Oven
Products and appliances

Ovens and grills

Ovens and grills usage and safety

An oven and grill are indispensable items in a modern kitchen but can be a major cause of house fires. Choose carefully and ensure they are installed and used properly. 

There is a wide range of ovens to choose from nowadays, including fan, multifunction, and self-cleaning options. Fan ovens offer even heat distribution, multifunction ovens give a variety of cooking options, and self-cleaning ovens promise easy maintenance.  

The type you need will depend on how you will be using it, so it’s important to research the options before choosing. 

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Key points

  • If your oven or grill has a plug it must be fitted with a UK 3-pin plug and fuse. 

  • These appliances tend to use a lot of power and may overload an extension lead if used with other large appliances, which can cause a fire. 

  • Do regular checks of the plug and socket for burn and scorch marks. 

  • Read the manufacturer's instructions carefully and always follow them. 

Buying and installing an oven

  • Whichever you choose, buy from a reputable retailer rather than a third-party seller online, as the appliance may not have passed all the necessary safety checks. Have it fitted by a qualified electrician.
  • Register your appliance so you can be contacted easily if there is a safety recall for your product. It’s also much easier to return a faulty item or order a repair if it’s registered.
  • Before choosing a new oven, it is essential to review its power requirements to avoid overloading your electrical wiring. Many ovens are equipped with a standard plug and fuse, while others necessitate hardwiring into a dedicated circuit. 
  • Even for ovens with a standard plug, a separate circuit is often needed to prevent overloading the existing kitchen wiring. If in doubt, consult a qualified electrician.
  • The location of your oven should be carefully planned as because it reaches high temperatures, it could affect wallpaper, shelving nearby, and anything positioned above it. 

Using an oven and grill safely

  • Fires can start very quickly in an oven or grill so never leave food cooking unattended, even if you’re just popping out for a minute.
  • Turn off the oven when not in use. 
  • Don’t use the oven as an extra cupboard as someone might forget and turn it on.
  • Clean the oven regularly but always wait until it is fully cooled down first.
  • Keep oven gloves, tea towels and other flammable materials away from the heat. 
  • Carry out regular checks of the plug and socket for burn marks. If there are any ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling) sounds, fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping, or if it feels too hot to touch, unplug it and contact the retailer, manufacturer, or a qualified repair technician.  

ALWAYS

  • Do plenty of research first before buying. 
  • Buy from a reputable retailer.
  • Buy a known and trusted brand.
  • Register your appliance with the manufacturer. 
  • Use a competent installer to fit your oven.
  • Clean the appliance regularly. 

AVOID

  • Buying from third-party sellers online. 

  • Installing or repairing an electric oven and grill yourself. 

  • Using the oven to heat your home. 

  • Blocking any air vents in the oven and grill. 

  • Using the oven as extra cupboard storage. 

Stay safe with electrical products

Check plugs and sockets

Don't ignore burn marks, ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling) sounds, fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping, or if it feels hot to touch.

Unplug and contact the retailer, manufacturer, or a qualified repair technician. 

Protect with an RCD

An RCD (residual current device) in your consumer unit (fusebox) protects you from electric shocks if a product is faulty.

If you don’t have RCD protection, use an RCD plug on the socket where the product is plugged in.

Fit smoke and heat alarms

Ensure there is at least one smoke or heat alarm per floor in your property. Fit enough alarms to cover all areas where a fire could start.

Test alarms at least once a month. Replace them every ten years or when the replace by date is reached.

Selected FAQs

If you’re unsure about an appliance or product, you’re not alone. These FAQs bring together expert advice and answers to the questions people ask us most, so you can feel more confident at home.

View all consumer faqs

It is recommended that periodic inspection and testing is carried out at the following times:

  • for tenanted properties, every 5 years or at each change of occupancy, whichever is sooner
  • at least every 10 years for an owner-occupied home
  • at least every 5 years for a business

The Landlords and Tenant Act 1985 requires landlords of properties with short leases to keep the electrical wiring in repair and in proper working order. We recommend landlords arrange for periodic inspection and testing to be carried out by a registered electrician at the relevant intervals shown above.

Periodic inspection and testing of the electrics should be carried out more frequently on the places and premises listed here:

  • 3 years for a caravan
  • 1 year for a swimming pool

Periodic inspection and testing should be carried out only by electrically competent persons, such as registered electricians.

First, you need to find out whether the electrician you used is actually registered. To do this, contact the operator of the scheme they have claimed to be part of, and they will tell you whether this is the case. If they are registered, the scheme operator can guide you through their complaints procedure.

If you find out the electrician misled you and is not registered, you should report this to your local Trading Standards Department as they are breaking the law. We would also recommend that you get an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) carried out on your home; this will assess any work that has been undertaken and will act as sufficient documentation to certify that work. This needs to be carried out by a registered electrician and unfortunately will be an added cost for you.

Additional info

In the UK, domestic electric ovens must have an energy label [link to our own page] and be installed on a dedicated circuit by a qualified electrician, especially if the cooker is over 3kW or a new circuit is needed for a cooker over 2kW. 

The Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) and Building Regulations Part P govern this work.

Clearances and other safety measures, such as having a dedicated cooker control unit, are also important. 

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Has your electrical product been recalled?

Electrical products are recalled more regularly than you might think, but the response rate to a recall is often worryingly low. This means there are potentially millions of recalled electrical items still in UK homes.

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