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KBSA Consumer Guide
Our FREE guide contains practical advice for consumers who are considering buying a new kitchen, bedroom, bathroom or home office.
Range cookers
There are many things to consider before buying a new range cooker and the first is probably how it will fit in with your kitchen layout and design.
Range cookers are perfect for all styles of kitchen and complement both traditional and contemporary furniture, but it is important to choose a model that looks ‘right’. Go for a slightly more classic design if you have a country or period kitchen, feel free to choose something ultra modern if your kitchen is very much 21st century.
What about colour? Again, the cooker needs to be in keeping with your overall kitchen design but it’s worth remembering that stainless steel is still the most popular colour for range cookers. Having said that, gloss black is also tremendously popular and can prove very eye-catching as a kitchen focal point.
Some manufacturers offer hoods in matching styles and colours – again, make sure the hood you go for is in keeping with your kitchen style.
Dual fuel or all electric? Dual fuel is the most common choice, providing the versatility of multi-functional electric cooking and the quick reaction of gas burners. All electric is an excellent option if no mains gas is laid on. However, you may also want to consider LPG – some manufacturers will adapt a range cooker for LPG and this saves you the hassle of arranging this yourself.
What size range cooker should you opt for? Consider your kitchen layout carefully before you make any decisions. Some cookers will protrude whilst others will have the same depth as your kitchen cabinets and this is a matter of personal preference. You also need to check that the cooker can be adjusted to the same height (or slightly higher than) your kitchen cabinets. Sometimes extra high feet are offered, which is useful when you have cabinets of 96cm, for instance.
So many things to consider! Stainless steel? All electric or dual fuel? Only you can decide, with the help of your KBSA-approved appliance retailer.
Enjoy your new range cooker!
Back to topFeatures to look out for in a range cooker
Once you’ve decided on your style of range cooker, chosen your colour and opted for either a dual fuel or all-electric model, there are a number of other features to look out for.
- Triple glazing – this will ensure the cooker doors remain cool when cooking (a must-have for families with small children).
- Stay clean liners or catalytic liners – these will help you to keep your oven interior in pristine condition! Look out for replaceable liners as they may need to be changed after several years of heavy usage.
- Individual pan supports – these are easier to clean under the tap than large pan supports.
- Electronic programmers – ideal for those of us with hectic lifestyles, these allow you to programme start and/or finish cooking times. If time is really of the essence in your kitchen, look out for special features such as fast pre-heat which ensures less time is spent waiting for the oven to reach perfect cooking temperatures.
- Oven size – especially secondary ovens can be relatively small. It may be worth going for at least a 100cm cooker instead of 90cm as the larger width will mainly benefit the second oven. Beware that some 100cm cookers have a relatively small secondary oven.
Triple ring burners – these are very useful for large saucepans, frying pans and woks. Depending on your cooking style, you may prefer to have two triple ring burners rather than one.- Separate grill compartments – great if you love your grills. However, many cookers have a grill in one or two of the ovens. A grill in a multi-functional oven will provide you with the possibility of fan assisted grilling, which is more suitable for grilling chops, sausages and mixed grills. Fan grills reduce spitting and splashing which makes for a clean oven and also reduces the number of times you have to turn or baste. These grills are usually used with the door closed which offers great safety to both cooks and their children – plus very even cooking. Some ovens will also feature a rotisserie and this provides a great way to cook succulent pork, chicken, duck and game birds.
Griddle features – such as Britannia’s Chef Top, can serve as barbecues, frying pans and woks. The Chef Top is made of pure thick stainless steel and has remarkable heat storage capabilities. It is also durable and easy to clean.- Telescopic trays – these roll out the shelf or grill to help eliminate unnecessary lifting or reaching over when handling heavy dishes.
- “A” efficiency rating – watch out for ovens that carry this rating (this is important for both ovens on double oven models).
Finally, how do you check for overall good quality? One way is to open and close the doors several times, you can tell if the cooker is a good make just by the feel. Also talk to your retailer as they will have first-hand experience of different brands.
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