British Range Cookers

[belfastboy]

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this but here goes. I have been watching the Brit series "Escape to the Country". I have visited the UK numerous times but really have done a crappy job of seeing a lot of the country so the show is my vicarious solution. In the kitchen of many period homes is the commanding and intriguing Range/Cooker. I have googled them and understand how and why they work but am intrigued still and would love to hear from someone who has actually cooked on one.

The daunting thing for me as a Canadian is that it seems as though I would have to learn how to cook/bake all over again. Anyone out there experienced in their use?

 

[Haversack]

Would these be AGA cookers?

 

[GHT]

The daunting thing for me as a Canadian is that it seems as though I would have to learn how to cook/bake all over again. Anyone out there experienced in their use?

Aga, Rayburn, Belling there's quite a few. The hotplate, with it's insulated lids, is simple to use with a large surface area that allows gentle simmering at one end and rapid boiling at the other. The large capacity main oven is controllable and vented and allows cooking at different temperatures simultaneously, and there is a lower oven for warming or cooking, depending on the model.

Learning to cook can be a new experience, but only if you are off the mains gas supply, wood burning stoves do take a lot of controlling. Range cookers are designed to be used with solid fuel, LPG, mains gas and oil, as in central heating oil. You have to choose which fuel supply, they are not interchangeable.

The benefit of range cookers is that they can replace your central heating boiler, (furnace) and provide you with heat for the radiators as well as a supply of constant hot water. The largest models are able to heat up to 20 radiators. With a model that provides heating and cooking, you can still cook without having to use the central heating, as the twin burner models have separate burners for each of the tasks. Certain models also have a programmer that allows you to set the heating and cooker to come on separately.

Range cookers are expensive but such is the demand that a home with a range cooker will outsell one without almost every time. You said that you have looked them up on Google, try looking up one of the two leading brands, that's AGA & Rayburn, see the various models and look through the sales splurge to see the benefits. The one drawback that buyers forget is the weight of these cookers. Unless you have a concrete floor you will need some sort of supporting foundation and they are definitely not for apartment living.

 

[belfastboy]

Would these be AGA cookers?

Yes, AGA is the video I watched to discover just what they were after seeing the beautiful ones on the TV show. The red, green, and purple ones are stunning and a wonderful focal point for the kitchen.

 

[belfastboy]

My wife checked out the price and an AGA one will set us back about $28K Canadian $. Plus the cost of the extra support for the floor joists.....guess we will keep our induction range.