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.
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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.
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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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Frequently asked questions
What width are range cookers?
Conventional range cookers are commonly sold in widths of around 90, 100 and 110 cm. Measure the space and allow the gaps the maker specifies.
Who can install a gas range cooker?
Anyone working on gas appliances in a home must be a Gas Safe registered engineer.
How wide should the cooker hood be?
Approved Document F notes that a cooker hood should span at least the full width of the cooker.
Sources
- Domestic gas: frequently asked questions, Health and Safety Executive. Checked 2 October 2026.
- Approved Document F: Ventilation, Volume 1 Dwellings (2021 edition), HM Government. Checked 2 October 2026.