Range cookers - which one to choose (they all have shit reviews)

[hinkyhonk]

I'm in the process of planning a new kitchen and getting a new range cooker. But every time I think I've picked one I like the look of, I read the reviews and they are totally slatted. Small usable ovens even though the stated capacity is good, poor quality knobs, inaccurate oven temperature, pats breaking and the supplier failing to fix for months.

I know nothing is perfect and there wil always be something for someone to complain about but I want this cooker to last longer than 2 mins. I don't want to do all this research and then go for one despite a dodgy review only for the same problem to happen to me down the line.

So does anyone have any recommendations? Looking for a duel fuel range 100-110 wide approx £1500 ish

It sounds like you've already done research, but I'll always check for buying or manufacturer guides before buying an expensive appliance like a range cooker, there's plenty online that you can find through google to read through.

Personally I would add another vote for Rangemaster. I've got the Elise 100 in Dual Fuel and my brother has the Toledo in induction, neither of us have a bad word to say about them! I'm a little jealous about his induction hob though, but I cook stir fry too much to give up a gas hob

Mercury are very good, if pricey.

I chose a Stoves Richmond in a bright cherry red - looks terrific in my grey and cream kitchen, but it's a sod to keep looking good; the four big cast-iron burner supports seem to attract grease like magnets and are very heavy and hard to clean. The black enamel hob likewise. No probs with the quality / layout and so on. With hindsight though I agree with those who would go for a couple of good ovens and a nice big induction hob.

The smeg Victoria looks good for the price and a Which best buy too.

I had a smeg oven once - the door fell off. Actually off. Mind you this was years ago.

Smeg are notoriously shit. Style over substance. The doors on their 50s style fridges fall off a lot too

We have a smeg dishwasher. It's atrociously built.

We've got a dual dual belling range and it's great.

We have one like this. We got it to replace the previous Belling Range Cooker which we had had for 12 years, but had a design fault with the oven doors and they couldn't sort/replace them Everything else was fine.

This one is all gas. I don't know if that makes them easier to maintain? We never had any problems at all from the old one apart from the cooker door, so fingers crossed that the new style doors work!

I have a Stoves and have had for five years. No problems and love it. Still looks good.

I have just had my kitchen done and have a Rangemaster Excel 110. I love it - it has a warming oven which can be used for casseroles etc and is great.

6 year old Rangemaster still going fine here. One knob is a bit loose but if I was bothered I could prob fix it myself with a spot of glue.

Nancy -I have a mercury as well. It is the model when Lincat (believe pan stands aren,t so solid on the new ones)used to make them before they sold out aga. And yes pricey even with a good discount.
Fab

My Mercury is 13 years old and still looks like new when I can be bothered to give it a good scrub, I read somewhere (might have been on here) that the build quality declined when they were taken over by Aga. They sometimes come up on ebay but if you do get one beware the springs on the grill and small oven doors, they are like man-traps, I lost a fingernail a few years ago when I bumped against the grill door while removing cheese on toast, as well as smashing a finger I also got a burnt foot from the scalding cheddar. Twas carnage I tell you.

Here is a very credible alternative to range cookers - www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=808470092496496&set=a.808469692496536.1073741847.147703935239785&type=1&theater

I have to admit that this is a kitchen designed and installed by my company and the client has been very complimentary of this alternative. I hope I am not breaking any rules by posting this link but I hope to offer an alternative that is modern, efficient and effective.

We have a 90cm Rangemaster Toledo in stainless steel. Got it half price from eBay (new) and saved a fortune. Two fan ovens and gas on top.

I am very much in love and would really, really recommend it.

didn't know Mercury had been taken over. Mine about 10 years old and no problems and still looks very new too

I've got a Britannia Q line. Brilliant. Comes in lots of sizes / configurations to suit but the build quality is very good and the temp is very reliable. A bit more than your budget but very good and not outrageously priced.

OP, my kitchen is a bit bigger than yours and we went for the 100cm, it looks great. Doesn't look lost at all.

I have a Britannia. The cheapest you can get. I like it, the only problem I have is that the main oven is a little hotter on the right than the left, it's only an issue when making cakes.

It's 3 years old and works fine. Feels pretty well built too

I hate induction hobs. We do not get on

Had one last kitchen but wouldn't do it again. Had a beautiful Smeg huge range with 2 ovens underneath. Cost a bomb, looked great but the knobs were not very precise for the oven temperature and the ovens were hotter then the number on the dial. Real pain to clean too. New kitchen and I am looking at wall ovens : )

I've got a Falcon continental. Two full size ovens with doors you can see through and a fab gas hob - what's not to like?

I have been reading this thread cos I am researching freestanding dual fuel cookers, needs to be freestanding 'cos I have bought freestanding units. It is hard to find one that reviews well ( I only have room for a 60 cm one), quality seems to be an issue with many brands.

We had a smeg (inherited with house) and it was awful. Two of the hobs stopped working, the handle fell off the door repeatedly and the glass in one door exploded on me. That was around the point we were ripping out the kitchen anyway so I took some well founded rage out on it with a sledge hammer. Fucking piece of crap. We have a lovely eye level oven with a hob in the worktop and lovely drawers underneath it. Bliss.

We have a leisure and it is truely awful, it was left by the previous owners and we can't afford to replace as we are only willing to replace it with a rangemaster. I have had to give up all baking and chips take ages.

I am looking at buying the new rangemaster fx 90. I much prefer the look of just one big door.

No idea if to go ceramic or induction though. I've never tried cooking on induction before