The closest thing to a multi-talented, totally self-cleaning oven has been launched by Italian kitchen appliance specialist, Smeg Australia .
Exhibiting the classic, simple styling of renowned Italian architect Guido Canali, the SA311XP is a pyrolytic oven with nine clearly defined and quite diverse cooking functions.
Pyroloysis is the self-cleaning method whereby the oven temperature is increased to 530°C, the oven door is automatically locked and the intense heat carbonises all dirt including oil, grease and baked on food (even in the most inaccessible areas of the oven), transforming it into a small amount of fine ash on the oven floor. The entire cleaning process is preset to take 90 minutes but this time can be shortened or lengthened to suit the preference of the consumer.
Apart from the lack of effort on the part of the user, the pyrolytic cleaning method negates the need for any caustic or unpleasant cleaning agents and costs less than one dollar (electrical cost) a clean.
Cooking functions for the SA311XP include classic bake and grill, fan assisted, baker’s function (bottom element and fan), base heat only, fan forced, fan grill, supercook (fan forced plus perimeter roof element and concealed floor element) and full rotisserie.
When using the rotisserie, the meat, vegetables or fish are cooked and browned to perfection by means of the grill element. A tray of vegetables below the rotisserie will also cook beautifully by virtue of the retained, thermoseal oven heat and benefit from being basted with the juices from the rotisseried food.
The appliance is finished in satin stainless steel with a fully removable (for easy cleaning) quadruple glazed one piece door. Features include a 64 litre (gross) capacity oven, thermoseal oven technology, cavity cooling fan and digital clock.
The appliance can be programmed to fully automatic and semi-automatic cooking (whereby the oven can be programmed to start and stop cooking at pre-designated times). There is also a minute minder.
