Cooking good value (DeLonghi DFS903 ST)

Name: hsiboy

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Product:	DeLonghi DFS903 ST
Date:	02/07/03 (1214 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good value for money, duel fuel, durable

Disadvantages: Limited availability

Delonghi have long been known for their oil filled radiators and their coffee makers, but unless you have spent some time in mainland Europe, you probably dont know that Delonghi make large appliances too.

I bought my Delonghi DFS903 ST as part of a package from comet; it came with a stainless steel back plate and stainless 90cm hood with stainless chimney (£500 delivered ~ january sale).

If you are like me and you have cooked on a commercial grade appliance, then you will notice very quickly that this cooker despite its size is not up to the job of performing in a commercial environment. It has been designed for home use only. This, I hasten to add, does not detract from the overall look, feel and design of the DeLonghi DFS903 ST. It is more than capable of hold its own in the most demanding of home kitchens (of which mine is one).

This is a dual fuel appliance, however they also make single fuel versions. That is; it has a gas hob, and an electric oven.

** Above **

The hob has six gas rings, one of which is designed purely for wok cooking, so you really only get 5 rings. Two medium, two small and one large gas burner.
It has the usual push to ignite control, with electronic ignition. It doesnt however have a failsafe shut off, found on more expensive cookers.

On the control panel (left to right) you have a clock / timer with limited features, although it does allow you to change this pitch of the beep-beep alarm sound. The oven mode selector (for choosing the oven / grill mode), the thermostat and the six gas burner controls.


** Below **

The oven is very roomy, taking up most of the 90cm width of the cooker. It comes complete with two shelves and baking tray / grill pan.

The oven also doubles as a grill, but you cook with the door closed.

There are two methods of grilling. Straight heat radiation, and fan assisted. The fan-assisted mode is a great idea. It takes sli
ghtly longer to
get the grill
hot, but once it is hot, you can grill foods very quickly, and keep other things hot on the lower shelf. Great for when you are cooking breakfast for 6 people.

The oven also has several modes. Top & bottom convection, plus fan assisted. This is great if like me, you turn out a loaf or some bread roles now and then. Its also great for drying out meringues, and a full Sunday roast. You are not restricted to only one mode of heating.

Despite the large piece of glass in the oven door, it remains relatively cool during baking, as Delonghi have fitted a fan that draws cold air up through the glass and out through the back of the hob, a clever idea. Good if you have rug rats in your house.

** Behind **

The cooker is 90cm wide (3 foot, give or take a little), and this includes the door on the front. No space is wasted.

The cooker was delivered in a huge box, and it needs two people to put the feet on, stand it upright and move it into place. It is delivered ready to use on natural gas (mains gas) but can be converted to run on lpg, and the jets are supplied for this.
The gas inlet can be from either side of the appliance (left or right), but it is supplied without a hose or bayonet, your gas fitter will need to supply this.

On the electrical side, the cooker does require a connection to a cooker circuit, despite some of the instructions stating that it can run from a 13amp supply. I think this only applies to the gas version (that still requires electricity for the ignition and clock)

** Pocket **

Value for money its great, and as part of the package comet had, nothing else cam close fpor the same quality. I have liked Delonghi products for a while now, but often we dont see them here in the UK, apart from the oil filled radiators etc.

Maybe we will see more of their products in the future.

Summary: