Home with my Range (Rangemaster Elan 110 Duel Fuel Oven)

Member Name: anwar7

Product:	Rangemaster Elan 110 Duel Fuel Oven
Date:	27/03/07 (2118 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: see review

Disadvantages: see review

I have wanted a range cooker for several years now and when we moved house I decided now was the time to splash out. There are numerous models and makes on the market and I had great fun researching the right one for our family.

I knew I wanted a dual fuel model with a gas hob and electric oven. I love the look and build quality of the traditional aga, but felt the price was out of my league. I visited several kitchen showrooms with range cookers installed and fell in love with the look and build quality of the rangemaster elan 110. Rangemaster also make several other models in their traditional range or if you prefer they make several contemporary models. . I looked at numerous other makes such as the cannon but none had the same good looks as the Rangemaster as far as I was concerned. Rangemaster is part of the Aga group so it shares similar characteristics as an aga.

Having decided on the make and model I wanted then came the very important task of finding the best price. Coop electrical on line were the cheapest but for a product costing £1500 I was determined to get a discount! I managed to negotiate free delivery saving £30 so felt I had a good deal from a company I rate highly.

Rangemaster cookers are built to order so I had to wait 3 weeks before it could be delivered. It is also important to remember that if you are buying a gas appliance then it will need to be installed and checked by a registered corgi engineer.

The rangemaster was delivered on the day it was due with no problems. In it’s packaging it looked huge! The deliverymen removed the packaging and manoeuvred it into place. The next day the corgi engineer arrived to connect it and I was all set to start cooking!

What you get for your money
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I choose the 110 model, as I wanted 6 burners and 2 large ovens. The 110 is 1100mm wide and 600mm deep. Its height can be adjusted and measures from 898-925mm.
The elan is also available in a 900 mm width.

The elan 110 has solid doors, so no glass to clean! I love its spiral silver handles on the doors and the big chunky control knobs. The oven doors are slightly curved giving the range a very stylish look. I choose my range in black but this model is also available in racing green or cream. A long silver bar at the front of the range completes the look perfectly.

The elan has 6 burners including 2 triple ring wok burners. The burners are well arranged and can easily accommodate a variety of pan sizes. A removable wok cradle is included. The pan supports are cast iron and very heavy.

I have always wanted a griddle and was very happy that you get one with this model. It is easy to remove when not in use. I have found the griddle great for making drop scones. It is also great for cooking eggs, pancakes and bacon.

The elan has a useful storage drawer that can be used to keep the griddle, wok cradle and other roasting pans when not in use.
The elan has 2 ovens, one a fan oven and the other a multi function oven. The fan oven has a capacity of 62 litres and the multi function oven a capacity of 67 litres.

The multi function oven
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This oven has 7 pre-sets and is very easy to use.

Fan oven
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This setting allows you to cook large amounts of food more quickly. This setting is useful for cooking on several shelves at the same time. This setting produces an even heat all round the oven.

Fanned grill
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Produces a less fierce heat than the ordinary grill. It also grills more evenly and is good for thicker pieces of meat such as steak. Meat grilled on this setting tastes more moist than the ordinary grill.

Fan assisted oven
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This is the ideal setting for cooking your roast dinner as it cooks thoroughly using both top and base heat. Be aware that foods cook more quickly on this setting, as it is a fast intensive form of cooking.

Defrost.
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This setting allows cold air to circulate and is excellent for defrosting small items like cheesecakes and small pieces of meat. I don’t use this setting much as I have the same function on my microwave so tend to use that to defrost.

Conventional oven
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This is the setting I use for cake making and pastry dishes. I have been really pleased with the results using this setting.

Browning element.
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This setting uses just the top-heating element and is great for browning the top of pasta dishes or anything with a cheese topping. I find it is much less fierce than the traditional grill and so I now burn things less often! This really is a very useful function.

Base heat.
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On this setting the oven the oven heats just at the base. I find this function good for crisping the base of pizza bases and quiches. I also use this setting for slow cooking and find it great for casseroles. I have rescued several soggy bottomed quiches using this setting!

The multi function oven also comes with a handy rack that fits onto the door of the oven. Simply place your meat or vegetables into the roasting pan provided and the place onto the handrack. When you open the door to check your food it will swing out with the oven door. I find this makes basting meat easy, as you don’t have to lift a hot heavy tin out of the oven. The handyrack can be easily removed when not in use.

There is a conventional separate grill with a pan that slides in and out making it easy and a pleasure to use.

The rangemaster comes with a clock and can be pre-set to switch itself on and off at a preset time. There is also a timer.

There is a really easy to read user guide with some great recipes too.

I purchased my rangemaster just before Christmas and have used it constantly. I am very impressed with the results it produces and find it cooks very evenly.

I do find the cast iron pan supports heavy and difficult to clean, although both ovens have liners that are partly self cleaning so a quick wipe with hot soapy water is all that’s needed to keep the ovens clean.

I choose to purchase a rangemaster mainly for its looks and build quality. I was also impressed to learn the all rangemasters are built in Leamington spa and come with a 200-year history. Rangemaster also give a 2-year guarantee on all their cookers.

After sales service.
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Although my rangemaster is now functioning wonderfully well and is a delight to use and look at, it was not always like this. The first time I used my multifunction oven it was to bake a cake I had lovingly made with my 4 year old son. We were both really looking forward to tasting the labours of our hard work. So you can imaging my disappoint and concern to notice smoke coming form the oven door after just 5 minutes. The cake was a charred ruin and my son upset. I placed an oven thermometer inside the oven and it quickly registered a very high temperature, far in excess of the setting.

I telephoned the service help line and was shocked by the way the operator dismissed me. I told her this was the first time I had baked in the oven and that I had heated the oven before use as instructed. The operator told me that all things go wrong and she would get an engineer out. I couldn’t locate the code number she wanted and she became very impatient and rude at this point! I told her I had at least expected her to be apologetic that my new expensive appliance had gone wrong! I expected more from an Aga group company. At this point she denied Rangemaster was anything to do with Aga.

I was so angry I telephoned Rangemasters customer service. They were very helpful and asked me to complain, as apparently they get several complaints a week about the individual I had dealt with!

The customer service department arranged an engineer to call and a date was agreed. Unfortunately the engineer called on the wrong date and I was out! Another date was arranged and the engineer arrived. I was shocked when he didn’t even know how to turn the oven on! He told me the fan was broken but I was not confident that this was the problem, as he had not even turned the fan on! He was clearly embarrassed by his mistakes and finally agreed with me that it was the thermostat.

When the engineer left I telephoned Rangemaster customer service department and complained at the very poor service I had received. I was particularly disappointed that I had been sent an engineer who was clearly unfamiliar with the product.

It was agreed that a different engineer would be sent who was very familiar with Rangemaster. This happened and the oven was repaired efficiently.I have had no further problems.

I have since been paid £75 in compensation by Rangemaster.

Despite the problems I experienced I would still recommend a Rangemaster oven. I would suggest that you telephone their excellent customer service department directly should you experience any problems.

It is a real shame that an excellent product, with an excellent reputation, is being spoilt by a very poor service department.

Summary: A range style cooker with 6 burners and 2 ovens

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