Cooker Buying Guide

No kitchen is complete without a cooker. We call them stoves and even hobs. Your cooker is the centerpiece of your kitchen and your home that requires an easy-to-use oven and model design that will complement your house. You don’t want an annoying oven door or poorly fitted hobs to get in the way of you cooking and having fun in the kitchen.

Which cooker is right for you?

The kitchen is often described as the heart of the home, and the centrepiece of most kitchens is a built-in or freestanding cooking appliance. As most of us spend so much time cooking, it’s important to make the right choice of cooking appliance to suit your home and lifestyle.

We have produced this buying guide to help you make the right decision. Whether you’re replacing an old model or buying for the first time, this guide explains the most important things to consider and some of the features and technologies available in modern cookers, hobs and ovens.

Which type of cooker is best suited to me?

There are three types of cooker: gas, electric and dual fuel, which combines a gas hob and an electric oven.

They come in a range of colours, sizes and styles, but as a baseline these are your main choices. Which type of cooker is best depends on your needs, taste and home setup.

Some houses are completely electric. Some people prefer a gas hob for speed. Some people prefer no flame for safety reasons. For context, the most popular choice is dual fuel, as many believe you get the best of both worlds.

Once you have decided on what style of cooker you want and what is appropriate, all you need to do is select a model that is the right size for your kitchen and family, in the right price range. Generally, the bigger your family and your kitchen, the bigger the cooker you’ll need. There are plenty more tips below, and if you need more help, pop in-store and one of our colleagues will be happy to guide you through the process.

Gas and electric ovens vary by type. Some are designed to go under a range cook top, while others are countertop models that can be a tight fit in a crowded kitchen with little counter space available. Most of the major oven brands are available in a variety of different styles, each designed to best suit a customers’ specific cooking needs. Oven brands offer varying degrees of cooking power as well. Some models can cook food quickly using higher wattage to get the job done. Others might take a bit longer, but they also work well. What is the best oven company? That’s subjective, and often based on a consumer’s past experiences with a specific brand. How often do you cook? How big is your kitchen? In addition to answering these questions, you want to make sure you’re picking a quality brand. Whether it’s gas or electric, you need a brand with a good reputation if you want an oven that’s going to last.

What size cooker do I need?

Worktop cookers are a great choice for smaller apartments, as they let you cook but don’t take up too much space. If you have more space and a bigger family, then a large range cooker will be more appropriate.

You can also get creative with how you use the space in your kitchen. Freestanding cookers fit snugly in between worktops. The best place to start if you want to do this is measuring the space you have, and then comparing it to your desired cooker. All you need to remember is to leave a small gap either side of the cooker for air to circulate.

Another great tip is that if you love cooking, or cook often for a large family, go for a cooker with larger capacity. Many cookers have two ovens and a grill which is ideal for cooking lots of different dishes at once, or keeping certain dishes warm while others cook.

Before you buy a new cooker

There’s a lot to consider when choosing a new cooker. While most are quick and easy to install, the type of cooker you get will be largely determined by your kitchen’s fuel supply, whether it’s gas, electric or dual fuel with a gas hob and electric oven combined.

Electric models tend to be some of the cheapest appliances around and they offer a simple and streamlined cooking experience. Easy to use and safe to run, electric models compromise of a range of different oven and hob technologies and designs.

What are the different types of hobs?

You can often get three forms of electric hob with these cookers. Solid plate tops are still commonly found on the budget models, and while they are the least energy efficient and take the longest time to heat, they are still reliable options. Ceramic hobs are popular because they are easy to clean and control and they look streamlined. By heating up the ceramic glass surface efficiently, ceramic hobs tend not to waste energy. Taking ceramic hob technology to the next level are induction hobs that only heat up the pans surface thanks to their magnetic technology. Pricier than other hobs, induction hobs are taking the kitchen appliance world by storm thanks to their precision.

Cleaning your cooker

Induction and ceramic hobs are usually the easiest to clean as they have smooth surfaces. Induction hobs also shouldn’t need to be cleaned as often as it is for gas and electric hobs.

Most ovens have triple or quadruple-glazed glass doors which can be removed for easy and efficient cleaning so with the right tools and techniques, this can be effortless.

There are also models designed with automatic cleaning programs although these features are available on higher-spec models.

Which brand of cooker is right for me?

Whether you’re renovating your kitchen or simply need a new stove, a quality cooker is a vital part of any home. You definitely want to shop smart when making a decision about such an expensive kitchen appliance. So, what are the best cooker brands? Cooker manufacturers include those from major makers of home appliances – like GE, Sharp, Samsung and more. There are also brands that specifically make ovens to consider when deciding on the best new addition to your kitchen. Users looking for a new oven will want to research a variety of different oven brands to find the one that best suits their cooking needs, based on function and features. This list can help! Here, you’ll find a variety of oven brands ranked by user votes.

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