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I bought a Neff 1564 oven in March 2005 to replace our 20+ year old Circotherm. We had a problem with scratched catalytic liners and the oven was replaced by Neff in July 2005. Both ovens have exhibited the same smell problem, and I wonder whether other users have encountered this…
When the new oven is first used, Neff state that it should have a ‘burn-in’ to remove any manufacturing contamination. When this is done, the oven gives off an acrid, ‘chemical’ smell which is so bad that doors and windows have to be opened.
My problem is that this smell has never gone away, and appears in lesser or greater amounts every time the oven is used. It can be so bad, my wife cannot bear to be in the kitchen – it makes her eyes sting and causes her to cough. It certainly masks any pleasant cooking smells.
I’ve had the BSH Appliance Care engineeer round to look at it, but as Sod’s Law works, the oven could not be made to show the problem while he was here. Both Neff and the shop I bought it from claim they have never heard of this problem. It does seem to be worse when actually cooking something, not just switched on. Never having had an oven with catalytic liners before, I did wonder whether these were causing the problem, but I can’t believe these have to be cleaned every time the oven is used (if they do, what’s the point of an ‘A’ rated appliance?).
I have re-done the ‘burn-in’ again, for a longer period and have also repeatedly carried out the ‘Cleaning’ cycle many times, all to no avail.
Does anyone have any ideas about what to try next? I really like the oven, but if my wife is unable to use it, it’ll have to go.
Geoff
Re: NEFF 1564 Oven – Terrible Smell
Really general this is Geoff…
In the main there’s nothing in an oven that will smell, unless it literally burns to a crisp and you’d get a fault. Manufacturers, all of them, will totally avoid anything that will even burn for insulation etc. and catalytic panels don’t smell, but fat or other cooking juices hitting them can. It can also be a result of certain types of cookware being used, although I never did get to the bottom of that one.
Did the engineer have the oven out, as it could be something in the cavity that’s doing it?
The other thing that can do it is chemical cleaners! If they are not fully removed then when the oven heats you would get exactly what you describe.
Other than that there’s not much I can suggest.
The A rating refers to EU guidlines on energy use only, it does not reflect the quality or the performance of the appliance in any other way.
K.
Re: NEFF 1564 Oven – Terrible Smell
Is the installation correct ie ventilation etc in accordance with installation instructions supplied?
GregRe: NEFF 1564 Oven – Terrible Smell
Thanks for the replies…
The oven has never been cleaned with any proprietry cleaner, only warm sudsey water.
Cooking is usually done in either oven-proof pottery (casserole dish), glass (Pyrex) or Analon pans. The smell can occur using all types. Also, it can occur when just using the grill to make toast!
The oven was installed by me into an existing under-worktop cabinet which served the previous Neff oven for over 20 years.
The installation instructions make no mention of any ventilation requirements, only sizes of the cavity required to fit it. My previous Neff gas hob, fitted above the oven, had a ventilation grill built into it which would allow an airflow down into the oven cabinet. The new Neff gas hob fits flush to the worktop and does not have any ventilation grill. Kitchen ventilation is via a wall mounted 15cm extractor fan, venting straight outside.
If the oven is removed from its cabinet, it is possible to detect the offending smell close to the lifting-handle holes where the insulation is visible. I did wonder whether it was the insulation itself causing the problem when it got hot.
Would it be worthwhile removing the oven from its cabinet and try cooking in it, with it just sitting on the floor? (with suitable protection under it, of course).
Still a bit of a mystery…
Geoff
Re: NEFF 1564 Oven – Terrible Smell
Geoff_W wrote:Still a bit of a mystery…
Almost certainly it’s the glass fibre foil wrapped insulation causing the acrid fumes escaping into the kitchen. It will dissipate over a period of time as a rule. To shorten that time it would be best to do a couple more oven cleaning cycles with the room well ventilated.
In extreme cases it has been known for the manufacturers or their agents to replace the entire insulation in order to overcome this phenomenon. 🙁
Geoff. I have had exactly the same issue with my neff oven purchased in 2016. The engineers could not see any issues and eventually replaced my oven in 2019. But I still get that acrid smell. Perhaps not as strong as yours….but worrying none the less. Especially as every now and then it seems to seep into the flavour of my food…particularly on vegetables. Did you ever manage to sort it out…any tips?
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