'Traditional Range' or Electric ovens?

[WhiteHairReally]

A first world 'problem'.

One of my many roles is that of '50s style wife' and as well as family cooking I also need to be able to do 'Dinner parties' for 8-12 people and 'Supper parties' for 25-40 people.

Currently I have two single ovens and a five burner hob. The house we are moving to has a two door, gas fueled traditional range cooker, much beloved and desired by many. (Mary Berry made her name telling people how to cook using one.) I know that this is very desirable, but is it big enough for what I need it to do and adaptable enough to do it?

I know 'Get the caterers in' or 'Give them a takeaway' are logical answers but that isn't my question.

Most people I know with an Aga/traditional range also have an electric cooker for the summer as it gets the room too hot.
If the one you've got only has two doors, does it only have one oven and a warming compartment rather than two ovens?

I grew up with a solid fuel aga then an oil fuelled range and whilst I'm sure you probably could cater for your parties with it you'd need practice to get used to its idiosyncrasies/ hot spots and plan your menu carefully.

They do look good but personally I find the ovens too small, the lack of responsiveness frustrating and they're sweltering in summer (but admittedly lovely to lean against in winter).

I now have a rangemaster and wouldn't go back. Much easier to use and cheaper to run.

Thanks Choccy. You are confirming what I feel. An Aga is something of an expensive status symbol for some and I don't really feel like 'planning a menu carefully' to cater for its idiosyncrasies, especially when I'm often concentrating on being 'hostess with the mostess' rather than snarling at DH for getting me into the situation in the first place (a mild joke)!

Now all I have to do is to 'be the woman who asked for the Aga to be taken out'! (The house comes with DH's new job. The Aga was put in, at great expense, for the previous 'wife'. They didn't entertain on the same scale, or she's better at delegating or planning menus!)

personally I love cooking with agas - especially catering on a bigger scale, but thats because I've grown up doing it and with my mother cooking like that.

but whatever works for you of course. you don't want to be stressed out with a pile of people sipping cocktails in the next room!