If you aren't sure what you want yet, f ind out more about the differences with our guide to gas cookers vs electric cookers. Our top Best Buy cooker is an electric induction model. If you're looking in this price bracket, you may want to consider buying a double built-in oven and induction hob separately.
The cheapest cookers usually have just one oven, plus a storage drawer. But if you're willing to pay a little more you will get more features and more stylish designs. However, paying more doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a decent cooker. We've found pricey models that fail to impress as well as some cheap-and-cheerful options.
Looking for the perfect cookware for your cooker? Read our expert guide on the best non-stick frying pans. Find a good cooker that is also cost effective to run by using our cooker reviews to compare models. Gas cookers are cheaper to run than electric cookers because gas costs less than electricity, rather than any superior efficiency credentials. In fact, electric cookers use energy more efficiently than gas cookers, especially if you go for one with an induction hob.
An induction hob heats only the metal of the pans, so no heat is lost from the zone directly into the air. Also, while electricity has the potential to come from renewable sources, this is not the case for gas. See our expert round-up of the top five best freestanding cookers.
Most freestanding cookers are 60cm wide, but if you're squeezed for space, you can also find 50cm and 55cm-wide models. All are roughly the same height 80cm and depth cm to fit a standard kitchen and line up with your worktops. Manufacturers state capacity in litres, but this includes space you can't actually use for cooking, such as the area under the lowest shelf.
We only measure the space you can actually use to cook with. You'll find the figure for each cooker we've tested in the specifications tab on our cooker reviews. Our tests show that the average usable oven capacity of a cooker's main oven is 43 litres, but there is quite a large range in volumes: the smallest main oven we've tested has a volume of just 38 litres, while the largest is a roomy 58 litres, giving you nearly a third more space to cook with.
It's worth checking inside the oven to see how many oven racks are supplied, and how many shelf positions you have to play with — as this affects how much you can fit in too. If you'd prefer to give your business to a local trader endorsed by us, then go to Which? Trusted Traders to find companies who may be able to offer you a cheaper deal. Freestanding cookers advice guides Our cookers buying guides reveal everything you need to know to buy the right cooker for you.
How to buy the best freestanding cooker Searching for a new gas or electric cooker? Top five best freestanding cookers for Do your dinners justice with one of our top-pick freestanding cookers — including gas, electric and dual-fuel models.
Gas cookers vs electric cookers Find out the benefits of gas and electric cookers, and how to decide which cooker is best for you. Which freestanding cooker brand to buy in Unique Which?
How we test cookers No one tests and rates cookers at thoroughly as we do at Which?. Freestanding cookers jargon buster Confused by catalytic liners?
You will find two top performers in our roundup of the best cookers to buy. Gas is still the most popular choice with home cooks, who like that the heat is visible, easy to control, fast, responsive and can be used with all pan types. Most gas hobs have mains rather than a button ignition, with many igniting as you turn the knob, taking away the need to press and hold an ignition button simultaneously. Gas hobs can be dismantled for easier cleaning, but they can still be time-consuming to keep looking their best.
Go for a hob with a variety of burner ratings that will suit different types of cooking. You'll need to get your hob installed professionally by a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you're a fan of gas but get fed up with mess and spillages that are difficult to clean off a traditional gas hob, this could be an option for you.
Gas burners are mounted on top of ceramic glass, making the surface much easier to clean. But the glass does mark with fingerprints and grease. The burners can also be awkward to clean. They don't heat up as quickly as burners on an electric ceramic glass hob too, but you will get the precision heat and control of a normal gas hob.
With electric ceramic hobs, the heating systems are hidden underneath the tough ceramic glass surface. Patterned zones on the glass surface indicate the size and position of the heat source. All have a safety device that prevents the ceramic glass from overheating.
The smooth and easy-to-clean surface makes them a popular choice. However, heat distribution around the bottom of the pans are not as good as when cooking on gas.
Induction hobs heat the pan directly via a spiral copper coil beneath the glass surface, which transfers energy directly to the pan. When the pan is removed, the hob cools, reducing the risk of burns. Induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular as they are easy to use, highly responsive, very energy efficient and quick to clean.
Please note: You may need to check whether it's a good idea to get one if you have a pace-maker fitted because of the powerful electromagnetic field used. You may also find you need to discard some favourite old pans and invest in new, magnetic-based ones to use your hob.
The only suitable ones have a magnetic material in the base, such as cast iron or stainless steel. Pure aluminium or copper pans will not work unless the base is bonded with a magnetic metal. For more information, take a look at our expert guide to buying pots and pans. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Grease and little pieces of burnt food in the oven can absorb the heat and make the oven less efficient. In keeping the glass clear, it also means you can take a sneak peek at your bakes during the cooking process.
Worry not, as with the right tools and techniques, cleaning your oven can be effortless. Click here for our thorough guide on how to clean your oven - and keep it clean. Pyrolytic cleaning is an automatic cleaning function, using a combination of pressure with very high temperatures to convert grease and food residues inside the cooking compartment to ash, which then collects on the floor of the oven. This can then be swept away when the cleaning is done.
Depending on the programme, this process lasts between one to three hours. During the cleaning cycle, heat surrounds every corner of the oven cavity. Most ovens with this function ensure residual heat is enclosed during the cycle meaning the temperature of the oven door should remain cool during use, just like in normal operation. In addition, the door automatically locks when pyrolytic cleaning is activated and cannot be opened during the cycle.
The door will only unlock when the cycle is complete and the internal temperature has returned to a safe level. Alternatively, some ovens have catalytic stay-clean liners instead that transform the oven into a self-cleaning machine when set at high temperatures.
They should never be cleaned manually and the liners may need replacing during the lifetime of the cooker. Depending on the oven, you also might have to service the liners by putting the oven on its highest heat setting for about an hour.
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Type keyword s to search. By Frances Salvoni. Joint best oven.
Runner-up oven. Best Smart Oven. Related Story. Runner-up cooker. Best Induction Cooker. Best Range Cooker. More From Buying Guides.
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