Whether you're redesigning your kitchen or looking to replace an existing range cooker this article will cover everything you need to know about choosing the best range cooker for your kitchen & dining space.  

Whether you want an electric, gas or dual-fuel range oven, choose one of our recommended range cookers to avoid disappointment and ending up with an unreliable oven that offers inaccurate ovens, a tiny grill or a hob that’s a horror to clean. You’ll find a host of reasons why a range cooker might be a more versatile option than a built oven and we’ll walk you through which range cooking brands are the best and most reliable in the market. 

Contents 

How Much Should I Pay for a Range Cooker?  
Which are the Best Range Cookers?
Which Size Range Cooker Should I Buy?
What are the Range Cooker Fuel Type Options?
Are Range Cookers Energy Efficient?  
How Does a Range Cooker Differ From a Normal Oven?  

Before we delve into which range cooker might be the best one for you and your kitchen, there are lots of considerations you’ll need to think about. One of the main questions you’ll need to ask yourself is how much you should spend on a range cooker. Prices for range cookers start at around the £900 mark but the highest quality models can exceed £5000, especially the well-known brands that come with convenient cooking features and self-cleaning options.

Usually, the more expensive the range cooker the more reliable it is or extra features are included that sets it apart from the rest. It can also come down to general build quality or the materials that are used in the manufacturing process. Sleek colours, insightful cooking functions and self-cleaning oven liners are a few of the extras you can expect from the top-rated range cookers. Extra oven capacity and multiple ovens also hike up the cost, hobs and hotplates that come with the newest tech like bridging induction hobs can also impact the cost.

Now you’ve reached the most important part of our article, we’ve listed the most popular types of range cookers and also included products with some of the most on-trend designs and the most sought-after features. You’ll find range ovens from all the industry-leading brands you’ve probably heard of, we’ve included cooking appliances from manufacturers like Rangemaster, Stoves, DeLonghi & Belling.

Best Induction Hob Range Cookers

Here you’ll find our 4 best-rated induction range cookers, we’ve selected these based on our customer feedback and internal testing. Lots of these induction hob ranges include high-tech hobs with bridging zones and safety features like hot hob indicators.

Which are the Range Cookers with the Best Functions?

Finding a cooker that caters for everything you’ll need can be tricky, we’ve found the selection below covers lots of bases when it comes to cooking the cooking functions available and easy maintenance.

Best Large Range Cooker

For those looking for a large family or wanting a bold statement in their kitchen, our 4 best 110cm range cookers are an excellent place to start! These larger range cookers offer stylish on-trend designs that will suit modern and shaker kitchens alike. 

Best Budget Range Cookers

If you’re designing a kitchen on a budget look no further than our best budget cookers, you’ll find these 90cm range cookers offer you a way into the range cooker market at a fraction of the cost. Most of these cookers start around the £1000 mark which seems like a bargain for a range cooker! 

The size of the range cooker you purchase will generally be dictated by the size you have between your worktop. If you’re designing a brand new kitchen then you’ll be fortunate enough to choose the size you like! 

Range cookers are commonly available in sizes 90cm, 100cm and 110cm. As range cooker specialists our range is slightly more substantial, we offer sizes from 60cm mini range cookers all the way up to 180cm wide range cookers. If you have a small kitchen then the 60cm or 90cm compact cooker might be a perfect fit, but if you’re cooking for a large family or have an open plan space then a larger range cooker could be a better option.

• Larger Range Cooker - If you’re inclined to choose a large range oven it will have between 6-8 cooking zones or hobs and there is plenty of room for cooking multiple dishes. Most have four separate cooking cavities; these compartments usually include two ovens (often a fan & multi-functional oven), a large grill and a heated warming or storage drawer for pots and pans or it can be used for proving bread or dough.
• Small range cooker - A smaller size range cooker will feature either one large single cavity which incorporates the grill or there will be two ovens side by side which offer a little more versatility. Models that are 90cm in width usually feature a standard-size oven cavity alongside a tall thin oven on the side which is perfect for batch baking.
• Mini Range Cookers - These cooking appliances are styled to look exactly like a range cooker but they are smaller in size. Most mini-range cookers have a width of 60cm but there are 70cm range cookers that offer a little more space.

When it comes to the fuel type of a range cooker you have four main options to choose from. Your decision might be influenced by the fuel supply you have available to your home but whichever range cooker you decide on they all offer various benefits.

1. Induction Hob Range Cookers - Ranges with an induction hob have recently become the most popular choice for consumers in the UK. They offer the latest hob technology and all feature electric ovens which are easy to control and often feature multiple cooking functions.
2. Dual-Fuel Range Cookers - Dual-fuel cookers offer the ultimate cooking flexibility, they have a gas hob and electric ovens. Electric ovens offer a more even distribution of heat than gas ovens and the gas-powered hob is easily controlled by using the rotary controls.
3. Gas Range Cookers - These models have gas-powered ovens alongside a gas hob they are fantastic when it comes to simmering food and they offer quick and easy-to-control heat temperatures. Overall, gas-fired cookers provide even heat for the base of your pan and the gas flame makes them more suitable for cooking Asian dishes.
4. Ceramic Hob Range Cookers - These cookers have an electric hob with electric ovens. At least one of the ovens will usually be fan powered which helps to spread the heat around the oven. If you can stretch your budget to an electric cooker with an induction hob we’d recommend upgrading as you’ll find superior controllability and better efficiency.

Electricity is currently more expensive than gas (per kW) so you'll likely pay less on your energy bills if you opt for an all-gas range cooker. However, your choices may be limited if you go for this option as electric range cookers are becoming the go-to option thanks to their high efficiency. Dual-fuel is a popular kind of range cooker as they feature electric ovens with a gas hob and you'll have plenty of choices here. Electric ranges that feature induction hobs are very energy efficient and buying an electric range could mean you’re contributing to a greener future if the energy is from renewable resources.

On average, running an all-gas range cooker can cost as little as £40 per year. A dual-fuel range cooker will cost a little more and you’ll typically pay around £85 per year.

There are huge differences when it comes to standard built-in ovens and range cookers, we believe range cookers offer more versatility and superior functionality but we’ll let you decide! 

Range cookers are freestanding and often traditional in style, the capacity within the cooking cavities offers more than 50% of a normal oven. Most ranges have multiple oven cavities, which allow you to cook different dishes or meals at the same time and at different temperatures. Plus you won’t cross-contaminate any of the flavours, an example would be a Sunday roast where you have the main meats, veg and Yorkshire puddings to contend with! 

When you buy a built-in oven it won’t include a hob like a range does so you’re getting additional cooking space here too. The space on a range cooker hob can offer between five to eight zones where you can boil, steam and fry multiple foods without it feeling cluttered.