Your problem is that Mr. Muscle only works in the UK - here you need Mr. Clean!

The instructions with my self cleaning oven say that you must start the process from cold but it doesn't say why

we have used it once(notice the we, i pressed the button, the wife worried what was going to happend for 3hrs) we must have a really fancy oven as it has a quick clean-minor steel furnace, and a long clean-ground zero atomic type. i was dissapointed, still had marks and bits in it.

Don't bother with all that technology.........see attached link
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=508081

Okay - so it sounds like we all have similar cookers................ can anyone tell me where to find a grill pan with a handle...... you know ........the broil tin so that I can try to use the broiler as a grill more effectively?

I have this awful blue enamel tin with what I can only describe as a vented lid which is a killer...... the food does not drain properly while cooking and the smoke....... well I end up with the tea towel flapping duty....... and it is a new cooker with a new "broil" tin/tray type thing.

(I know they are different here when it comes to "grills"...... when we were looking at cookers they even had them with the broiler in the bottom......... yes ..... right at the bottom where you would usually put your baking trays......... can you imagine that............. cooked feet........... cooked pet............. it just seemed really strange........... or maybe that is just me

Broil - grill; took me a while to understand that one. And, no, my cooker does not have a grill pan, let alone an handle. Had to go and buy one!!!! :curse:

Yes it got me too - I actually told someone I had a cooker with no grill because I thought broil was some kind of simmering function!

If anyone finds a real grill pan - do let me know

I use the BBQ for things I would have bunged under the grill at home. Like you, I can't be bothered with the fire/mess on broiler pan afterwards. It kind of makes sense though, grilling on the "grill", doesn't it?! I just wish it was inside

I do have a friend who swears by using the BBQ - even in the winter! (His wife also agrees because the house won't smell when he cooks.) However Mr Madmac is not so keen............ wonder why? A wee bit of fresh air never did anyone any harm

Confession, when I say "I", I mean "he"

You did make me laugh - I assumed that anyway After all ...... we organise the food, set the table, get the plates, organise the drinks, do the salad and then they believe they have given us a night off from cooking!

I quite happily let OH play with the BBQ......... for some reason it is almost like a "toy"........ the cooker never quite had the same effect on him

Dont forget the ample praise necessary and the cleaning up afterwards, and that was a night off!

Oh, yes and mine doesnt even know how to turn the oven on!

someone sent me a joke about that a while ago a womans night off i will try and find it

Our oven in our rental is so awful- huge, one shelf, no grill pan, had a fire everytime I stuck oven glove on element- so spent $120 on a mini fan oven and grill - well worth it!!!!!