A new survey has revealed Boomers most likely to not check their oven ahead of Christmas dinner.
The most careful generation were Millennials with more than a third checking their oven before Christmas.
Across the UK, the Welsh were the least attentive home nation with 83% not checking their ovens and a further 81% not de-icing their fridge/freezers.
A new survey conducted by AO has uncovered that while Boomers are the guiltiest to not give their appliances the once over before the most important meal of the year – there is hope with the newer generations as Millennials and Gen Z are willing to carry the torch.
As we head into the festive period, a whopping 87% of Boomers admitted they don’t check their ovens before Christmas dinner, while 82% also revealed they don’t de-ice their fridge freezer.
This is an alarming trend among the older generation, particularly as more than a third of Brits worrying about their appliances breaking over Christmas. Yet there has been some relief with Millennials and Gen Z putting the older generations to shame.
More than a third of Millennials checked their ovens while almost 30% de-iced their fridge freezers before the festive period. Gen Z were similarly minded, with 29% checking their ovens and almost a quarter de-icing their freezers.
AO’s expert engineer, Tom Evans, highlighted why it’s so important to check your appliances this Christmas. He explained: “It’s so crucial to check your appliances are working, particularly with the news that an overwhelming majority of Brits don’t want to eat out for their Christmas dinner this year.”
In fact, AO has discovered that almost 78% of Brits would prefer to have their meals at home with nearly a third of people most excited to have the family together and a gluttonous 15% most excited to tucking into the dinner itself.
To help the nation this Christmas, Tom Evans, AO’s expert engineer has provided some easy tips to check your oven before the big day. He said:
How to check your oven:
Check the seals – “The seal will naturally degrade over time, and if damaged, heat will escape. This may require replacing every so often, so make sure to check it in advance before you pop your Christmas dinner in.
Scrape off any rust – “Rust will slowly kill your oven and can cause further damage to your dishes. To remove any, take some aluminium foil and warm water then scrub the rack until all rust has disappeared.
Listen to the fan – “Listen for any unusual knocking noises coming from the fan the next time your oven is on as this may indicate worn spindle bearings. If this has happened, you’ll need a qualified appliance engineer to come in before Christmas and fix your oven before the big day.
Heating element – “If your electric oven’s light doesn’t come on and your heating element isn’t glowing, then your oven will not heat up this Christmas. Replacing a heating element is costly business and it may be far cheaper to get a new oven altogether.
Give your oven a clean – “Before you pop your Christmas dinner in, scrub away any stubborn grime or grease using vinegar and a cloth to make sure everything is working efficiently.”
The research also uncovered that over half (51%) of households agreed that cleaning their appliances before Christmas is an essential task to keep them running smoothly. Yet likeminded Brits also admitted they struggle to organise their fridge freezer during the festive break, with nearly 40% facing this yearly headache.
A majority of 53% of Brits revealed they think the oven is the most important appliance at Christmas, with 54% also admitting that the oven will be doing the heavy lifting for Christmas dinner.
Perhaps most surprisingly, almost a quarter of people (23.9%) think air fryers are the appliance they cannot live without during the festive period.
Highlighting their need for assurance, a further 36% are considering buying an additional appliance to help with Christmas. Of these people, the most popular appliance was a second fridge to assist with storing the extra influx of food.
Savvy-minded spenders believe they have a good grasp on their budgets, with more than 52% saying they won’t spend a penny over £150 on Christmas food. Yet an alarming 4% of Brits are quite happy to pay nothing and let mum and dad foot the bill this year!
In light of the findings, electricals retailer AO.com has released a Christmas hub to help get Brits ready for Christmas this year. The hub features appliance tips easy recipes and food storage hacks ahead of the big day.
For those last-minute Christmas appliances, make sure you order by 15th December to get them in time. Visit AO.com for the latest products.
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