Are Rangemaster and/or Smeg cookers worth the extra cash?

[pepperrabbit]

We're extending our kitchen, DH does most of the cooking and would like a separate 5 or 7 ring gas hob and built in double oven.
The odd shape of our kitchen makes it tricky to have 2 spaces for cooking so we're looking at big range cooker as a possibility.
The Rangemaster seem to be maybe 30% more than bog standard - are we just paying for the name?
Any help appreciated - we currently have the mankiest gas cooker you can imagine and are slightly dazzled by the possibilities!

[MoreBeta]

I have a 5 ring gas powered Rangemaster with double oven. It is a rented house. There is nothing wrong with it as such but would not choose to buy one.

The double oven is really useful but cooks a bit unevenly and the hob and the rings I find hard work to clean. My favourite choice for cooking would be an infra red or induction hob and a double electric convestion/fan oven. Even better a steam oven.

If I really had to have a hob type cooking device I would prefer a flat top single burner professional range.

[pepperrabbit]

Thanks for that, i'd never heard of a steam oven . We'll do some more research. Clearly there are options we hadn't even thought of - my MIL has just had an induction hob fitted and she's been really pleased with it, so I might sound her out.

[zonkin]

I have a 5 gas ring with double electric oven Rangemaster. I do like it a lot but have to agree that the fan oven cooks a bit unevenly. Love having two ovens and the five rings as we do like cooking and am on the whole very pleased with it (had it for 5 years).

If we needed a new oven I'd definitely go for a range cooker again but wouldn't automatically just go for a Rangemaster although would give it strong consideration.

We have had an induction hob in the past and did not like it. I'd definitely go for gas for the rings.

[trixymalixy]

I have a SMEG range cooker with 6 burners. It looks nice, the hob works fine, but the oven doesn't cook that evenly.

[AllTheYoungDoods]

I have inherited a Smeg range with this house, that frankly I would pay you to take away.
Looks lovely, utterly impractical, crap to cook on.
If you're a member of Which they did a very big Range cooker review and Smeg came out poorly. Rangemaster did a lot better.

[said]

John Lewis salesman didn't rate Smeg and they sell them!

[bacon]

Smeg thumbs down - looks no purpose. I have a brittania which is fab but pricey - gas top, elec oven. Most people recommend the rangemaster but in comparrsion wasnt a touch on the brittania for build quality.

Dont forget with a range cooker you need decent extract system to outside air (Not recycle) once again not smeg. try erica or other good extract companies. It has to be lage enough as I have seen some systems far too narrow and short to cope with this.

[noddyholder]

I renovated a house and put in a cheap stainless steel range from somewhere like comet it was 549! I kept in touch with the buyer as we were in the same line of work and became friends. I subsequently put an expensive range in my new place which was smeg and it was hopeless meanwhile hers is still going 9 years on!

[bumpybecky]

I've got a smeg range, it has had the engineer out for four different faults in the last 4 years. I managed to blow the main oven element after about 18 months! I wouldn't buy smeg again

[Agapanthii]

You can get a range with an induction top now too you know. I believe Britannia and Mercury both do them.

[pepperrabbit]

Definite no to the Smeg then.
We've been to Wickes today and had a look at the examples there which were Rangemaster, but the really helpful lady has come up with a design that allows a 90cm hob and a double oven. She wasn't at all pushy, I was most impressed by the customer service.
DH nearly fell off his chair at the price (of the whole kitchen)
Thanks for all the advice.

[ceres]

i wouldn't recommend a britannia - ours looks great but was ridiculously expensive........ and my mum's bog standard oven is much, much better.

also 3 years in we have had a few (thankfully small) issues with things going wrong.

[noddyholder]

pepper I currently have a double neff oven and 90cm hob and I really like it Have always had ranges in the past but think will stick with this in the new house

[grannyisangry]

Absolutely terrible customer care. Brand new cooker, edges so sharp on drawer I cut my finger, damaged hob, I would never have bought this. Looks cool but the apart from the wok burner the 1998 version was much better

[grannyisangry]

Absolutely terrible customer care. Brand new cooker, edges so sharp on drawer I cut my finger, damaged hob, I would never have bought this. Looks cool but the apart from the wok burner the 1998 version was much better
I have wires hanging down -insulation flaking and the cookers not 3 months old
I am still waiting for a new drawer...looks like they want the old one as proof of injury Rangemaster