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Original poster

Range cookers - what's the point?

16 replies

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 30/01/2011 20:42

they seem to be Quite The Thing in all the kitchen magazines.

why are they better than normal cookers? Are they better than normal cookers?

OP posts:

SingingTunelessly · 30/01/2011 21:39

Well they look good. Suppose if you do a lot of cooking you want all those extra errrr things? We have an oil-fired Aga which costs a fortune and is temperamental although lovely and toasty. Sorry, not much help really.

Original poster

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 30/01/2011 21:46

I do loads of cooking! And we are getting our kitchen redone so if they are good I can probably get one. I just don't know what they can do that a normal cooker can't

Agas are lovely
apart from the running cost....

OP posts:

SingingTunelessly · 30/01/2011 21:57

Well they have more rings on top. Errrr. So if you need to cook with more pans and things then that's good.... am struggling now. I guess if you like the look of them and can afford it, why not?

Yes Aga is great but the cost of oil...

Original poster

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 30/01/2011 21:59

I could just get a new hob with a 5th ring.
There must be something good about them.

do you dry your washing on the Aga thus saving a fortune on tumbledrying to offset the fuel costs?

OP posts:

HarrietSchulenberg · 30/01/2011 22:05

My friend's mum had an Aga when we were growing up. She also had an electric cooker in the corner. Cooking was done on the electric one and the Aga heated the house and dried their socks and boots. They used to put their riding boots and wellies in all the different ovens and string their socks up over the top.

SingingTunelessly · 30/01/2011 22:10

Don't often do that. I've found drying clothes on the Aga makes them go all stiff. DCs wander round in tops with their arms out to the side looking like scarecrows. Also the times I have done that I find strange orange burn lines on things.

I honestly can't think why a range is better apart from what I've mentioned about more room on top. AND they look good. Although maybe I am shallow.

Tortington · 30/01/2011 22:11

it is good being able to put more than two things in the oven

RoobyMurray · 30/01/2011 22:14

well, they're bigger aren't they

so you can cook more things at once.

or in specialist type way.

i.e. my range cooker has a big wok hob and stand, the usual other four rings and a big flat griddle.
Also, grill, normal oven, fan oven and slow oven.

So yes, loads better than a normal cooker with four rings and one oven.

AimingForSerenity · 30/01/2011 22:15

Mine has 2 ovens, 1 grill, 4 gas rings and a wok ring (which is just a bigger ring with 2 rows of gas flames to heat faster and hotter). It also has a hotplate thingy you can put over 2 of the gas rings for steaks, burgers, etc.

I like it. Normally it's just a big cooker but it really comes into its own at Christmas or for big parties when you can do a lot more at once.

Maddikins · 30/01/2011 23:03

I have a modern stainless streel type range. It has 5 rings plus a wok burner and the 2 ovens are useful if I'm for example cooking a large pizza at one temp and want to cook something else at a diff temp. The ovens also have a lot of different functions although tbh I haven't tried most of them and have never used the rotisserie

I had a range at my last house and didn't feel like I could go back to a small normal size oven and hob. If we move I'm tempted to get an eye level double oven and 5/6 ring induction hob as I hate cleaning the gas hob.

SparkleSoiree · 30/01/2011 23:07

I love my Range. We have 5 children and prepare large amounts of food.

We can often be using all the rings on top. e use the oven for cooking and the side oven for keeping things warm if need be.

Love it, love it, love it.

Mirage · 31/01/2011 18:38

I love my rangemaster.It cooks everything so much faster and more efficiently,has 2 ovens and 5 burners.We both cook a lot and enjoy it.It is great for baking too.

GrendelsMum · 01/02/2011 10:44

A good friend whose parents have a gastropub got himself a commercial range when he did his kitchen, we've often seen him cook on it, and we asked him about the pros and cons.

He said that if you really like to cook and entertain a lot, it is frustrating to go back to having the smaller domestic size of hob and oven. You can have more cooking at once, rather than preparing things in advance, which gives you more options. He said that if you've got it, you do tend to use the facilities.

We weren't convinced, though, as if we're doing a lot of cooking, we like to have a lot prepared in advance. We do Christmas quite happily with a standard domestic size of cooker, and it was going to take up extra room and cost extra money.

weblette · 01/02/2011 10:45

Another one with lots of children who needs to cook in industrial quantities from time to time. Having two ovens plus a grill makes life a heck of a lot easier.

Buda · 01/02/2011 10:51

We pondered this too as we are doing kitchen up. Have decided against. We are going for the set up that we have in our current rented house which is hob on island unit (were going to go for gas but am leaning towards induction now) and a bank of eye level ovens. Just need to work out what will fit so that it is balanced.

Fiddledee · 01/02/2011 12:13

Do you think a range plus and induction hob on the island is a bit of overkill? DD loves cooking and I feel safer cooking with her on that than on a range. We will be building a very large kitchen where there is currently a double garage.

I'm very short so my eye level oven would be too low down for others, easier to bend down I think. DH a foot taller but doesn't really go near ovens -sigh

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