I don't know how to turn my oven on

April 14, 2019 12:10 PM

I must be the greatest moron on the face of this planet. So, I moved to a new apartment. I want to use its oven. And I have no idea how to turn it on. This is what it looks like. It's gas on top, but the oven is supposed to be electric. It's plugged in. But what the hell do I do? Just cranking the timer doesn't work. There's no button to just push to say "go". I don't know what's going on. What do I do?
posted by Pyrogenesis to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

The "P" dial appears to be asking you what configuration of burners you want to use. So you'd set a temperature, and pick one (horizontal line at bottom = "bake?") to turn it on. "0" appears to be "off".
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:16 PM on April 14, 2019 [3 favorites]

Try setting the temperature knob to something and maybe switching the "P" knob to different settings? That one looks like it's setting where the heat will come from (top, bottom, maybe broil)?
posted by number9dream at 12:17 PM on April 14, 2019 [1 favorite]

If you want to find the manual, perhaps you can find it on this page.
posted by profreader at 12:21 PM on April 14, 2019 [1 favorite]

I think I know this. Actually when you turn the timer, you are delaying the oven. I've never figured out how that timer works on my own oven, but I know that if I even touch it, the oven doesn't start.
You have to choose a setting on the P knob, and then set the temperature.
So now, you turn the timer back to zero, and probably also everything else back to zero, and then start again, first choosing a setting and then a temperature. The red lamp on the far left will either light up right away, or when the oven is up to temperature (one never knows how the minds of engineers work). If this doesn't work, the oven might be broken and you need service or a new stove.
posted by mumimor at 12:27 PM on April 14, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I have put my frozen pizza on top of the oven. I have failed. In my excuse, I was very hungry. I think the oven part is just broken. I will adjust my cooking expectations accordingly.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 12:46 PM on April 14, 2019 [6 favorites]

EPONYSTERICAL!
posted by kate4914 at 1:12 PM on April 14, 2019 [19 favorites]

Turn the timer to zero. Turn the P dial to anything except zero, then turn just the C dial to 180 and leave it for ten minutes. If nothing heats up its either broken or not plugged in at the wall. It is plugged in somewhere isn't it? You could also check and see whether anything has tripped in the fuse box.
posted by biffa at 3:21 PM on April 14, 2019 [5 favorites]

Find the model number and then look at the manual.
posted by amtho at 3:46 PM on April 14, 2019 [2 favorites]

Can you ask your landlord?
posted by Dolley at 5:04 PM on April 14, 2019

Mine is similar but helpfully has two lights instead of one. You turn the knob which on yours is marked "P" to the type of heat you want - from the top, from the bottom, both and mine has fan-forced settings too which I don't think yours does but I can't see the markings very clearly. Then you turn the temperature knob to the desired temperature. On mine, two lights come on to show that it is heating. One of the lights goes off when it's at the set temperature, but the other stays on to show you it's working. If your light doesn't go on, it may still be working - just leave it for 5 minutes and see if it feels warmer.
posted by Athanassiel at 6:24 PM on April 14, 2019

Here's a web site telling you how to find the model number for your oven, and here's where to take that number and lookup the manual. I'd start there.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:37 PM on April 14, 2019

Response by poster: Thanks all. Seems like it is just broken. According to the manual it was supposed to start working with the timer dial. But no, therefore only cold pizza for me from now on... :(
posted by Pyrogenesis at 10:45 PM on April 14, 2019

So, I think if you’re renting you are entitled to a working oven. Depends on the locality, I guess, but I would make the landlord’s life a misery till it was fixed. I remember one time tracking down our landlord’s house and visiting a couple times before he fixed our broken fridge. I told the office “he asked me to drop off the rent check—what’s his address?” Surprisingly, that worked...
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 6:33 PM on April 15, 2019 [4 favorites]