How to choose the right stove for your kitchen?

In the mini-guide below, we’ll be answering all your questions about stoves, range cookers, and their benefits. We’ll be covering all the most frequently asked questions to help you choose the dream stove you deserve.

Finally, we’ll help you with tips and examples of different range cookers to help you decide on the best option for your household. Ready to dive in?

What is a range cooker?

A range cooker is a kitchen appliance that combines both an oven and hob in one. Range cookers are often available in both gas and electric power source options, making them hugely versatile.

A standard range cooker features a main oven, as well as a small grill. Despite often being larger than conventional cookers, they are not more expensive to run, especially those with A-rated energy efficiency.

They offer many advantages when compared to conventional stove tops and ovens.

Range cooker’s main advantages are:

Even cooking: because range cookers are fan assisted, they spread the heat more equally, making the cooking process more even and consistent.
Extra settings: they offer some exciting features such as heat storage, bold and beautiful colours & more cooking flexibility.
Appearance: they are known for their striking appearance. As such, they offer a fantastic visual addition to any kitchen regardless of its size!
Investment: a range cooker can be a lifetime investment that yields many returns.
Wok burner: many range cookers also feature a wok burner for those perfect stir fries!
Storage space: they can be used to store baking trays, dishes or other equipment in the storage drawers.
Grill: many will feature a dedicate grill designed to grill the juiciest meat or vegetables that you would normally only experience in a professional kitchen!

Last but not least, they are easy to install and can reduce cooking time. What’s not to love?

The best range cookers will combine both functionality and stunning visual appearance. Some of them will give a nostalgic retro look to your kitchen, while others will boast a sleek modern appearance.

Overall, they are a gorgeous addition to any kitchen and particularly popular among bigger families. In recent years, they’ve been a hit among gourmet food lovers that value fantastic dishes cooked to perfection.

What are the best gas stoves?

You might be wondering what really defines a quality gas stove. There are plenty of things to consider when making your purchase.

When choosing a new gas stove you will clearly need to look out for two features: reliability and ease of use. Don’t forget that gas range cookers are an investment that will span decades if not a lifetime. This means you should take plenty of time when making your decision and reach out to industry professionals to get answers to any specific questions you might have.

Overall, here are a few factors that define a great gas stove:

Speed: how quickly can it reach a boil?
Ease-of-use: how easy and intuitive is it to operate?
Warranty: how much warranty (if any) does the manufacturer offer?
Digital settings: does the stove offer any additional features such as timers?
Cleaning: how easy it is to clean?

Another exciting option are dual fuel range cookers. This ultimate kitchen appliance features both a gas cooktop as well as an electric oven. By utilising both gas and electricity as their power source, dual fuel range cookers offer the ability to cook an unprecedented range of dishes. Large family gatherings and dinner parties have truly never been easier to host!

These premium appliances are not like any other kitchen feature - they are truly an investment for a lifetime of cooking adventures.

Induction stove vs regular electric stove

As mentioned above, there are different types of range cookers on the market. You can choose between electric, gas or induction range cooker depending on your personal preferences.

Below is everything you need to know before making the decision to buy an induction or electric range cooker.

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong choice. Both induction and electric stoves have their pros and cons that are worth considering. We prepared a quick overview with some of the most important features that might tip the scales one way or another.

Let’s start with an electric stove. This type of stove uses electricity that runs through a wire and produces heat by warming up the pot or pan. The cooktop will turn a bright orange colour which indicates it is reaching the desired heat.

Unlike electric stoves, induction stoves use an electromagnetic field. In short, induction refers to generating electricity by using magnetism. Inside the cooktop, there is a metal coil which is electronically controlled. Once you turn on your stove, it will start generating a constantly changing magnetic field. This means induction stoves don’t generate the heat directly.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s consider some pros and cons of the two cooktop options. Induction and electric cookers might look very similar, but there are some important differences between the two.

REGULAR ELECTRIC / INDUCTION

Price: Cheaper / More expensive but cheapest to run
Efficiency: Ok / The highest thermal efficiency
Safety: Regular / Family safe
Speed: Not very responsive, heating up and cooling is slow / Very responsive, but requires specific pots and pans

Induction stoves consume less energy, making them far more energy efficient. This is because they are able to directly heat the cookware, instead of indirectly like electric stoves. There is virtually no wasted heat, meaning your energy bills will be lower.

Secondly, induction hobs are generally considered the safest option. There’s no need to worry about accidentally twisting a knob as this won’t cause any safety concerns. Unless there is a pan on the stovetop, no heat will be generated.

Another important element to consider is speed. Not only are they the safest, induction hobs are also the quickest to heat up. They heat up way faster and have a more precise, almost instant temperature control. This means you will spend less time waiting for water to boil. In turn, you also won’t have to worry about hot ceramic plates causing any safety issues after cooking. Once you’ve removed the pan, there will be no remaining heat on your induction plate.

Lastly, range cookers with induction hobs are considerably pricier, which means the initial investment will be higher. Moreover, you will also need to be a little bit more careful when buying new cookware. Unlike electric stoves, induction cooktop only works with stainless steel or iron pots. This means there’s a chance you might need to replace some of your existing cookware.

However, it’s worth noting that induction will save considerable amounts of energy when compared to electric range cookers, meaning it will soon pay for itself.

What to expect from a stove oven?

A stove oven shouldn’t be any different than a regular built-in oven. You should be able to choose between gas and electric power source or between conventional, steam, and fan ovens. And there are even different cleaning options ranging from regular to the most popular pyrolytic.

Since stoves are a bit less popular than built-in ovens, there aren’t so many different combinations and styles to choose from. So first you need to set your priorities straight and find out exactly what you need. Here is a quick overview of what you need to know.

The first question is the power source: electricity or gas? Electric ovens are more precise, bake more evenly, and heat up much faster. That is why when it comes to ovens the majority prefers electricity. However, many still want the advantages of a gas burner for the stovetop instead of an induction. The good news is there are plenty of dual stoves that use gas for a cooktop and electricity for the oven – that’s how you can get the best of both worlds.

The second choice is between steam and regular oven. While it is true that steam ovens are a professional’s choice, you might reconsider your buy if you don’t use your oven regularly and only do basic baking, since steam stove ovens tend to be much more expensive. That said, steam ovens do deliver the best baking results and the meals prepared in them are much healthier.

Last, but certainly not least, cleaning is a major part of choosing the right stove oven. Especially if you use it often. While there are many different techniques for manual oven cleaning, nothing beats a self-cleaning pyrolytic oven. Using high temperature, it thoroughly cleans any residue. All you need to do is wipe the ashes that are left. Having that in mind, if you don’t have the budget for a pyrolytic stove oven, just make sure you clean your oven regularly and it shouldn’t take too much of your time.

Cheat-sheet questions you need to answer before buying the stove

When buying a stove, you’ll need to consider a few factors.

Firstly, and not surprisingly you’ll need to set a rough budget. Then you’ll need to decide what fuel type you will go for. Thirdly, you’ll also need to consider your space. Measure it carefully and search for oven ranges that fit within those dimensions.

These three factors should help narrow down your options, making your choice significantly easier.

Once you’ve considered the basics, you’ll need to ask yourself some additional questions such as:

What burner type will you go for?
What colour and finish will be the best fit for your kitchen?
Are you looking for any smart features such as timers?

Examples of different range cookers

Now that we’ve covered all the tips and tricks, let’s get down to some practical examples. Gorenje are a true industry leader when it comes to all things cooking and baking, offering a huge variety of appliances. Ranging from ovens, hobs, cookers, hoods, microwaves and more, there’s a good chance anyone can find their dream new appliance that will instantly spark up their kitchen.

When it comes to cookers and range cookers, Gorenje certainly doesn’t disappoint.

The EC6451WPB 60cm cooker offers multi-level baking, ultra-resistant smooth coating, AquaClean cleaning system and a soft touch gentle close. What’s more, it provides up to 70l of oven capacity, bringing you more space for greater cooking freedom. It’s a truly fantastic appliance, bringing together sleek looks and maximum versatility. The ingenious Gorenje stove is easy to clean, highly resistant and always reliable.

If you’re looking for a 90cm induction range cooker, then look no further than Gorenje’s EIT6565XPD. It offers a superior induction hob, ultra resistant coating and large oven space. Moreover, its oven features an oval shape that mimics old-school wood-fired ovens for optimum air circulation. Your food has never been more tender or juicier!

Lovers of gas range cookers will rejoice in GI6121WH, a freestanding all gas cooker. It offers innovative one-hand burner ignition, supersized baking surface for XXL recipes as well as the signature HomeMade oval oven shape.

Another superstar cooker is the E6151WA 90cm range cooker. Offering 3 fast electric hobs and 1 standard hob and a SuperSize baking area, it provides an exciting cooking experience. It offers not just basic features such as ventilation and circular fan heating, but also FastPreheat, AquaClean, WarmPlate and Defrost functions.

Looking for more? Discover Gorenje’s full cooking range here and browse among 90, 100 and 110 cm range cookers ready to transcend your cooking experience! And don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any further advice.