Micha, I love mine, but I have read that gas ovens don't self-clean

as effectively as electric ones. I did hate cleaning the glass on the oven door first, but found a razor blade and wetting it works great. Not until after I had scratched it. I don't broil much in my oven so don't have too much of a problem with soil where it doesnt get cleaned. A quick once over with a rescue pad and a damp cloth afterwards takes care of what is there.

Funny about the smell. In one of my moves, we were temporarily in a new townhouse (new self-cleaning oven) while our house was being built. One morning while I was still sleeping, my husband decided to set the oven to clean before he left for work. When I awoke and went downstairs, the smell had me convinced there was an electrical fire and I really panicked until I called him to tell him I smelled smoke and didn't know what to do. He mentioned the oven and I realized what the smell was. It was pretty bad. Now, I'm used to it, but usually run it at night while I am sleeping far from it, and don't let it get too dirty before cleaning.

I have always considered them one of the great inventions of the 20th century, but then have never had a gas oven, however, I now have my first gas (propane) cooktop. Why would a manufacturer even produce a white and pale grey gas cooktop? A cleaning nightmare.