When choosing a new cooker there are many different choices to make including fuel type, width, and even the number of ovens.

There are also a variety of different styles and colours to consider - from professional stainless steel to fashionable metallic silver, or more traditional colours.

Whether you’re designing a new kitchen layout or simply replacing an old appliance, you might prefer to split your cooker so that the hob and the oven/grill are built in (or under).

We hope this guide will help you choose the perfect cooker for your kitchen.

Built in or free standing?

Built-in cookers are simply ‘built in’ to your kitchen units; the hob and oven are separate from each other. Built in ovens come in two different sizes, single oven or double oven. Freestanding cookers fit into a gap between kitchen units or at the end of a set of units. Freestanding cookers come in 50cm, 55cm and 60cm widths. Freestanding cookers have height adjustable feet to ensure that they are fitted with the hob at worktop level.

Oven Type

1. Electric - Electric ovens have a thermostat which controls the heat in the middle of the oven; the top of the oven will be a little hotter whilst the bottom will be slightly cooler. This zoned heat difference can be useful when cooking different kinds of dishes at once. These ovens also need to be pre-heated as they take time to reach cooking temperature. Electric hobs offer a more gradual heat build-up and cool down.
   
   
2. Fan - These work differently by using a fan in the rear wall of the oven. The temperature throughout is even and the oven heats up very quickly, reducing cooking times and so saving energy. However fan ovens do not start cooking immediately, they need to be pre-heated.
   
   
3. Multi functional - These give complete flexibility of cooking, using combinations of different heating elements. Most multifunction ovens combine a fan and conventional oven together with grill (grilling is done with the door closed, so retaining moisture in the oven and in the food).
   
   
4. Gas - Most gas ovens are heated by a flame at the rear of the base. The hot air circulates as it rises, but the top of the oven will always be hotter. Some ovens are shaped to help the air to circulate so that the temperature across the shelves is even. Cooking with gas creates moisture which is especially good for cake baking. Some gas ovens also have an economy setting which enable you to use the oven like a slow cooker for casseroles.
   
   
5. Double - Double ovens offer great flexibility and capacity because each oven can be set separately. Most are built-in with a full sized multifunction or fan oven underneath a smaller economy conventional oven.
   
   

Hobs

Hobs are usually 60cm wide but there are some at 70cm which can still fit into a 60cm gap by overlapping the work surface. Traditionally they have four burners, but some now have five or more. Certain hob types may only be suitable with certain cookware (e.g. ceramic hobs and iron-based pans)

1. Gas - Gas hobs are popular because the heat is visible and easy to control. Standard models offer four burners and for increased cooking options; five-burner hobs which include one extra large burner for bigger pots and pans.
   
   
2. Electric sealed plates - Provide excellent heat distribution across the base of the saucepan, with a traditional feel. Because they conduct all the heat into the pans they are cost effective to run, and some have red spots which provide more power than equivalent size standard plates.
   
   
3. Ceramic - These popular, stylish hobs have a touch glass surface with heating elements beneath; the heat is conducted through the glass into the pan only. They are easy to clean, some have sensors which will turn down or cut off the heat automatically, or timers so that you don't need to return to the hob to switch off the heat. All hobs have heat retention lights so you can see when it's cool enough to touch.
   
   

Hoods

Extraction and/or filtration is needed in kitchens to help get rid of moisture and odours. Steam and odours are best removed from a kitchen via a ducting to the outside wall. Sometimes however, this is not physically possible (e.g. in an apartment block) so in this case, air must be circulated through a cooker hood’s grease and charcoal filters.

There are two different options to omitting bad odours from the kitchen:

1. Extraction - Each hood comes with an extraction rate. To work out the extraction rate you need, calculate the volume in cubic metres of the room and multiply x10, to allow for 10 changes of air per hour. You'll need to position the hood at a minimum of 65cm above a gas hob, or 43cm from an electric hob.
   
   
2. Filters - Steam and odours are best removed from a kitchen via ducting to the outside, but this may not be possible in a flat or if the cooker hood is too far from the outside wall. In this case, air has to be re circulated through the cooker hood and this is done through a grease or charcoal filter. The charcoal filter needs to be replaced every year or so, depending on how much you use your cooker hood. The grease filter can either be replaced if paper or washed if metal.
   
   

Click here to see our range of cooking appliances