I'd love some advice on buying an AGA

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, we have a range master double oven gas cooker at the moment. I think it's on it's way out so I've been saving up for an AGA. I've always wanted one, but after looking at them I'm not sure which would fit. The double oven one looks too small and the 4 oven one looks too big. I couldn't find any measurements on them. Do you know which one would be the same size as a range master?
Do you have any advice on where's the best place to buy one? and how much would it cost to have it fitted and the old one taken away?
Thanks.

bump

Hi, I'm not sure. I think there might be. I finally found some measurements and the 2 and 3 oven ones are two small and the 4 is too big. I'm wondering if it'd look silly with two small gaps either side.
I'll measure the space and see what they say at the shop.

Before you get too excited, check that your floor is solid.

I didn't. I got all excited then the builder told me the weight of the stove (my dream was an esse ironheart) would take my chimney breast into the basement and pull the house with it!

You could also look at an "Everhot" which is, I think, slightly narrower than an AGA. Then you could possibly have a bread proving cupboard at the side???

I've got a 4 oven Aga in a kitchen with a wood floor. It weighs 500kg ie half a ton.

I've also got 2 acro props in the cellar underneath with their feet in concrete

I'd also suggest a 3 oven one, or if you are really keen to have the 4 oven one, get the warming plate replaced with 2 gas burners as it means that you don't have to lift the lids so often, and so that keeps your bills down. We've had bills of ?4000 pa for electricity (but we also have a heat pump for heating).

I've had a very nasty burn in the past from the cold plain shelf in the roasting oven when cooking a cake after the oven glove slipped, so would always go for at least a 3 oven one as you then have a baking oven.

My in-laws have an Aga and we have a Stanley, which also does the domestic hot water and central heating.

Ours has a main oven and a cooler and smaller warming oven beneath, typically at half the main oven temperature.

It's really good for roasts, casseroles and stocks. Sausages and bacon are good, also baked fish. It can brown something like a shepherd's pie but not grill something fiercely. We ended up buying a basic wall-mounted catering grill to supplement it. If you switch to an Aga you may miss the ability to simmer on the top. An Aga can do this but in time the whole think will start to lose heat. To cook "with the grain" of the Aga's capabilities you would end up doing most stuff in the oven and relatively little on top. If this is not acceptable you might have to buy a separate basic gas hob (as we did).

I believe there's something called an Aga companion cooker, a conventional cooker that does the things that the Aga doesn't do well.