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Original poster

Range cookers - are they worth it?

32 replies

McDreamy · 23/03/2011 11:13

Probably going to have a new kitchen fitted in the next couple of months and I am seriously considering getting a range cooker. I currently have an eye level double oven. Also what brand is a good brand to look at? The showroom I looked in yesterday had Stove cookers.

OP posts:
mumblechum1 · 23/03/2011 11:17

We paid £9k for a Godin, imported from France, and that included fitting and hood.

Definitely not worth it imo. It's v nice looking, gold plated knobs (yes, I know. Not my idea) but the gas burners often blow out and it's not that bleeding fantastic.

DuplicitousBitch · 23/03/2011 11:17

they are worth it if you are into entertaining and roast dinners etc. then the double oven comes into its own.

nocake · 23/03/2011 11:21

I love my range cooker. It's a 90cm Leisure Rangemaster, so towards the lower end of the market. It's all gas, which is out of fashion but I really like using a gas oven. I inherited it with the house but if I was buying again I'd make sure it had two proper ovens (the right hand oven on mine is a slow oven/plate warmer).

Original poster
McDreamy · 23/03/2011 11:23

The brochure they gave me yesterday has Rangemaster, Belling and Stoves. You think a double oven would be more useful, I must admit I do use both ovens at the same time when cooking a large meal so I would miss not having that.

OP posts:
nocake · 23/03/2011 11:29

I rarely use the slow oven except for warming plates so a second proper oven would be much more useful. Also, consider the layout of the hob and how you'll use it. We have a wok ring on the right, which means it's out of the way of the other pans and I can leave the wok on it all the time. If it was in the middle, as some are, then it would get in the way, although if you don't use a wok then maybe consider extra small rings.

mellie64 · 23/03/2011 11:31

i have a smeg range and i love it, the oven is massive and i can get four trays in at one time. makes life so much easier, there are six of us so we need a big oven. we didnt pay £2k+ for it, we paid £100 for the oven, splash back and smeg hood from the adtrader, it was secondhand but was excellent condition, the lady had just bought an aga for £10k we didnt have much money as we were restoring our old mill house, it was perfect and we have had it 5 years, its royal blue and SS, six gas burners and one big oven. if i had the money i would buy a smeg range again. i wouldnt be happy having a built in or small cooker again.

throckenholt · 23/03/2011 11:34

we have a range cooker - a falcon which the more expensive end of the market - it was our big splurge spend.

We are a family of 5, rarely use both ovens and only one or two rings at a time (there are 5). So we don't really use it to it's full potential. However, I really like the space on the hob, and the flexibility of the ovens (two full size ones). And the customer service was second to none the only time I needed to use it - man arrived with the part first thing the next morning - no quibbles, mended and working within an hour.

Build quality for this make was much higher than the rangemaster, stoves, and bellings we looked at.

Fayrazzled · 23/03/2011 11:42

I did loads of research on ranges when we bought ours two years ago. It depends on your budget- mine was up to £4-5k and the brands we were down to were: Britannia, Falcon and Lacanche. We chose a Britannia XG Dynasty which was about £4k. Both of its ovens were A rated for efficiency (unline the others) and JL recommended their customer service/after-care.

tibni · 23/03/2011 14:23

I have a toledo 90 rangemaster with 5 burners, 2 fan ovens and a seperate grill and I love it.

MollieO · 23/03/2011 14:28

I've got an Aga six four range cooker. It can do loads more than I use it for but it is fab. Has three full sized ovens, one of which is for slow cooking, a brilliant grill, a wok burner and a griddle. It also looks fab. It cost just over £4,000.

MollieO · 23/03/2011 14:30

Here

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/03/2011 18:38

Yes they are worth it. Buy one.

Original poster
McDreamy · 23/03/2011 19:31

I looked at a Britannia today. Didn't look as nice as the Stove I have to say, guy in the shop said their after sales service is brilliant unlike Stove.

OP posts:
Baffledandbewildered · 23/03/2011 20:19

We have a lacanche vezelay it's amazing LOVE it .we used to have a britannia but I found the top difficult to clean.....separate panels on top close together so hard to keep clean.We have a griddle section wok burner burners and BBQ thing on top and two big oven and a simmer oven?? ( don't really use it) and a cupboard on other side for pans junk ect.the oven are electric though not gas but it is bloody great for a big family 7 of us. Especially at Christmas....that how I sold it to husband!! He loves turkey lol. Good luck do look long and hard for which oven to buy John Lewis have good selection and took back the britania when I hated it. Also had various range masters liked them too

ceres · 23/03/2011 20:22

i really wouldn't recommend a britannia. i spent a small fortune on mine on the basis that it is a serious piece of kit and would last years.

the ovens don't heat evenly at all. my mum's cheap as chips built in oven is far better.

we have already had problems with the ignition failing on one of the rings.

the badge fell off (ok - this may be picky but we are talking over 4 grand of cooker).

the express heat up function isn't as express as it is made out to be.

the extractor appears to be for decorative purposes only. the dog hides when i am cooking - he hates when the alarm goes off and, as the extractor is crap, this happens quite often.

it's not the easiest design to clean and you can't stick the pan supports in the dishwasher (cast iron).

in spite of all this i will NEVER admit to dh that i hate the damn thing. he thought it was madness spending that amount on a cooker in the first place. if we ever sell this house i am leaving it here!

Gottakeepchanging · 23/03/2011 20:23

Get a real aga. Much better

greenlotus · 23/03/2011 20:30

I've got on well with a basic Rangemaster 110 but don't need one so big. I like a gas oven and grill too but don't need the warming plate/griddle things on top. I suspect an oldfashioned freestanding double oven cooker would do me fine but then there are only the four of us and I'm not big on baking and roast dinners. It's about 10 years old now and the clock/timer has given up the ghost but apart from that perfect.

Original poster
McDreamy · 24/03/2011 18:42

The chap in the shop also suggested that rather than buying a range buy 2 single ovens put together and then put a large hob on top that way I can get self cleaning ovens which you can't get with range. I am so confused as to what I want. Although they look nice I am wondering if this is the main reason for buying it Confused

OP posts:
Kaekae · 24/03/2011 18:59

I've got a Rangemaster toledo 110 and its ok, I chose a range when I bought my kitchen and this one arrived, it wasn't the one I had picked out but it was a grand cheaper so I decided to save some money and keep it. I have had a few problems with it but the aftercare has been really good and Rangemaster have come out a few times to repair it. I am not too keep on the hob, the main ring is at the front and to me feels dangerous....big pot of boiling water not only worries me but just gets in the way of other pots. I use the fan oven mostly and the slow oven for cakes etc. The cleaning of it is a pain. TBH I preferred my built in Neff double oven more!

Kaekae · 24/03/2011 19:00

*keen

Original poster
McDreamy · 24/03/2011 20:31

Tonight I am thinking of NOT getting a range - too much choice out there!

OP posts:
WhatsWrongWithYou · 24/03/2011 20:34

I agree with Gottakeep - can't beat a proper Aga. The others are just pretending.

Figgyrolls · 24/03/2011 20:57

Lacanche all the way - we have a macon, is beautiful and my baby, half gas/half electric. Does a wonderful sunday lunch!

Baffledandbewildered · 24/03/2011 21:12

FIGGY thats exactly how i feel about mine love it to bits pricey but lovely!! mine is portugese blue what color is yours??? now wish somedays i had gone for the deep yellow
McDreamy buy one you will love it ......cheaper than a new man and mopre usedful LOL

Baffledandbewildered · 24/03/2011 21:13

oh looks nice perfect reason to buy ......who buys ugly things?????