What type of cooker should you buy? (Electric Cookers in General)

Member Name: jeanjeannie

Product:	Electric Cookers in General
Date:	17/03/01 (1189 review reads)
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What’s Hot, what’s not? There does not seem to be much information on this topic in dooyoo so I thought I’d redress the balance. Here goes –
First of all I really cannot understand the latest passion for range type cookers. An original AGA or Rayburn is something else – it’s a lifestyle – it says warmth, homeliness, family and fresh bread. As well as cooking it usually heats the water and/or provides the central heating but the new range cookers are,in my opinion,just for show. They are very flashy have lots of knobs which are difficult to keep clean & it must have been a man who decided on the ‘brass’ trim. Totally impractical as you really can’t scrub it.It also takes up a large amount of floor space which is often lacking in new kitchens and if you are of average height or above you need to be very supple to use the bottom oven without getting on your hands and knees. If you are over 50 and over weight like me you can get down on your knees but getting up is another thing Not a pretty sight !

Electricity or gas ? if you have the choice I would always go for an electric cooker and gas hob. Years ago there was a considerable difference in the performance of electric ovens compared with gas, they were very much slower and the heat zones wee not well defined but nowadays the electric one’s are every bit as good especially if you have a fan assisted oven.
I find that the cooking time in my new fan assisted oven is at least a third less than in my previous conventional oven which not only saves on time but also saves me money. You can cook anything anywhere in the oven without a cross over of flavours and as the bottom shelf is just as hot as the top you don’t have to move food to the top shelf to brown. Put it in and forget it until it’s cooked. Time for other things!.
I also recommend a split level, I think that this idea is just so practical – easy to reach in,
easy to see what’s cooking ,easy height to clean, high enough to prevent little hands from opening the oven and burning themselves. It takes up less space than the range cooker and there is room for cupboards above and below where you can store all your cooking equipment and it is readily available.
I have to say that I don’t like the grill in the oven,I think the old fashioned eye- level grill much more practical but at least it’s visible in a split level whereas in a slot-in type it’s too low down to be able to see properly. In addition, as you are supposed to leave the oven door open when grilling,it’s very, very dangerous if you have young children. Rather than grill I tend to dry fry in a griddle pan which is fine for most foods .

I really cannot think of any good reason to have a slot-in type oven,the one I inherited in my new house was not fixed in at all. I was kneeling down trying to clean it,lent on the front and it fell forward. Made my husband laugh but it could have been nasty couldn’t it? You would be better off buying a free standing cooker;they are generally cheaper and you can take it with you if you move.

On the subject of cleaning – most ovens have liners which help to keep them clean but mine – by De Dietrich, cleans itself and it really does work. You just put it on a special setting which is very, very hot , and it takes an hour or so to clean although the time does depend on how dirty it is. I usually do it after the Sunday roast when it is already warm and all I have to do is wipe it out afterwards with a damp cloth. There are other ovens around which say they clean themselves and have a little hole in which you pour some water which is then heated up to create a lot of steam – not worth the extra money – you could achieve the same effect by putting a bowl of water in a conventional oven.

My hob is gas ,which is more controllable than electric, and I
looked for one which had a relatively clear flat surface to wipe over and a lip all round so that any spills did not go over the worktop.I also checked that the stands and burner tops were ‘dishwasher friendly’. So much easier than going round each one with a scourer and,of course,much quicker.
I have to confess, however, that if money had not been a consideration I would have bought a ceramic hob with halogen burners as this is the cleanest and fastest form of hob cooking.

What colour? Now this is a very personal thing – mine is stainless steel and it drove me mad at first because you could see every mark on it like a mirror. I bought a special stainless steel cleaner which was not as good as my glass cleaner but I now have the answer. Baby oil! Yes, just rub a little over the surface and the shine is preserved.

Extended warranty ? All the retailers seem to push this idea as they get very good commission from it but the basic guarantee which comes from the manufacture should be enough. This type of equipment rarely goes wrong in the first 4 or 5 years so you are wasting your money.

Well, dear Dooyooers hope this might help if you are considering buying a cooker. You need to consider all the aspects very carefully as it is easy to make a very expensive mistake. Big is not always best.

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