Aga/range cookers - yay or nay?

[Mymumstillreadsmymail]

We are just about to start planning a new kitchen, this also involves knocking through into a dining room. We need to take out our existing ancient boiler/immersion/hot water tank as it is all currently between the two rooms.

I would love an aga but am wondering how much they really cost to run and if there is something similar but more effective. We have no gas here so we are restricted to oil/electricity.

I was wondering if we could also use the range to power our hot water/heating too or if this is more expensive. We live in a very cold house (even tho it is not that old) and it costs a lot to heat. We do have a wood burner in the lounge which helps heat the downstairs a bit. But anything that adds to the heat is a good thing in my book!

We calculated recently that our aga costs around £16 per week in oil (plus £60 plus for servicing each year). We have it on from Sept until May (kitchen gets unbearably hot with it on at that point).

I love it - keeps the kitchen warm in our otherwise very cold house, great for drying boots and clothes etc - but I wouldn't like it as my only method of cooking. We have a double electric oven that we use in summer and all year round for things that require a specific temperature (baking, pies).

I don't think agas can be used to heat water but Rayburns can (apologies if wrong on this). My SIL has a Rayburn and I find it a PITA to cook on compared to an aga (even less accuracy of temperature).

Agas can do hot water you just need to buy one that has a tank inside but I have been told they may not cook as efficiently if they are heating water as well. There are lots of new ranges out there, including agas that have modern controls but I think they are 'pretend Agas' because a real aga is a heat storage cooker and it cooks in a different way to normal ovens and this is what I love about them. If you don't want a real aga then you are paying a lot of money for the cast iron box. Other benefit of an aga is that it will last for ever. Friends of mine who had normal ranges installed in their kitchens 15 years ago are having to buy new cookers because they don't make parts indefinitely and most things these days don't seem to last much past 10 years Sorry to go on but I am an aga fan.

are heat storage cookers