Range cookers vs integrated hob and oven

[MrsNuckyT]

We're finally doing our kitchen extension (have lived 5 years with my washing machine outside and no dishwasher!!). We're likely to get a shaker style kitchen - I like more classic / traditional style and DH prefers more modern (we'd be going high gloss handleless if up to him!).

Just weighing up options for oven and hob. On the one hand I've always thought that having the wall mounted ovens at eye and waist height look so nice to use and handy, so we'd potentially combine that with a 5/6 ring gas hob (hob probably on the island).

The other option is a free standing range cooker. If I had my way I'd go conventional aga - ie not the traditional on-all-day, but with gas hob and electric oven - just because I love the look so much. But we're much more likely to go with a slightly more modern looking range, colour or finish un-decided.

Just looking for some thoughts really on whether you like / loathe having a free-standing range, or whether you'd rather you'd gone integrated oven and hob. Or vice versa.

[Northernlurker]

I long for a new kitchen and part of that is range versus eye level oven. I suspect hob and oven is possibly better value. The range cookers have more cachet and you pay for that. Plus eye level oven is easier to clean (if you bother)

[limesoda]

I've just gone from range to eye-level and the main factor for me was cost. Also in my last house, the second range oven was pretty small and rarely used.

Eye level ovens made the space and bit trickier to configure (I had to sacrifice a larder cupboard which nearly made me go for a range again) and I have a catering business, so the two ovens are used a LOT. I'm not sure if I didn't cater so much I could justify that space being used for something that only gets switched on when there are guests or whatever, but then I don't have kids or anything so maybe there are all sorts of benefits I have thought about yet.

If I didn't do what I do, I would hands down have an aga. They are a thing of beauty and I adore them.

[JT05]

I'm just going from a Rangemaster to hob and double oven, in new house. I will miss the range, especially at Christmas, but other features about the new kitchen will make up for it!

[ABetaDad1]

We have white gloss handless kitchen with hob stainless steel hob cooker (double electric oven with 5 ring induction top). I ripped out an old AGA and would not have one in a modern house but in an old farmhouse where you need low ambient heat they are great.

Now I have had the experience of induction cooking I am never going back but I would not get a hob cooker again. I have had a gas as well as my current electric hob and the ovens underneath the cooking surface are not convenient.

I am designing a new kitchen for another house and having stacked ovens in an appliance wall with microwave, coffee maker, fridge freezer, bottle coolers, etc. Then a large induction surface in the long island with sink and prep surfaces.

Ultra modern look though - which may not suit your desire for traditional shaker style.

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

Not so many range cookers have pyro clean ( self cleaning pretty much ) ovens ... So that's the deal breaker for some people !

[SweepTheHalls]

I currently have an integrated oven, integrated oven/microwave combination and an induction hob. Moving house and we were redoing the kitchen and putting exactly the same back in, but will probably go for eye level this time!

[ARGYLEMIKEY]

We've got an electric ESSE with double induction hobs. They go for about a grand second hand on eBay, which is where ours came from Of all the house-related items we've ever bought - it's the best

Runs off a normal cooker point. Very heavy. There's a bloke on eBay who'll move it for £295, so best add that to the budget if you go for it.

Mike