coolbeans - thanks for the warning. We just put in an Electrolux Wave-Touch wall oven which has touch pad controls. I have read warnings about not using the self-clean, but didn't realize the problem was the electronics. Your explanation makes good sense to me.

Does anyone know if it would be bad to put something on the bottom floor to catch spills? The heating element is sealed off so there would be no risk there. I don't know if the floor gets too hot for something like foil.

Cheryl

DO NOT put foil on your oven - many owners have found that foil will melt onto the oven and cannot be removed.

It's true that self-cleaning may harm your electronic - shame on the manufacturers for producing ovens that do this. If you plan to use your self-clean you should always check it out while your ovens are under warranty although that doesn't guarantee that it won't fail later.

I have the Electrolux wave touch and haven't had any issues. When I do use the self clean I try to use it for the minimum amount of time. That is mainly because the smell drives the dog nuts. She thinks I'm burning down the house and she wants out. But other than that, I haven't had any issues. I have had it since the fall of 2008.

Housefairy, I sure hope you have windows open when you're using the self-clean. I think your dog is trying to tell you something!

I'm glad you brought this up. I have a GE Profile induction cooktop installed over a GE wall oven (per GE's specs). I've had them for almost 4 years, and I've never run the self clean because I'm scared it will kill my cooktop, lol! And I love that cooktop almost as much as my children.

I'd like to hear anyone else's experience.

I used to avoid touchpads, because of a JennAir range we had that had the oven vent right in front of the touch pad and it kept melting the delicate wiring. After that, I insisted on knobs. But now all knobs work with electronics, too, so I don't know if there would be a difference.

I think that if I buy a self-cleaing oven, it should self-clean without problem, so I'm going to use it. I would always do it a few times within the warranty period, so most problems would show up. That isn't true for you, though, Coolbeans, since yours made it to 6 years. I assume you ran the self-clean several times previously without a problem?

I bought the Elux double wall oven precisely because it was reputed (on this forum) to be the moderately priced oven least likely to have issues with this. Used self clean twice in 9 months since install, no problems yet.

KA is notorious for "blowing up" (figuratively) with the self clean.

Coolbeans -it is so not fair that it worked all those years and then blew up. Most people have a problem right from the get go.

There are several separate issues involved in self clean caused oven failures. There are component failures caused by heat stress from accumulated self cleanings, there are immediate failures on first self cleaning from over temperature safety components being too sensitive, and of course there is the remote possibility the components will fail as they are supposed to in the event of an unsafe control failure event.
Best policy - don't use it or use about half the the recommended time for self clean and use it more often until you get a handle on how much time you really need.

FWIW....GE Profile Double Wall Oven with all touch-pad controls (JK955) I use self-clean 2-4 times per year at full recommended time, sometimes more. Works great. Zero problems since install 2/2006.

Replaced KA oven/microwave combo with dials. That self-clean worked fine, too.

Didn't know my experience was exceptional. Still not sure it is.