Best Self-Cleaning Oven: Pyrolytic, Catalytic or Steam?

If cleaning your cooker is your least favourite household chore, perhaps a self-cleaning oven would suit your lifestyle. After all, we use our ovens for just about anything, from prepping a mighty roast dinner to a classic pizza night-in. Where would we be without oven chips? With that comes a responsibility to clean our cooking appliances, as burnt-on food and grease can cause issues down the line. It’s best to keep your oven clean and in tip-top shape for that even cooking we all dream of.

But, what is a self-cleaning oven, we hear you ask… Well, A Modern Kitchen has deep-dived into the world of pyrolytic, catalytic and steam cleaning for this guide. Each type of auto (or assisted) cleaning enables you to worry less about the state of your built-in oven and instead guides you towards relaxation. Here, we hope to answer some of your biggest questions about self-cleaning ovens and offer up our favourite picks at all price points – and all oven types, from single to double ovens.

Best Self-Cleaning Oven At A Glance

• Best premium double oven with self-cleaning: Neff N50 U2GCH7ANOB in Stainless Steel – View Offer at Currys
• Best budget built-in self-cleaning oven: Beko BBAIF22300X in Stainless Steel – View on John Lewis
• Best mid-range cooker with self-cleaning: Hotpoint Multiflow HDM67V9DCX/UK in Stainless Steel – View on Currys
• Best air fryer self-cleaning oven: BEKO AeroPerfect AirFry BBIFA12300AC Electric Oven - View on Currys

So, the next time you’re elbows-deep in your oven, covered in burnt-on food and grime, and scrubbing away with a cloth, consider a self-cleaning or assisted-cleaning oven for ease. Generally, there are three types of self (or assisted) cleaning types: pyrolytic – which is by far the coolest and requires minimal effort, catalytic –ideal for those of us who prefer popping greasy food onto our baking trays for tea, and steam-cleaning – which is less common, but simple and far more natural. Whichever method you choose, this will be down to your preferences and cooking habits.

Our list consists of quite a few different types of self-cleaning ovens, all depending on your budget and the look of your kitchen. If your kitchen is seamlessly integrated, you will have no use for a freestanding cooker. Again, it’s all down to your lifestyle, cooking habits and how much space you need. Finding the right cooker to fit your home is easier than ever with our informative oven buyer’s guide, written by Ellen Kinsey. Now, let’s find the best self-cleaning oven for your kitchen…

Best Self-Cleaning Oven

Verdict: Which Is The Best self-Cleaning Oven?

By far, the best self-cleaning oven is the Neff N50 U2GCH7ANOB in Stainless Steel. Pricey, we know, but this smart cooker gives you a choice between Steam Cleaning for a small mess and Pyrolytic for a deep, thorough clean. Equipped with plenty of features to cook your food quickly, evenly and to perfection, we love this choice.

FAQs

What is the difference between pyrolytic, catalytic and steam?

These are three different methods used for cleaning ovens. Each method has its own unique approach to removing grease, food residue and other built-up stains from your oven’s interior. Thanks to My Appliances, we have a breakdown of the differences between pyrolytic, catalytic and steam cleaning ovens.

Pyrolytic

Pyrolytic cleaning is a self-cleaning method that uses extremely high temperatures to burn off and disintegrate food residues and grease in the oven, “ensuring a thorough clean for your oven.”

How does pyrolytic technology work?

Well, the “oven temperature soars to 500°C”, says My Appliances, for a specific period of time, often a few hours. During this process, food residues are reduced simply to ash, which can be easily wiped away with a cloth once your oven has cooled. Simple and garnering immaculate results, we can’t help but love this method. Plus, you can program it during off-peak hours to save energy.

Though it has the “ability to tackle even the most persistent grime” with minimal effort, pyrolytic technology can consume a significant amount of energy during the cleaning cycle. Not only that, but ovens with pyrolytic cleaning also tend to be pricier than catalytic models “due to the need for additional insulation and stronger heating elements,” says My Appliances.

Finally, there is an issue with safety, also – as the temperatures can get very hot. There is minimal risk, as the door stays locked until the appliance has cooled down. Moreover, we recommend “enhanced insulation and a cooling fan [to] further protect your kitchen units.”

Catalytic

Next, catalytic cleaning involves using special catalytic liners inside the oven’s walls to help break down and absorb food grease, though it “may not effectively address residues such as food spills.”

What is catalytic oven cleaning?

As for the liners, they are designed to have a porous surface that absorbs grease and other food residues. When the oven is heated to normal cooking temperatures, the absorbed residues begin to break down and oxidise. Luckily for you, this method reduces the need for frequent cleaning. Over time, this process reduces the built-up stains, and the oven becomes easier to clean.

So, by simply “activating the oven at maximum temperature for 10 to 15 minutes after each use”, you’re maintaining the cleanliness of your oven. Plus, it’s more cost-effective than pyrolytic cleaning. However, there are some drawbacks: some manual cleaning is required to ensure a thorough cleaning, unlike the former, which reduces the food to ash, you will need to put a little work in to help.

Finally, we should mention the catalytic walls. Unfortunately, the walls have a limited lifespan, needing to “be replaced approximately every five years,” says My Appliances. Plus, the use of any abrasive oven cleaning products, such as scourers and foil, can cause some damage, too.

Steam

Lastly, steam cleaning is a far gentler method that uses – you guessed it – steam, as well as heat to loosen grime and residues in the oven. My Appliances says it creates a “steam bath effect”.

What is oven steam cleaning?

For this method, the oven is preheated to a moderate temperature. Water is poured into a designated reservoir in the oven, which is then heated to produce steam. My Appliances describes this method as “harnesses[ing] the combined effects of evaporation and condensation” to loosen and soften food residues. After this method, this can all be wiped away with a sponge. Easy.

Steam cleaning is effective for regular maintenance and lighter cleaning tasks, running for around 30 minutes to achieve some gentle results. This way, it stays cost-effective and environmentally friendly, consuming “minimal energy making it an economical and eco-conscious choice.” However, we do have some reservations about steam, as it may not be as effective as the former cleaning methods.

Further, it’s recommended to run this steam-cleaning programme and manually clean each time after use, which may not suit all of our lifestyles. After all, steam cleaning alone “may not address heavy or stubborn stains effectively,” says My Appliances. Steam-cleaning ovens need a little extra support.

What is the best cleaner for a self-cleaning oven?

Our recommendation is to keep it simple and natural.

After all, you don’t want to cause any damage to the catalytic liners with an abrasive oven cleaner.

So, for catalytic and steam-cleaning ovens, you may need to implement some manual cleaning to make your appliance really shine. We have a method below that could help. After all, it’s no secret that bicarbonate of soda is a great way to help you with your oven.

If you fancy giving it a go, check out our step-by-step below:

1. Firstly, mix half a cup (about 65g) of bicarb with water to create a thick paste.

2. Then, use an old paintbrush or cloth to spread the paste all over the inside of your oven, from the door to the bottom to the inside walls, but avoid heating fixtures.

3. Leave the paste to do its work overnight – or a minimum of two hours.

4. After, in a spray bottle, mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray onto the paste to create a foaming action. We all know what happens next. Lots of fizzing.

5. The fizzing reaction will lift away stubborn dirt and grease particles, then wipe away with a cloth.

Do I need to take out the racks out for a pyrolytic clean?

According to Bosch and Neff, you should always remove any racks, rails and trays from the oven before you begin a pyrolytic cleaning process. They will get damaged if they are left inside.

Piper Huxley is a Homes, Gardens and Wellness Product Writer for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in cookware. When she’s not cooking up a storm in the kitchen, Piper is re-watching a TV show or listening to a podcast.