Rangemaster cookers - pros and cons?

[jellyforbrains]

We are having a new kitchen and really fancy a range style cooker. Have been researching on the net and are swayed towards the rangemaster make. Went to a local kitchen showroom last week and after having a good look and a chat with the salesman we still like them! Anyone got one and had any problems?

Have done a search on here and found some old threads about range ovens. Most comments about the rangemaster seem pretty positive, but thought I would check again.

After a few years of using our v crappy oven I am really looking forward to having something nice to cook with - just don't want to regret the one I choose.

Not looking for any net deals though, so prices not an issue in that sense. Would rather buy from the local guy and have a guarantee of a follow on service if anything happens with oven.

We've got a Leisure range oven: it was bought mid 1980 and after daily use the fan in one of the ovens has just conked!n It's a bit cheaper than a Rangemaster, and it's been a fab oven over the years!

I have a Rangemaster classic 110, gas (inherited). It's a good workhorse, the ovens are great for baking etc. The grill is a bit rubbish, too close to the flame and not much choice of heights.

I find in our kitchen we have sacrificed cupboard and worktop space for an extra oven and griddle/warming plate that we never use (well maybe the occasional Christmas dinner). In fact I have put a big chopping board over the griddle and warmer so I have prep. space near the cooker.

If I had the choice I would go for a narrower cooker, not sure about the 90cm ones (what is with that "tall" oven?) or a good standard 60cm double oven like this.

Guess it depends what you will be using it for and what the layout of burners etc is. As well as the look of course!

I have a nine-year-old Leisure Rangemaster with electric ovens and gas hobs. For the most part, I have loved it, and cook lovely meals on a daily basis on it, but several years ago, the gas igniter stopped working so I need to use matches and also the griddle and warming plate stopped working. Then, a couple of years ago, the grill knob got knocked loose and it's hit or miss whether you can get the grill on, so I tend to a high shelf on the oven that gets up to grill temp now. I could have all this fixed, but when the range installed or my terracotta tile floor was laid, it was done in such a way that now to fix the cooker would mean to ruin my floor, so I live with the problems.

Think we are going for the 90cm rather than the 110. I am pg with no 3, but we don't have people round for dinner loads at the moment so it should be enough (though hopefully when this baby is a little older we'll be able to manage that a bit more often!). I think that even on those occasions and times like Christmas I should be able to manage with the 90cm. Have heard/seen that the side oven on the 90 is fairly narrow, but was just thinking of getting myself a few narrow baking tins especially for that section.

Am torn between the classic and another one. They both have 5 burners and one of those chef top accessories that look quite good for griddling etc, and can be stuck in the dishwasher.

ByTheSea - will check how they are installing it - don't want to be unable to get repair work done! Though I think the floors are going in first.

i have a range master cooker also inherited with the house i bought

i like the 6 ring hob and the wok burner is very good

the griddle which fits on top of two rings is also excellent

the gas oven is ok but am still getting to grips with temperatures etc and the electric oven is narrow (needed to buy some small baking sheets etc)

overall i really like it - tis a bit of a bugger to clean and also the grill is a bit pants

We have a Rangemaster 110 with ceramic hob. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the grill isn't great - either too high up so burns or too low and takes forever. The fan oven also tends to blast out steam when door is opened (although this could just be with ours!). I wouldn't recommend it tbh, we had a Stoves cooker in our last house which I loved so I wish I had gone for one of their range cookers or just stretched the budget and bought an AGA.