Range cookers - which one to choose (they all have shit reviews)

[hinkyhonk]

I'm in the process of planning a new kitchen and getting a new range cooker. But every time I think I've picked one I like the look of, I read the reviews and they are totally slatted. Small usable ovens even though the stated capacity is good, poor quality knobs, inaccurate oven temperature, pats breaking and the supplier failing to fix for months.

I know nothing is perfect and there wil always be something for someone to complain about but I want this cooker to last longer than 2 mins. I don't want to do all this research and then go for one despite a dodgy review only for the same problem to happen to me down the line.

So does anyone have any recommendations? Looking for a duel fuel range 100-110 wide approx £1500 ish

[wonkylegs]

Not a belling one - ours looked lovely, had a fab hob and had good sized ovens BUT the build quality was shocking. It broke down often and I was constantly worried that the door was going to fall off. I would have replaced it but the stupid developer had tiled it in place and I would have had to replace the floor at the same time

[wonkylegs]

Sorry that's not a helpful positive comment , but I bought separate oven/hob when we moved because the belling range had put me off so much.

[littleomar]

Stoves also rubbish. Hob good although made of very delicate enamel so gpt sratched up. Ovens bad: slow oven too hot to be usable, others you had to turn stuff round halfway for it to cook evenly, were too small so got filthy very quickly.

Why does it have to be a range cooker?

[TheAmyrlin]

We've had a rangemaster 110 wide for approx 6.5 years. It's been excellent, and gets a lot of use. Gas hob with two electric fan ovens and electric grill. The only negatives I can think of are: birth ovens are fan, would be better if you could turn the fan off. The grill isn't brilliantly designed. Apart from that it's fab!

[hinkyhonk]

Thanks wonky we don't have to have a range but our kitchen is 7m x 4m so I fell an under counter oven would look a but small and silly in the kitchen. Argh what to do

[impty]

Look on the which? Website, and look at their reviews. Then pick the best rated one closest to your budget. Then go and see it in real life, with a tape measure and check the actual measurements, and check that your baking trays etc will fit in the oven.

I have had 2 Stoves range ovens, and a Smeg (move house alot!) Smeg was truly terrible, one small oven, which was unusable as nothing fitted in it, took ages to reach temp and then didn't hold it. Burners hatec to stay alight.

Stoves much better, but handles are a bit cheap, and the black writing has come off in places. However, good at reaching temperature and keeping it, both ovens are a good size. Replacement handles are £8 each so if they get too tatty looking I can replace easily.

One burner on this stoves range didn't work properly when it was fitted. Engineer sorted it within 7 days.

[littleredsquirrel]

We had a duel fuel belling and it was great. No problems at all and it looked fab. We've now gone for a Stoves induction range and I love it and stroke it regularly (and try to ignore the fact that it's sat in the garage for six months since we can't pin down the kitchen fitter.)

[littleredsquirrel]

Have a look at induction. Cooks far more quickly than electric and gas.

[wonkylegs]

I haven't got an under-counter, I went for 2 single neff fan ovens in a tower unit and a 5 ring gas burner set in the countertop. We've also got a large kitchen and i got fed up with bending down for the range oven. I much prefer loading them higher up & being able to see how things are cooking. I love the combination.

[hinkyhonk]

Interesting the range master has been top of the list but one review said the knobs bubbled and flaked within 2 years (sounds rather painful )

Which range master do you have?

[playftseforme]

I've had a rangemaster 90 for 6 years with no problems, other than one fan needed replacing. Haven't had any problem with the enamel, hobs, cleaning etc.

[insomniarules]

Rangetmaster here. All good, no problem with knobs.

[hinkyhonk]

I think a tower would look odd in our kitchen. We aren't having any wall units so it would be rather isolated.

Good to hear some positive stuff about range master. I've gone onto the which website and it has been helpful. DH is very keen on two fan ovens I think it would be better to have different options for roasting/baking.

[littleredsquirrel]

the knob problem sounds like they had the oven open and blasting for long periods.

[littleredsquirrel]

the set up with a separate grill, two ovens and a slow cooker is a good one. We used ours lots and it was great to have at christmas.

[MoreBeta]

I used to have (until 6 months ago) have an old Rangemaster Natural Gas. It worked OK but I never liked the gas ovens for baking bread and cakes. The hob was OK too but a pain to clean.

I then in my new house bought a Rangemastor Falcon Continental electric induction hob range cooker.

It is a lot more expensive but a lot better in every way. I do a lot of baking and cooking so it matters to me.

However, if I am totally honest I think you could do better for £1500 by getting 2 good quality ovens built into your kitchen units and a hob top built into your work surface. I wish I hadn't thrown out the almost unused Siemens electric oven built into the old kitchen units in my house.

I just think in reality hob cookers are pricey for what they are in reality.

[zoemaguire]

Range master here too, no issues at all and very happy withnit .

[charlieandlola]

Get a reconditioned Aga - now that is a proper range cooker.

[lalsy]

We've had our Rangemaster 18 months and it is great I think. Food is cooked pretty much exactly to the recipe times.

Do check the layout of range cookers - some seemed to have very little oven space and a lot of drawer/storage space. We've got a big oven, a tall narrow one to the side which is really handy when there are two or three of you, or for reheating, a grill, five burners. I don't like not having an eye height grill but we too didn't want a tower.

[hinkyhonk]

We currently have an oil fired Nobel (aga but crap) left behind by previous owners. I will not be persuaded to keep it!

[mumblechum1]

Whatever you do don't buy a Godin. We have a very pretty red enamel and gold plated one (cost £9,000 8 years ago), which looks very decorative but we've given up getting the oven fixed.

[MoreBeta]

*mumblechum - could I introduce you to a Lacanche hob cookers. If I could be sure DW wouldn't divorce me on grounds of insanity had the money this is what I want.

They are made to measure in 20 beautiful enamel colours I am sure their ovens would work.

I will sadly never have a Lacanche and yes this IS a first world problem.

[mumblechum1]

Lacanche are fabulous, my neighbour has one and yes, I need to get one sorted. Hopefully I can get one to match the existing cooker so I don't need to buy the extractor as well.

[themummyonthebus]

Oof we've just had a range master installed and are very happy with it so far but I opened this thread with trepidation! Glad to see all the range master owners are happy with them.

It's a Classic Deluxe 100 with a gas hob.

[Alwayscheerful]

Lacanche are indeed fab.
I enjoyed the look of a Smeg range but the fans and thermostats needed replacing far too often.
Most of the Rangemasters have plastic knobs but my daughter has the italian looking model with metal knobs and an induction hob, it's a stunning looking range cooker in the middle price bracket.
OP if you are a serious cook why not consider two side by side 60cm ovens with a separate hob above, maybe a pair of Neff ovens. Cheaper and better quality than a range.