Leaving Oven On Unattended

[Jennykenny]

Am I being unnecessarily over-cautious worrying about the oven being left on when nobody is home, even if only for five minutes or so?

[chrissa1]

Yes. As long as whatever you're cooking is not going to go over its, cooking time, and burn.

[Hopkirk]

No you are not.

You may only plan to be out for five minutes, but what if you have an accident while nipping to the shops?

Turn the oven off, as it will stay hot, and turn it on again when you return.

[Jennykenny]

Thank you Hopkirk. It was actually my nephew who did it. Will tackle him this evening when he gets home.
His grandfather, my dad, who was a fireman, would have had forty fits.

[Old_Geezer]

All life has risk. Optimum worry level requires balancing risk and worry. Have you ever had an oven do something drastic while you were there ? Probably not. Which gives the clue that you worry unnecessarily about leaving it.

[Old_Geezer]

Tackle him and I'm sure he'll has as much to say as he dare to an interfering aunt.

[paddywak]

Yes,most modern ovens have timers. You just put the food in set the timer and the food gets cooked ready for when you get in,we use ours all the time and we've never had any problems.

[1ozzy]

I don't stand and watch my oven cook.
I wander off and do my thing whilst it does its.
What would happen if I had a heart-a-stroke while I was away?

Well for one dinner would be cremated and I wouldn't give a toss.

If they went walk-about for a couple of hours, different story.

[1ozzy]

//Turn the oven off, as it will stay hot, and turn it on again when you return.//

And stuff a nice dinner.

[Prudie]

Agree with paddywak, if it was so dangerous every oven wouldn't have delay timers so it cooks ready for when you return home.

[Old_Geezer]

What if you left it on all week ? Why not try it. Put it on and watch it for a week, see what happens. Try it a few hundred times to get a good sample. Perhaps compare it with what happened to the freezer.

[hc4361]

I set my oven to come on while I'm out, and in the winter I will often leave the oven on for hours while I'm out. Never given it a second thought

[woofgang]

I will do it with an electric oven but not with a gas one....also I never leave stuff running if I leave the dogs at home.

[paddywak]

Why not with gas?I've always used gas even as a kid and never had problems with it.

[woofgang]

I guess its the thing of a naked flame.....probably irrational.

[Jennykenny]

Your answers have all been very interesting, but at the end of the day, if there was a fire, I doubt very much if my insurance company would pay out. They would probably feel justified in turning down my claim for a destroyed house, - for being negligent.

[smoneybags]

Why not check with your insurance company Jennykenny?

[Old_Geezer]

Ah your home; not your nephew's then. Well, you may be as cautious as you like in your own place.

[EDDIE51]

If I am cooking something that takes 3 or 4 hours I often go out while the oven is on. Just make sure I am back before the food is due out. The worst that could happen is overcooked food. The oven is not going to start a fire unless it has a serious fault.

[ethandron]

I have an oven with a timer thing to come on but I've never used it. Due to my lifestyle I've never had the need to leave the oven on, unattended, I don't even know how to use the timer.
Jenny, we all do whatever we feel comfortable with and if it makes you uneasy then don't do it, and don't worry about not doing it either :)

[hc4361]

I leave my washing machine, dishwasher and tumble dryer unattended, too. And my dvd recorder and PVR, also the immersion heater and bread maker.