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Original poster

Range cookers - have you got one? What do you like about it?

26 replies

Themumsnot · 02/06/2011 10:11

Right, our extension build is slowly progressing and I need to distract myself from the brick dust and the fact that my kitchen is now a table in the hallway by planning the new one that I may eventually have. I would love a Rangemaster dual fuel cooker to replace the worn out gas hob and eye level fan oven we currently have. I've been looking on line and prices vary widely between models and brands - so would love some input from others.
If you have a range cooker - what have you got?
Why did you choose it?
What is the best/worst thing about it?
If you considered one, but chose something else instead what did you choose and why?
All pearls of wisdom received with thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

Themumsnot · 02/06/2011 13:54

Hopeful bump.

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UntamedShrew · 02/06/2011 15:21

We had a Falcon oven with 6 gas burners and an electric oven, in our last house. I knew it was a good oven but only really appreciated how fantastic when I moved into a house with a really rubbish gas oven!

It cooked everything very evenly, heated up quickly.

HTH

DisparityCausesInstability · 02/06/2011 15:56

I was put off getting one after using my d sis's. I'm used to eye level ovens and so getting down to floor level to check on food in the oven and lifting heavy, hot trays from ankle to knee level just seemed very impractical and annoying- so I finally fell in love with my eye level oven and appreciated it's practical place in my life - I'd also heard horror stories about the challenges of cleaning a range - but I may just know slovenly peeps.

In my new kitchen I have decided on 2 eye level fan ovens that will sit side by side and a 4 ring induction hob dominoed with a 2 ring gas hob - I couldn't let go of all my favourite pans.

CaveMum · 02/06/2011 16:09

We have a range in our current house (about to sell and leave the range behind [sob]).

I love it, it has 5 gas ring burners, 2 ovens and a grill. It is fabulous for cooking things like Christmas dinner as you have room for all your pots and pans as well as room to stuff the ovens full of lovely things.

We got ours through Howdens when they kitted out our kitchen in 2009. It is very similar to this one except that in ours the right hand oven (as you look at the picture) is not as big. We have a storage area on the bottom right hand side.

BelovedCunt · 02/06/2011 16:12

i like that it is big, i like that it has 2 ovens so can do roasties and meat at same time. i like the hot plate. i wouldn't go back to a 60cm unless i had to

bigbadbarry · 02/06/2011 16:12

I'm moving to a house with a range and am very unsure about it. I am not at all convinced the individual ovens are as big as the larger of the two I have currently (eye-level double oven) and as disparity says, the idea of grubbing about on the floor seems just stupid and poorly thought out. Going on my knees to clean it, etc. Plus I prefer having the hot oven up out of my toddler's reach - I will have to be much more careful not to have her in the kitchen. Hoping somebody comes on this thread soon to sing their praises (and not just because they look a bit like an aga).

GentleOtter · 02/06/2011 16:17

I have a Rayburn and a Rangemaster in the kitchen.

The Rangemaster is about 11 years old and electric with double oven, griddle etc.
I love it, it is easy to clean and get spares but our 3 year old does climb up the handles (or up on to the Rayburn) if your back is turned for a minute.

Rangemaster are very good imo.

bacon · 02/06/2011 16:40

I have a Britannia Sigma (same as Sam Cam's) two ovens etc. I bought it a few years ago on the profits of my flat sale. I have on used it a few times as are renovating the house. Advantages are the size, two ovens is very efficient. I have a hot plate too.

Elec oven and gas rob.

The flames are pretty fiece and wonder if my Le Creu will handle the size of the rings too. Good for spilage over the sides. With the number of large rings I would rec an large external output extract too. The grill pan handle is naff and will have to get something made that is stronger.

I agree with the points on the eye level ovens too as now I am using one in this property I like it alot especially with two little ones running around. There is also a gap under the oven so extra cleaning needed.

Not sure if I would of rathered two eye level ovens in hindsight. These ovens are self cleaning and for the time and effort I would sub this horrible task out if necessay.

Suppose the little ones wont be so little for very long and the doors are pretty insulated so I wont be put off by this.

Original poster

Themumsnot · 02/06/2011 17:12

OK so lots to think about then. I do worry about losing the eye-level oven in terms of lifting stuff up and down, but at least I don't have littlies to worry about burning themselves - youngest is nearly 9. I was looking at the Rangemaster 110 - the Toledo or the Elan. Love the look of the
Big pluses would be the two big ovens and the wok burner - I do cook a lot and with family of five plus frequent guests two ovens would make my life so much easier.
Cleaning hmm - that tends to be DH's job in this house, so I won't worry about it.

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teta · 02/06/2011 17:19

I have the 110 classic in cranberry.I love its looks.We do loads of cooking too.But we only had it plumbed in yesterday so i can't comment on the functionality yet.One thing i was worried about was that it would look too big but it looks absolutely perfect in our old chimneybrest.

teta · 02/06/2011 17:50

Classic Rangemaster!

Bunnynamedstanely · 02/06/2011 19:49

I have the Rangemaster 90. I think it's fab. Never had any problems with it and it looks great. I have the matching extractor hood too.

wednesday13 · 02/06/2011 20:44

I have a Rangemaster 110 gas. It's too big for us but it's a good cooker, I like the gas hob and the zoned ovens. It also has a rack attached to the door of one oven so you can access a roasting tin or heavy casserole without kneeling. When we do the kitchen I plan to sell it and get something like this mini range or a normal double oven freestanding one.

It doesn't need much cleaning and TBH the toddler stage is soon over, ours did not get particularly attracted to the cooker.

Original poster

Themumsnot · 02/06/2011 21:52

Falcon and Britannia too £££ unfortunately - Rangemaster is just within my budget but am struggling to justify the price £1,3000-£2,000 depending on model, compared with £900 or so for a Belling for instance. We are getting our kitchen through Howden's though Cavemum so I will look into their range cooker
Interesting point about the extractor, bacon - I have never had one before but I think I will need one.
It's the crawling round the floor thing that's the big drawback isn't it? Maybe side-by-side ovens and a seperate hob IS the way to go - but I have dreamt of having a range for years...

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Original poster

Themumsnot · 02/06/2011 21:53

Wednesday - you have cheered me up again! Is your Rangemaster a Classic?

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nocake · 02/06/2011 22:27

I love my Leisure 90 gas. There's something about standing in front of a big cooker that feels so good.

Top tips... have the wok ring to one side, not in the middle. Then you can leave the wok on it all the time, ready to be used. Our second oven is only a slow oven/warmer and doesn't get used so a proper second oven would be useful.

wednesday13 · 02/06/2011 22:37

Themumsnot, it's just the square boxy looking one, in blue, like this

not a thing of beauty TBH, the Volvo estate of cookers.
at crawling on the floor though, don't you girls have any other below worktop cupboards or fittings, or am I just very slack at cleaning?

wednesday13 · 02/06/2011 22:38

Themumsnot, there are always dozens of range cookers on ebay, people are so faddy with kitchens you would easily pick up a nearly new one.

DisparityCausesInstability · 02/06/2011 23:17

"at crawling on the floor though, don't you girls have any other below worktop cupboards or fittings, or am I just very slack at cleaning"

Below worktop units are fine as long as they are deep drawers - shelves are faoirly annoying but at least you don't have to lift anything heavy and/or hot from them or get down on your hands and knees several times to check on their progress - some people don't mind the inconvenience for the look of something traditional but at least it's best to have accepted it's design failures before purchasing.

MoreBeta · 02/06/2011 23:26

We have a Rangemaster 110 gas with an electric warmer at the side 5 gas rings and double oven. It came ready fitted in a rented property and I dont really like it and dont really feel it offers any significant adantage over a normal gas cooker which would cost a lot less.

If it was my choice I would much prefer a proper commercial hob which would cost less and more durable and easier to clean.

Loshad · 02/06/2011 23:35

i have a rangemaster 110 in green - we had it fitted about 8 years ago and it works really hard for its living - - i have 4 rugby playing boys who eat loads and i like to cook from scratch, and to relax after work every day.
I love it, though tbh the inbuilt oven that preceeded it was awful.
Ours is fully electric as we don't have gas out here. The only bit of it that doesn't get used all the time is the plate warmer - the five rings and 2 ovens are in constant use. Grill is a bit small imo. Ours has a ceramic hob on top so very easy to clean.

wednesday13 · 03/06/2011 10:00

Disparity I honestly find it no problem. I suppose it would be boring if we were all the same, though, you make a good point especially for anyone with back problems

You do get attached to things you're used to though, I've only ever had low level ovens/cookers maybe that's why.

weblette · 03/06/2011 10:21

I've got the 110 Toledo in s steel and love it. It's the dual fuel one as I hate cooking on electric hobs.
With 4 dcs I coo in industrial quantities regularly and it's perfect for that.
We've only had one problem, the thermostat went wonky in the big oven but it was changed under warranty.

Original poster

Themumsnot · 03/06/2011 10:38

OK, I have added a few Rangemasters to my watch list on Ebay and am keeping a close eye. There is one that is three years old that I really like - no bids on it yet either.

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MoreBeta · 03/06/2011 11:47

The striker that lights one of the the back buners and the grill doesn't work on ours.

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