Range cookers, good or bad?

[santashoeshine]

We're redesigning our kitchen and almost certainly want a range cooker, although I've heard they're like marmite- you either love or hate them. If we were to get one we'd want a dual fuel 100cm and haven't seen any negatives about the rangemaster.
Since we have a very curious toddler my main concern is child safety, I'd love to hear any recommendations for cookers that don't get too hot on the outside. Other things to consider is whether they heat evenly and quickly, have a separate grill section and preferably have two glass oven doors (although I realise we may have to compromise on this since we're going for a 100cm!)
Any opinions?

We have a Rangemaster 90. The larger oven is glass doored, and the smaller oven electric , non glass door.
Ours is in the deep cream colour and we've had it about 8 years.
Problem 1. Within the first year , we had to have replacement knobs for it as the markings came off them with regular cleaning.
Problem 2. The gas oven started taking a very long time to cook anything. It was still in guarantee , the flame out device had gone , it was replaced .
Then a year or two , it went again. We had to pay to replace.
We are now planning a new kitchen ( have been planning for a year )
It went again, and we haven't bothered fixing . Tbh we never really used to electric oven , but in the past year have used it as only oven available. A few weeks ago the fan started to rattle and we had to replace that.
We most definitely will not get another. I feel they are style over substance.

We have a ragemaster classic 90 with an extractor. It is 13 years old and never been serviced and used daily by us. We are quite keen cooks.

The cooker is generally good and the hob is excellent including wok burner and griddle plate.

The gas oven is slow and cooks very unevenly at the top compared to the bottom but I think this is the same for all gas! But is fine for everything. My last oven was a fan and was easy to shove everything in.

The small fan side oven we use for 'clean' cooking like cakes. And is very hot so we turn it down a bit.

The extractor will need stripping down now to degrees as it has washable Filters and a have located a build up grease.

The gas oven igniter is now temperamental and needs fixing and it is proving difficult to find a local tradesman to do this as they have to be gas safe. We will buy the parts and do it our self - same happens to a friend and they did their own.

The separate gas grill is ok but small

Over all it's nice to have the extra space at Christmas and special occasions and love the hob. I would buy again (they don't make this one anymore) but I would also look at alternative makes.

I would always have a some sort of range cooker now.

I’ve had a rangemaster 1100 wide for 20 years. Electric ovens (both with glass doors but I don’t think that’s an option with the slimmer versions). Gas five burner hob, electric hot plate, separate electric dual zone grill.

I replaced the element in the fan oven about five years ago but it was cheap and very easy to do.

Really not heard this. Why would anyone hate one out of interest?

To me, it's the ideal oven combo.

I have a rangemaster in my old home which is now rented out. Its an electric oven with gas hob. It is glass and stainless steel fronted and don't see there being any issues for little people.

I would replace our Aga in a heartbeat for another Rangemaster as it was that good.

I have a Rangemaster 110, electric ovens and gas hob. I love it. It's 12 years old and in that time we have had to change the elements on both ovens and the grill (but they are fairly cheap and it could be done by DH). It cooks brilliantly, we're a family of four and I cook a lot. When we have a new kitchen I am definitely having another one!

I have a rangemaster and it's terrible. The gas ignition is flaky. The hob lights don't cook evenly. The grill height isn't adjustable so you can fit sausages in . The door on the fan oven doesn't shut properly so it heats the whole kitchen. The non-fan oven takes ages to heat up. The knobs trap grease and if you try to wash them the markings come off.
Apart from that......

I have a range master 100 which has two electric fan ovens (one glass door, one steel) and a gas hob with 5 rings. The large ring is placed on one side rather than being in the centre, which I hate.

The outside does not get excessively hot and I have had no problems with mine whatsoever. I love it!

I have the ceramic rangemaster 110. I’m not sure which model, can’t remember, I think professional. It’s great, eight burners, heats up incredibly fast and ovens don’t get too hot on the putside.

I too have a black Rangemaster Classic 90, (Gas hob/main oven - gas and smaller oven - electric fan.). Also have the matching extractor.

I absolutely love it!

Mine is 13 years old this month and I can honestly say we have never had a single issue. DH is a former exec head chef so ours is in use constantly. 😁

Remember to check the oven width, some only take small pans

Thanks everyone, reviews seem so mixed I'm really not sure at all now!

@TheProvincialLady is yours the rangemaster professional 100? Glad to hear it doesn't get too hot on the outside.

I really love the look of them. I wouldn't have one though as I don't want to be bending down to get things out of the oven. It's always a nice, sleek, eye level built in double oven for me.

I bought a smeg range cooker
It's great
It has a mini side oven, a grill and separate fan oven

I had a duel fuel rangemaster 90 and the hob was okay but the ovens were the worst I’d ever used. Kept it 18 months and sold it and replace with 2 Neff hide and slides which are bloody brilliant.

I’d maybe recommend the rangemaster if you want it to look at but not if you in any way enjoy cooking. Style over substance.

I have a Rangemaster Toledo 110 which I've had since 2004. It's dual fuel (electric ovens, LPG hob). Had to replace the fan and the hotplate a few years ago but other than that it's just been light bulbs and the door seal (easily available on line). My only gripe is having to clean the gas hob (I've always had electric previously)but that would be the same issue for any gas hob! The 2 ovens were really useful when DCs were small and I was doing birthday parties at home but now I only use 2nd oven at Christmas.

Yes mines the professional 100.

I do enjoy cooking, including baking, and cook from scratch 6 days a week.

I have a Britannia range cooker. It's our second. We had our first fir seven years and it broke down on average every 18 months - once over Christmas. It cost a fortune to repair. Eventually after a long argument with Britannia they sold us a replacement at a very discounted price. I wouldn't have had another were it not for the fact that it was the only cooker that would fit into the gap in our kitchen.
If I was having a new kitchen, I'd go for a separate hob and eye level ovens - I think that they would be easier on my increasingly dodgy knees!

We have had an AGA six/four for ten years. It's well insulated and doesn't get two hot to touch. It doesn't have any transparent doors though.

too hot!

I liked range cookers when my dc were small, as I always cooked on the back rings which meant I never had to worry about my dc grabbing handles. I like them now, as I have a lot of space to cook for a family of six.

We had a rangemaster. Didn't like it at all. We replaced it with a Belling range. It's excellent. 6 burners on top.