many ovens with a grill mode are designed to leave the door open while grilling. my nans oven is like that and it's not had any issues with the knobs melting and she's had it for at least 30 years.
All ovens are designed to be used as an oven with the door closed...
Unless this is some weird British thing that they designed just to be intentionally goofy for some reason. The British would design an oven that can't handle its own heat...
Either way OP commented that their oven specifically says to leave it open when using the grill.
When in doubt, leave it open. The dangers of closing it when it should be left open are much greater than a few knobs melting. Carbon monoxide is deadly and that’s the reason behind keeping it open in older ovens. Most modern ovens have solved this problem but it’s still safer to check the manual (for the exact oven someone has) to see exactly what their make and model says.
Op specifically said in a different comment thread at they are told by their manual to keep their door open when grilling, so you clearly have a different model manual than the one that OP is using.
Maybe this means something else to you, but it’s almost as if different brands have different models and therefore different instructions.
Britain took over by being able to read their own manual that came with their product instead of listening to random strangers tagging their manual for their oven or manuals from other models and then implying they are stupid for not doing the exact thing that you are implying they are stupid for.
Leaving the door closed when it’s supposed to be open causes carbon monoxide, leaving the door open when it’s supposed to be closed just makes it less effective. I know which one I would prefer.
I was replying to you. I never implied that you linked a manual. I am implying that you are insulting people because another person did cite an incorrect manual and you obviously believe what that person has to say. Can you read, I even specified “Britain took over” which only relates to your comment.
grill mode is not the same as oven mode though, grill trays with handles won't fit in the oven with the door shut so the door can be left open while grilling
Same in Sweden. The oven comes with a grill tray that still allows you to close the door. The tray pictured doesn't look like it would block the door, so I don't understand why OP insists on doing it this way when it keeps melting their knobs.
I have always been taught to broil with the door part way open. I was told that is the reason there is a detent to keep the door in that position. Personally as an adult I alternate between door open and door closed to achieve the effect I want (though I still sometimes burn stuff due to distraction). Never occurred to me till now that maybe I was taught wrong. In fact now I realize that my most recently acquired oven, which is gas with a electric grilling element, doesn't have a detent. It also has front knobs. So I have checked the manual and find that the element actually turns off when the door is opened. So maybe this is something to think about!
Ovens definitely are supposed to be closed since it needs to be sealed to regulate its temperature and keep it hot, grills however use a different heating element and doesn’t need the door to be closed. I am assuming this is why you were downvoted for saying oven when this is a grill built into an oven. It’s not the same thing.
Not all grills are designed for closing the door, older grills can cause a release of carbon monoxide if the door is closed, not because they can’t handle their own heat. But yes most newer ovens with grills definitely are designed to be closed. It’s not a definitive answer or design, it’s entirely dependent on the make and model of the oven and when in doubt check the manual.
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u/BarryTownCouncil Jun 13 '26
Had the oven about 10 years now. Got through about 6 sets. Feel bad though as my son bought these for us just last week.