I use a foil-lined rimmed backing sheet (or jelly roll pan) under any pan that I think might have spillage, and so I have no dripping onto my oven floor. I do this for all pies that I bake, but also for anything else that might spill over.

Some people line the bottom of their ovens with aluminum foil, which might work, but I've never done that. I think foil would be better than an oven catch pan, but it would depend on the volume of the drips.

I also do not put anything on the floor of my oven, but rather on the rack below the pan, or under the pan on the same rack. Sometimes I just put a sheet of foil under a pan. Apple pies always drip, IMPE.

I have an electric oven and there's a heating element that would be in the way of any pan.

so, what you're all saying is that it won't mess-up the baking if I put a pan near-under whatever I'm baking/roasting?

What you said, plllog, is what I've heard. My understanding is that this house was 'flipped' in 2006, but I don't know how old these appliances are.

Putting a baking sheet on the rack below will change how your oven bakes. People that cook bread in dutch ovens will put a baking sheet the rack below the DO if the loaf bottoms are getting too scorched/dark.

If I'm doing something I'm worried might spill over I'll put a piece of foil in the bottom. But I've been lucky lately and haven't had any big ones. The little ones I get I'll scrap out with a metal spatula when it still hot and let the rest burn off the next time I turn the oven on.

It depends on a lot of variables. My jelly roll pan is small enough that air can circulate easily all around it—it's inches smaller than the rack on all sides—and its rack is on the lowest level, leaving several inches above between it and the cooking. I've never noticed a difference in the baking, with or without it—but if it's not positioned just right, drips might escape. If the pan were just junder the dish, or the full size of the oven,, I could see it making a problem, or if the oven weren't 100% preheated. Remember, the preheat light goes off when the sensor is up to temperature, but for baking, you want all sides plus the air to be hot. if a pan between the baking element and the pot is slowing down the bake, the pan isn't up to temperature. For pie drips, heat your drip pan along with the oven, and start heating when you start mixing your dough, or leave your filled pie in the fridge while you heat the oven fully. I often bake bread in a dutch oven, without issues, but I'd thing adjusting the temperature would work better—but perhaps in some ovens putting in a heat shield makes sense.

Kate, can you see an electric coil, or gas flames in the bottom of your oven? if so, you can probably—but better to look up the manual online—put in a liner under the coil, or between the flame vents. If the bottom of your oven is solid, you can put a drip pan on a rack just above the oven floor, and, as I said, preheat it in the oven. Putting a drp pan right under the rack you're baking on could impede the air flow with or without convection fan.

Anything that might drip in the oven goes in there on a half-size sheet pan with raised sides. I line that pan with aluminum foil to make cleanup a snap. Never put anything on the floor of the oven. Easiest way to start a grease fire.

I have some old sheet pans and round/pizza pans I always place directly under anything that might drip/bubble over. I pretty much use the round ones for pies and let them preheat with the oven. Never had a problem.

Oh BTW, this stuff works great for getting off those charred globs...

Thank you all !!!!

Good to know about putting this extra pan in the oven as it preheats.

Carol, I just may have to resort to your suggestion. Vinegar and soda aren't getting the worst soften.

Trailrunner taught me the ”chemistry” answer to burnt on char: Sprinkle liberally with baking soda, lay a rag or paper towel over it, dampen (don't wash away) with boiling water. let sit overnight. Scrub lightly and wash off the residue. If the offender is particularly thick, it might need an extra round or two, but this works well without adding anything inedible to your oven.

For racks with the polymerized ”seasoning” that's unwanted, and bits of char, too, take a couple of heavy black trash bags to your garden table or the sunniest place you have. Lay the rack on one bag, spray with enough hydrogen peroxide to dampen completely, cover liberally with baking soda, and cover with the second bag. Weight the edges. Let sit in the sun until covered in shadow and cool. Rinse off and lightly scrub. This might also take a few rounds if the build up is bad, but it's a little miracle. Do make sure the peroxide is fresh.

I use an oven liner like this:

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suzyq, the main heat for my oven is under the metal bottom of my oven. Wouldn't these liners inhibit the oven from getting properly up to temp.?

Kate, if your heat is under the bottom, put NOTHING on the bottom, as I said in the warning above. It can severely damage the oven.

Suzyq's link says this: Proper Installation Is Key: Everyone’s oven is different. In all ovens with hidden heating elements, the oven mat needs to be placed on the lowest rack (not on the oven bottom). For ovens with exposed heating elements, place liner under the heating element at the bottom of the oven floor

If you use this kind of mat on a rack, make sure there are a couple open inches on all sides for airflow.

I have a round, aluminum piece with a 1/2" rim and a 3" hole in the center that I put under the pie plate, like the one in the link below. The air in the oven seems to circulate well, I'm not blocking the heating element (ours is below the floor of the oven), and it has caught many drips over time. https://www.amazon.com/Fox-Run-4574-Catcher-Non-Stick/dp/B001UC4H1K/ref=asc_df_B001UC4H1K/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167140474467&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13204051363579598911&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007895&hvtargid=pla-375625580077&psc=1

I now have an electric oven with a solid bottom. The coil is out of the way. It takes longer to pre-heat.

I read as plllog says — leave the solid bottom as is and do not put anything on it.

I didn’t mind the coil (on the previous oven) showing. I try to keep the oven clean, but don’t obsess. I mostly eschew the near Chernobyl ”self cleaning” — eats a lot of electricity. (I think some of these ovens recommend against using oven cleaners. (Now, really…?!)

We are ”thrifty” — aka cheapskates. Our current (no pun) oven was nearly brandy new from Craigslist, about $200. It’s a Samsung smoothtop and the top is easy to wipe clean and looks pretty good. Burners heat up quickly and cool off fairly quckly. I really like it. Oven door and rack glide nicely. Good build quality versu the Frigidaire, Whirlpool…..