Kitchen design
Range Cookers: Are They Right for Your Kitchen?
Range cookers explained: widths, fuel types and the difference between a conventional range and a heat-storage cooker.
A range cooker is often the focal point of a traditional kitchen, and it is also a serious piece of cooking equipment: more oven space, more burners, and room to cook a full Sunday roast at once. Before choosing one, it helps to know that "range cooker" covers two quite different kinds of appliance.
Where to buy
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Two kinds of range
| Conventional range cooker | Heat-storage cooker | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Ovens and hob switched on when needed, like a normal cooker | A heavy cast-iron body stays warm; ovens are set at fixed temperatures |
| Typical use | Everyday cooking with more capacity | Always-on warmth and slow cooking; some models can be switched down or off |
| Running costs | Similar to a standard cooker, scaled up | Higher if left on constantly; check the model's controls |
Widths
Conventional range cookers are commonly sold in widths around 90 cm, 100 cm and 110 cm. Wider models usually add a second oven or a larger hob. Measure the space, and allow for the cooker hood above, which should match or exceed the cooker width.
Fuel types
- Dual fuel: gas hob with electric ovens, a popular combination.
- All electric: often with an induction or ceramic hob.
- All gas / LPG: useful where there is no mains gas.
Things to check
- Weight, and whether the floor can take it.
- The installation requirements for your fuel type (gas must be fitted by a Gas Safe registered engineer).
- Oven capacity: will your largest roasting tin fit?
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