Jim Hatfield presented the following explanation :
I bought a Neff U1452 cooker about four years ago. I've only used the
fan function during that time. The top element, which is exposed, now
has a nice coating of grease on it, so if I switch it on I almost
immediately get a thick cloud of smoke!

Cleaning the rest of the cooker isn't too difficult, especially as the
door is removable, but the top element and the wire cage it fits into
is just too fiddly. If I could remove it, it would be much easier.

Is it easy to remove? It looks like the cage which holds it fixes by
one screw at the front, and the rear support is just provided by the
elements pushing into the back wall. I would have thought that
elements do fail and it would be unreasonable to have remove and
dismantle the cooker to replace them, so I'm hoping they are just a
push fit into the back, but I'm loath to try to remove them until I
know I'm doing the right thing.

All of those I come cross (not that many) have had one or two nuts and
bolts holding them to the wall and push on terminals at the other side
of the back wall. Which basically means you will need to pull the oven
out, remove the back panel, plus insulation etc..

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Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk