If you’re thinking of buying a new range cooker for your kitchen, you may feel overwhelmed by the choice on offer. Even here at Leisure alone we have a huge range for you to choose from!
With this in mind, we’ve created this buyer’s guide, which covers everything you need to know about range cookers. From the different Leisure products, to fuel types, specification and more - it’s all here.
Range cookers are a high quality, flexible option for those who love great design and great cooking. A range cooker is a freestanding cooker that usually comes with:
They’re designed to give plenty of flexibility and options when it comes to preparing meals, with lots of different cooking options available.
One thing that most range cookers have in common is that they’re designed with a traditional feel in mind. While our appliances are thoroughly modern in terms of their design quality, specification and technology, their look draws cues from vintage cookers.
If you’re the sort of person who loves cooking for your family or entertaining guests with multiple dishes, then a range cooker is essential. One of the main things that sets apart a range cooker from other alternatives is the number of compartments, with full-size cookers having up to four separate cavities.
Generally, good range cookers will also bring an element of great design to the kitchen. Far from being purely functional, they often offer beautiful craftsmanship, and their freestanding nature can make them a focal point in the kitchen. Where built-in appliances are designed to fully blend into cupboards and worksurfaces, range cookers have their own character.
People often ask ‘are Leisure range cookers any good?’ Well, at Leisure we’ve been making high quality range cookers for more than 130 years, and are now proud to be one of the largest manufacturers in the country. Let’s take a look at the range:
The Classic is our small-footprint range-style cooker that’s been engineered for those with only a small space to work with. Measuring just 60cm in width, it can be fitted in compact kitchens, and gives users a wonderful combination of high quality cooking, as well as the beautiful range-style design we’re known for.
Another range-style cooker that’s been engineered for smaller spaces, the Gourmet is 60cm wide, and has everything you need to prepare great dishes. With a hob, a double oven, and available in various gas and electric combinations, this makes for a great choice.
The Cookmaster is a high quality option for passionate home cooks. Featuring traditional styling, the Cookmaster range is an excellent choice for those who need plenty of cooking space. With gas and electric options, several oven compartments, and features such as easy-clean oven liners, this range cooker is well suited to a busy kitchen.
Featuring five gas burners, three ovens, and a dedicated grill, the Chefmaster is one of Leisure’s most versatile cookers. With such a breadth of cooking options, it makes preparing meals for a large number of people much easier. It’s also suited to cooking multiple meals at once. Available in black, anthracite, and cream.
Perhaps the ultimate modern cooker, the Cuisinemaster is one of our finest products. Available in all of our standard sizes of 90cm, 100cm and 110cm, plus our compact range style, the Cuisinemaster is a serious piece of kit. While it offers all of the flexibility you’d expect from a range cooker, the Cuisinemaster comes with more modern, sleek styling.
The dual-fuel Cuisinemaster Pro has been designed with aspiring chefs in mind. Created with the functionality you’d expect from a professional cooker, it offers high quality construction, stylish and hard-wearing detailing, along with additions such as large-capacity oven and programmable functionality. If you’re serious about home cooking, then this might be the range cooker for you.
Fuel is a really important thing to think about when it comes to buying a range cooker. There are three options to choose from in the leisure range: electric, gas and dual fuel.
Gas range cookers are the traditional choice, and this means that the ovens, grill and burners all burn gas to create a flame. Let’s look at the benefits:
The downside of gas ovens is that they’re not compatible with fans, which means that heat distribution is not quite as even as with electric ovens. It’s also worth bearing in mind that gas cookers will still need an electricity supply for the timer and any other programmable options, as well as for the spark that creates the flame.
Fully electric range cookers are the modern standard, and are great for those who want straightforward cooking, or have no gas supply. Benefits include:
It’s worth bearing in mind that electric ceramic burners aren’t as responsive as gas burners, and the hob surface takes longer to cool. Induction hobs though, which use magnetic technology, offer the speed and responsiveness of gas, but with the easy-to-clean surface of a ceramic hob.
Dual fuel is the most popular fuel type for range cookers, and they’re designed to give users the best of both worlds. Those who require the responsiveness of a real flame on the hob, but want the accuracy of an electric fan-assisted oven should consider dual fuel.
You’ll need both a gas and electric supply, but the flexibility of having both cooking options is highly desirable. Many range cookers in the Leisure range are available with dual fuel.
When browsing the various options in the Leisure range, you’ve probably noticed that there are several different widths for you to choose from. Let’s take a quick look at what each size brings.
The smallest size offered by Leisure is 60cm. Designed for smaller spaces, these cookers are nonetheless a great choice for everyone from individuals to couples and smaller families. They’re not fully-fledged range cookers, but these range-style appliances still offer excellent functionality. 60cm is a standard size for many appliances, giving you a compact square footprint that’s easy to fit into just about any kitchen.
The smallest standard range cooker size is 90cm wide. That’s only 30cm wider than a standard freestanding cooker or built-in oven. Ideally suited to families and those who regularly entertain, these cookers usually come with a tall third oven containing multiple racks, which is perfect for batch baking, preparing or keeping warm multiple side dishes and starters.
Offering superb flexibility and space, the 100cm range cooker is a full-sized unit that’s designed to breeze through the demands of large families and parties alike. This size comes with at least four separate ovens or grills, giving a huge amount of capacity and flexibility. You also get up to seven burners, one of which is large and ideal for big pots or woks.
110cm is the largest sized range cooker available in the Leisure range, designed for big families, feasts and parties. These large range cookers are often the focus of the kitchen. The 110cm width gives you two or three ovens, a grill, and up to seven hobs.
While range cookers are inspired by a traditional look, here at Leisure we’re focussed on ensuring that our products feature the latest technical innovations and useful features. When asking ‘which range cooker should I buy?’, some of the important features to look out for include the following:
Energy costs
It can be difficult to put a number on the running costs of a cooker, because it depends on how often the cooker is used, which parts are used, and how long the appliance is on for. Generally, range cookers and regular ovens have similar running costs if they’re used in the same way.
Easy cleaning
When it comes to maintaining your Leisure range cooker, we’ve taken every step to make sure it’s easy to clean. We know just how busy life can be, and once you’ve prepared a wonderful meal, the last thing you want to do is spend the evening scrubbing your oven. Here are a couple of things to remember:
The Door Glass
The Side Racks
