Range cookers can definitely enhance the cooking experience

Range cookers are basically large items of cooking equipment that combine two appliances in one unit i.e. hob burners on the top, usually six or eight in number, and oven compartment(s) below. There is a wide variety of range cookers available and depending on personal tastes you can either go for a classic or contemporary design. This type of equipment will provide you with all the cooking capacity that you possibly require and you also have the option of choosing from a variety of fuel configurations and colours.

As mentioned, range cookers are a combination of burners and ovens, and many a modern variety will also feature a grill. The ovens fitted into many of these modern ranges are of the convection type which can reputedly surpass the cooking time of standard ovens by approximately 30 per cent. Modern range cookers are also designed to provide users with easy-to-use features including the self-cleaning option and electric ignition for models that are fuelled by gas.

Speaking of fuelling, the three most common variations of range cookers are those that use gas or electricity, or those that use both types of fuel and thus the name ‘dual fuel cookers’. For this latter type of range most people are known to prefer models featuring gas hobs and electric ovens. There is also a fourth category of these equipment i.e. plinth range cookers.

For all-gas ranges, gas is sourced from the household supply or from a gas bottle or cylinder. These ranges are preferred over all-electric alte
atives because the heat they produce can be instantly generated and easily adjusted; this is certainly a great advantage when preparing food on the hob. The heat produced by gas is characteristically moister than that from electricity and this quality means that foods being prepared in gas ovens have a lower probability of drying out.

All-electric range cookers are such that all their cooking appliances, i.e. grills, hobs and ovens, are powered by electricity. For these cookers you can either have fan-assisted or conventional ovens; the former variety of ovens is considered to be better as foods prepared in them are more thoroughly cooked and nicely browned.

Dual fuel range cookers provide the best of both worlds, more so when the hobs and ovens are fuelled using gas and electricity respectively.

Most ranges have width dimensions between 900mm and 1500mm although it is possible to get equipment that are 600mm wide. Since these are freestanding appliances you can easily set them up just about anywhere in your kitchen in a pretty straightforward manner. In addition to hobs, ovens and grills, many range cookers will also feature a variety of accessories including:

• Griddles – These are heated by the burners and are very efficient when you feel like searing your meat

- Rotisseries – These are the perfect accessories when you need your meat to cook slowly; they operate by slowly turning unde
eath a grill

• Wok burners – You can use these to cook curries or to stir-fry your food

• Fish burners – They are the ideal accessories for steaming fish

Range cookers vary in price. The cheapest are available for £1000 and below and these usually have one oven. The widest category of ranges costs between £1200 and £2400, while the most expensive options go for between £2500 and £4000.