alasta:

 

I have never used the self-cleaning function on my oven, so this thread has motivated me to have a look at the handbook to see how it works.

 

From what I just read, it sounds like it takes at least three hours, consumes a huge amount of electricity, and generates a scary amount of heat.

 

Is it not easier to just spend ten minutes cleaning the thing manually? What am I missing?

 

I've done both and prefer pyro clean.  Not even close.  It's turned oven cleaning from a job we both hate and avoid (pay someone else to do) to something routine, more effective and easy.

What could be easier than pulling out the racks (which you need to do to clean the oven the old way), pushing a few buttons.  No nasty caustic chemicals, associated personal safety risks and smelly residue in the oven no matter how carefully you clean.  No material impact on the power bill.  Possibly cheaper than using Mr Muscle. 

The heat is well managed by a fan pulling air between the panes in the door.  I don't find it scary.

BTW we don't stand and watch the oven clean itself for three hours.  We leave it to do its thing.