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Different Cooking Appliances - Choosing The One For You

Our comprehensive cooker buying guide walks you through a simple step-by-step process to make sure you consider all the important factors when purchasing your new cooker. Are you unsure of the difference between a stand-alone cooker, range cooker, or oven? It's key to understand the distinctions between each appliance to make sure you get exactly what you need.

  • Different cooking Appliances?
  • Which Fuel type?
  • Single, Double and Grill Cookers
  • Oven Functions
  • Additional Features
  • Cooker Size
  • How to measure for a new/replacement cooker
  • Cooking Capacity
  • Cooker Hob Type
  • Energy Ratings
  • Colour Options
  • Frequently Asked Questions?

Oven

Discover our collection of ovens perfect for baking, roasting, and grilling. Our built-in ovens fit seamlessly into your kitchen units and provide a hob-free cooking experience. Browse our selection of ovens today!

Cooker

Explore our range of cookers, a must-have kitchen appliance that offers all your cooking requirements in one freestanding unit. Choose from a wide selection of styles and sizes, with gas, electric, or dual fuel options available. Whether you prefer a hob on top, or different oven and grill configurations, we have the perfect cooker to suit your needs.

Which fuel type?

For those looking for the best cooker, there are three types of fuel to choose from - dual fuel, electric, and gas. If you are replacing an existing kitchen appliance, you may want to stick with the same fuel type already in the kitchen, as making any changes could be costly and disruptive. But, if you are starting from scratch or making a complete kitchen change, here is an overview of the different fuel choices.

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Electric Cookers

Electric cookers are a great choice for fast cooking times and even heat distribution. Many models come with fan-assisted ovens and various hob types, such as ceramic, induction, or solid plate. Cleaning electric cookers is usually straightforward, although they can be more costly to run than gas cookers.

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Gas Cookers

Gas cookers are the preferred choice for chefs and foodies due to their faster heating capabilities and precise temperature control. When adjusting the temperature, you can expect an immediate change in heat. Gas ovens also heat up faster than other types and can maintain higher relative moisture levels, providing more versatility for home chefs. The greatest benefit of gas cookers, however, is their lower running costs compared to other fuel types.

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Dual Fuel Cookers

These offer what many people believe are the best elements from both types of fuel. The gas hob on top offers instant heat and precise temperature control, whilst the electric oven component helps to ensure that food is evenly cooked by using fan-assisted technology to distribute heat and keep temperatures even.

Oven Functions

When deciding on a new oven, consider the fuel type and capacity that best suits your needs. Then, evaluate the various oven types available to determine which offers the cooking capabilities you require.

Fan-oven cookers

Fan-assisted ovens distribute heat evenly throughout to help ensure your meals cook evenly. Many modern electric cookers now come with this beneficial feature as standard.

Conventional heating cookers

Conventional ovens are equipped with two separate heating elements - one at the bottom and one at the top - that provide different temperature zones, so that you can cook multiple types of food at the same time. This is especially useful for busy households who need to save time and energy by cooking multiple dishes at once.

Grill cookers

Grilling your meals to perfection is made easier with a cooker that has a built-in grill feature. Whether you're looking to cook an entire meal or just a few items, you have the option to use the entire grill oven or just half. Get ready to take your dishes to the next level with a cooker featuring a grill function.

Fan cookers with grills

Cookers with multiple ovens offering fan-assisted and grill functions are the perfect choice for versatile cooking. The integrated fan oven ensures even cooking throughout, while the added grill feature provides extra cooking flexibility.

Additional Features

There are also other useful features that you might want to review or consider before you buy your new appliance, such as .

Cooker size

When looking for a cooker to fit in your kitchen, it's important to consider the size and the 'Hot Zone' necessary to maintain safety. Cookers are typically 90cm tall and 60cm deep, but they come in three widths - 50cm, 55cm and 60cm - so you can choose the option that best suits your kitchen layout. To ensure your new appliance fits in with standard kitchen cabinets and is easy to replace, these standardised sizes make it much simpler. Don't forget to check that the splashback area, directly above where your cooker will be placed, is clear of combustible materials and electrical sockets. With these considerations in mind, you can find the perfect cooker for your kitchen.

How to measure for a new cooker

It’s important to make sure your new appliance will fit snugly into your kitchen design. Follow these steps to measure for a new cooker:

  • Measure the depth of the area where you plan to position the cooker. You’ll need at least 63-65cm to accommodate a standard cooker (60cm deep) plus a few centimetres for pipes and/or plugs at the back depending on the fuel type. 
  • Then measure the height of the space. Cooker heights range from 85cm to 92cm – as you shop, check that there’ll be enough room for your appliance, leaving 75cm between the hob and your extractor fan for ventilation and safety.
  • Finally, measure the width of the available space.  It is also important to check the space in front of the appliance to ensure there is room for the oven to be opened up and accessed easily.

Cooking capacity

When deciding on a new cooker or hob for your home, it's important to consider the amount of cooking space available. For most families, a main oven with a capacity of at least 60 litres (L) is ideal. Single-oven standard cookers usually have a capacity of 50 to 65L, while those with a grill or second oven usually have a capacity of 30 to 35L. Additionally, it is typical to see two small and two larger hob plates or rings on a cooker or hob. If you cook regularly on the hob, bear in mind your requirements and pan sizes when making your selection. Range cookers are wider, typically 90 to 110 cm, and offer two ovens with a capacity of around 60L each. Some variants feature a single oven with a 100L capacity and five or more rings or plates on the hob. Some range cookers also come with a griddle or hot-plate.

Cooker hob type

The hob type you choose for your cooker is very much a personal preference. If you choose an electric hob, the choices are:

  • Solid plate hob: These have raised black plates and are usually included with the lowest cost cookers as they use older technology and are not as sleek and efficient.  Solid plate hobs heat your pan using electric heating elements. They offer even cooking temperatures, but take longer to heat up and cool down than other hob types.
  • Ceramic hob: Mid-range cookers will typically have these flat hobs, which offer faster heating.  The smooth ceramic glass makes these hobs easy to cook with and wipe clean. This style of hob also offers a sleek and tidy finish, although these shouldn’t be used with aluminium or copper-based pans as they will damage them.
  • Induction hob: These are the quickest to reach temperature and offer better temperature control and features. They are also a slightly more energy-efficient choice and should be used with cast iron or stainless steel pans.Induction hobs are stylish, safe, and energy-efficient. They heat the pan directly using electromagnetic induction, so you will need to use special induction hob saucepans.
  • Gas Hob: Gas hobs allow you close control over the temperature of the flame for precision cooking. You’ll also find that the running costs are typically lower with gas than with other fuel types.

Cooker energy ratings

Choose a Cooker with an A+++ Energy Rating to Save on Your Utility Bills and Help the PlanetCookers with energy ratings ranging from A+++ to D offer varying levels of energy efficiency. An A+++ rated cooker is the most energy-efficient option and can help you save money on your utility bills while doing your part to help the environment. Investing in an A+++ rated cooker is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money in the long run.

Colours

With the type, size and features of your new cooker all selected, you might want to think about which colour to go for?

Black -Black cookers go with many different colour schemes and add a modern look to your décor. This colour is also a great option for easy cleaning.

White -White cookers help to create the illusion of space, making them a great choice for smaller kitchens, however it’s easy to spot dirt and stains on this colour of appliance.

Stainless Steel -Stainless steel cookers are ideal for creating a contemporary feel in a kitchen. This material is also durable and fights off rust and germs.

If a black, white or stainless steel cooker is not quite your style, then take a look at all of the other creative options in our range. Such as ivory, red or even yellow.

Cooker FAQ's

An electric cooker with fan assist is the best choice for cooking meals evenly throughout, but a gas cooker gives you a hob with accurate temperature control and an oven that heats up rapidly. For the best of both options, you could choose a dual fuel cooker with a gas hob and electric oven.

Consider the style you’re going for and how you’d like to cook. Ceramic and induction hobs look sleek, plus they offer even cooking and are easy to wipe clean. If having the most accurate temperature control is more important then a gas hob is the way to go.

The hot zone is the area around your kitchen hob that is for safety from combustible heat dangers. There needs to be a minimum distance of 75cm between the hot zone and your extractor fan for ventilation and safety.

We recommend using a specialist to install your new cooker.  For ALL gas and dual fuel cookers, you must use a Gas Safe-registered engineer to connect up the appliance. Please refer to our installation service for further details on what we can offer you.

If your new cooker doesn’t come with a lid, it’s advisable to use a splashback area panel to keep your walls free from splashes and grease build-up.  They come in different materials, with options including glass, stainless steel, marble.

Alternatively, you can also use tiles as a splashback or install a cover made from the same material as your worktop for a seamless and smart finish.

If your question is not here, please send your question to: customerservices@mygroovyplace.com where experts will be happy to help.

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