I moved into an old farmhouse about a year ago and decided that the kitchen needed a range cooker. After considering the various options including a traditional wood burning aga I opted for the easier to maintain range style Cooker.
I traipsed round countless shops looking at everything that was available and opening and closing doors like a mad woman until I found exactly what I wanted.It is surprising how many of them felt like the doors were buckling as you opened them. I opted for the incredibly well built and solid feeling Rangemaster 110. It comes in a variety of options including Electric, Gas, LPG and dual fuel.
It has four rings on top as well as an excellent griddle and a warming plate. Never having used a griddle before I was uncertain of its advantages but I am now a total convert as it cooks food very quickly and very healthily as little or no fat is required unlike a frying pan.
One of the ovens comes with a very convenient roasting rack fitted to the door so you no longer have to pull spitting joints out of the oven to check them. The smaller doors on the rangemaster conceal a grill and a storage drawer.
I cook everything from roasts, cakes and scones, casseroles and pies to wedding cakes and so far have had no failures at all.
Being very remote, I have Calor gas and found that for the LPG version I would be paying about £1,450 and that I couldn't have the solid door option, only the one with glass doors.
Having set my heart on it I set about resolving the problems. First of all I contacted the manufacturers and spoke to their spares department. I discovered that I could order solid doors to replace the existing ones. Also being unsure of the colour I wanted I was told I could also order additional door skins in the various colours. I plumped for solid doors in green with a complete set of black door skins all for under £200. Then I found an excellent deal on the price with www.qed-uk.com and obtained the cooker for £1011. Altogether I paid less than the shop price and have the options of plain or glass doors or green or black finish.
The ovens are self cleaning and I have to say they do this very effectively, The inside of my oven looks as good now as it did when it was new. Cleaning the face of the cooker is also easy as all the knobs are on a sprung bearing and pull off. The hob dismantles and the pan supports do not have crevices that are difficult to clean.
After using the cooker for over a year now I can honestly say I have found nothing to complain about apart from the glass top is difficult to clean without leaving slight smears.
The automatic cook functions are easy to use and the built in clock and timer are excellent.
I am not the worlds keenest cook by any means but I have to say, my cooker makes it seem a lot more appealing.
Added 18/04/08 I've now had the cooker for about seven years, it still looks as good as new and I am just as pleased with it. In the last few years I have replaced the griddle pan twice and the electric element under the griddle once but I do use it a lot as it griddles chicken breasts to perfection. The replacement parts have cost a total of about £100 and have been very easy to obtain from a company called gasonspares.
My sister has just moved into the barn next door to me and she has also plumped for the Rangemaster 110 as she has been so impressed with the durability of mine.