to expose the heating element? It's possible something leaked under there and is causing the smoke, rather than debris collecting on top of the cover. I know not all of them are removable.

-rus-

thatguy · Apr 12, 2011

Thanks for all the ideas... I found a 'oven liner' sheet at Bed, Bath, & Beyond that they say you can lay on the lower rack catch the stuff.. We are going to try that for a while (after we clean the oven again)

Does this make sense?? - Since our element is not exposed, any grease/food/junk that would come off the cooking food (not necessarily boil overs, could be splatters) would sorta cook/simmer on the bottom of the oven - and never actually cook off.. With an exposed element any stuff that hits it is immediately cooked off, no chance for it to sit and cook more.. could that be why our stove smokes more?

thanks
Brian