Range Cookers and food are at the very centre of every kitchen and home. Range Cookers have become increasingly versatile and popular; they are the appliance every serious cook aspires to own. Range Cookers also make a fantastic dramatic feature in a kitchen and the latest technology within helps us spend less time in the kitchen and still brings us fantastic results with the minimum of effort. The modern versions of these cultural icons include a huge variety of optional extras, colours and trims. The size of Range Cooker you’ll need will depend on how many people you’re cooking for and how much time you plan to spend in the kitchen, aspiring chef? Range Cookers have also become more efficient with our energy and time. Below we lay out exactly what you need to know in order to choose the right Range Cooker for your needs. If you do need any more information please contact us at Armagh Electrical.com or visit Dalzell’s of Markethill.

What Type of Cooker?

There are five main types of Range Cookers to choose from Ceramic, Dual Fuel, Induction, Solid Plate and Gas Range Cookers. Your choice may be determined by your existing energy supply. Electric Range Cookers (Ceramic, Induction and Solid Plate) are often praised for the consistent results achieved when baking in their ovens, the speed with which they achieve high heats and the precision of temperature setting available. Ceramic and Induction models have cleaner lines of design and are more easily cleaned. Gas Cookers come in two types LPG (bottled gas) and NG gas (piped gas), some appliances can be converted from one to the other; Please check the product specifications or contact us if you’re unsure. Gas Range Cookers on the other hand are famed for the instant heat achieved and controlled on the hob component of the Cooker. Many would also say that gas ovens help retain more moisture in the food particularly cakes, buns and biscuits. Gas ovens are usually more efficient to run. Dual Fuel Range Cookers give you the best of both worlds and are increasingly popular.

• Ceramic Range Cookers
• Induction Range Cookers
• Solid Plate Range Cookers
• Dual Fuel Range Cookers
• Gas Range Cookers

Ovens

Range Cookers often have multiple Ovens; anything from one to three is common.

A Conventional Electric Oven has a thermostat that ensures the centre of the oven is maintained at the desired temperature. In this type of oven the top of the cavity will always remain a little hotter, this can prove useful when you’re preparing multiple dishes with differing cooking times.

A Fan Oven on the other hand helps ensure that all areas of the oven are kept at the desired temperature, due to the constant movement of air through the cavity. Your food will also cook that bit quicker in a fan oven.

Multifunction Ovens work in a similar way to Fan Ovens but this type of oven heats from both the top and bottom with the benefit of a fan.

Gas Ovens help retain more moisture in the food particularly cakes, buns and biscuits. Gas Ovens are usually more energy efficient to run.

Cleaning you Oven is never something to relish but there are features that can help, Stay clean liners or pyrolitic liners use their catalytic coating to burn off fat and food whilst this type of Oven is in use. Pyrolitic Ovens have a special programme that turns the remnants of your cooking to ash which is then easily removed.

Some Ovens have safety features like child locks and air cooled doors to keep inquisitive kids from burning their fingers. Most Ovens will feature a viewing window allowing you to keep an eye on those important dishes.

Hobs

Range Cookers will usually have a large number of rings/burners. It’s also normal to have a number of specialist cooking areas such as griddles, warming plates, wok supports etc and these areas often have dual functions.

Many people would state that Gas Hobs are the best for cooking due to their instant heat and ease of control. A standard gas Hob on a Cooker usually has four rings which have varying sizes and outputs. These would typically range from 1Kw (kilowatt) on a smaller burner to 3Kw for a larger burner. Although the Hob may have a gas energy supply it is more than likely that it will have an automatic, electric ignition for the burners. Gas Hobs will have either enamelled or the more popular and authentic cast iron pan supports. New regulations require that all gas appliances fitted in multi dwelling buildings such as flats or where a property is rented must have a Flame Safety Device (FSD). This feature ensures that the gas supply is cut off immediately in the event of the flame being extinguished. This feature is also required for all gas appliances in the Republic of Ireland.

Electric Hobs come in a number of variants which include Ceramic, Induction and Solid plate. A Ceramic Hob is probably the most popular choice at present, here heating elements heat from beneath a sheet of glass. Typically, their easy to clean and quite energy efficient. Induction Hobs use revolutionary electromagnetism to transfer the cooking heat, this results in incredible energy efficiency as the hob itself never gets hot. Useful if you’ve a young family. Solid Plate Hobs are cheaper but effective; they can be more difficult to clean than the other options available. Modern electric Hobs often have added safety to warn you if the Hob isn’t safe to touch.

Efficiency and the Environment

All Range Cookers have a European Union Energy Label which is designed to give you all the information you require in regards of the Energy Consumption of that particular appliance. These labels are colour coded and give alphabetical ratings A-G on the overall Energy Performance, sometimes Range Cookers are given an individual Energy Rating for each Oven for example an A/B. Some of the most efficient appliances have been awarded the Energy Saving Trusts accreditation and this is largely seen as the gold standard. Armagh Electrical.com and Dalzell’s of Markethill have Energy Saving Trust Retailer accreditation for our product knowledge, range of appliances and our commitment to the Environment.

Positioning and Fitting

When considering where to place your Range Cooker you’ll need to consider that it will require both a hard wire connection to the mains electricity supply. The surface where the appliance will stand should be level, this helps ensure a stable and safe cooking station (the appliances feet can be adjusted slightly to help). Cookers come in a wide range of sizes, please measure your space before you order. Remember you’ll need a Corgi registered gas engineer if you’re installing a gas cooker and it’s highly recommended that you have an electrician perform any hard wiring of electrics. If you require any further information please contact us at Armagh Electrical.com or visit Dalzell’s of Markethill.

Manager’s Tip

A stylish Splashback and Cooker Hood can really finish that magazine look for your new Range Cooker and keep your kitchen fresh and clean.

When considering which Range Cooker to purchase, it’s a good idea to consider the length of guarantee the manufacturer is providing as well as your budget and specific needs.

The AGA group which includes Rangemaster, AGA, Falcon, Stanley and Waterford Appliances is seen as the market leader and is definitely worth a look. If this is outside your budget have a look at Hotpoint, Indesit, Baumatic, Stoves and Belling which all offer excellent value. We pride ourselves on our unmatched display and stock of Range Cookers, Not to mention our prices! We further demonstrate this through our stocking of niche brands such as Fisher & Paykel, Smeg Britannia and LaCanche. A stylish Splashback can really finish of you cooker and keep your kitchen fresh and clean. Don’t forget a Cooker Hood to take care of those stubborn odours and steam.

Go to Range Cookers to purchase your appliance now.