Aga ranges
Has anyone had any experience actually cooking on one of these?
I'm not sure how they actually work from the descriptions I've read. The ovens seem to stay on all the time at a constant temperature. Do they heat up the kitchen? Can you adjust the burners?
I've heard people rave about them but WHY?
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There are 3 types of AGA cookers.
1. The classic AGA cooker with cast iron tops and ovens.
2. The new AGA Total Control. This is basically the same as the classic AGA above but rather than 4 ovens it has 3 instead. The 4th oven slot still has an oven door on it but when you open it it simply reveals a touch panel which gives you the option to turn the hobs on and off and also program which oven comes on, at what time for how long etc. It also has a cute round remote that you can use to program instead. AGA are also working on an iPhone app which would allow the owner to program by using the internet from anywhere in the town/country/world.
3. The range AGA which has conventional cooking tops (i.e. gas or induction) and convetional fan ovens.AGA 1 and 2 dont have dials for regulating/grading oven or cooktop temperature/flame. AGA 3 does have the dials like all other ranges or cookers.
AGA 1 and 2 require a 2.5" thick concrete plinth to sit on (no matter what your type of floor) and they come to your house literally in pieces. They are made entirely of cast iron and weigh a minimum of 500Kg. A layer of insulation is also applied inside. An AGA engineer assembles them piece by piece at your house. The rule is that you get the AGA in first and then design the kitchen around it. You chose what fuel you want them to run on (gas, electric or bio-fuel). The entire thing stays on constantly (obviously the Total Control version gives you the option to turn them on and off). The temp in the simmering oven is set at 120 Celsius, roasting 240 Celsius and the other two I think are warming and baking. One of the ovens has a grill. At night time you can chose the slumber option which lowers the temperature of the ovens to 120 Celsius. The hobs also stay on all the time.
The radiant heat retained in the cast irons is gentle on the food and cooks it gently by locking in flavour and moisture. Conventional ovens instead use direct heat blasts and circulating hot air with the fan which results in food getting dry.
The AGA replaces many items in the kitchen. You don't need a toaster because you can toast bread on the hob, you don't need an electric kettle, you can bake the pizza by placing it straight on the base of the roasting oven which is cast iron (provided that you keep it nice and clean) and you dont need a pizza stone. You can dry you clothes in the warming oven or on top of the hob lids. In fact if you fold your clothes nicely before drying them there you dont need to iron them at all.
AGA number 3 is basically the same as any other range cooker, gas hobs and fan ovens and doesn't cook the same as the traditional AGA. The only thing it actually has in common with the traditional AGA is that the front (facade) of it is made of cast iron (just the front, the rest is not CI).
AGA number 3 currently costs GB£5000 whereas AGA number 1 and 2 cost between GB£7000 and GB£10000. A lot of money but an AGA would last several lifetimes and is passed on from one generation to another.
PS: By the way an AGA 1 or 2 is a very forgiving cooker. You would have to be totally dumb to burn food in a classic AGA.
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re: iliria
Hi, iliria:
When I was shopping for wood cookstoves, I found a new Rayburn for sale here in USA. It (that model, anyway) is apparently the solid-fuel version of a classic AGA, being able to burn wood, coal or paraffin. It was plumbed for tying into your house's heating system or HWH, and was rated to heat a 2,000 sq/ft home. It also came with a "summer" set of much thicker firebrick to keep the house cooler. All CE-rated. Very cool, and a great price, I just couldn't tackle the logistics of authorized disassembly, shipment and reassembly.
Maybe someday...
Aloha,
Kaleo-
re: kaleokahu
Hi Kaleo
You are absolutely right. Rayburn is still in production and is a true workhorse. I didn't mention it simply because, at least here in the UK, it is becoming somewhat of a niche market product. Basically, Rayburn is becoming more of a "farmer's cooker" for a variety of reasons, one of them being that people prefer more the "cleanliness" of electric or gas. Personally if I had the means I would choose a Rayburn rather than an AGA. It would certainly cost a lot less to run and the cooking would be just as fantastic.
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I purchased an AGA 6-4 in 2006. I love it. No, it's not on all the time. Mine is a gas 6-burner and electric 4-oven. It takes some adjusting to though, the temp stays constant and is about 50 degrees hotter than the dial. However, I am able to prepare a large meal (Thanksgiving) without having to do all the juggling normally required! The rest of the time I can have dinner in the oven. sides on the stove and still bake dessert all at the same time. It allows more multi-tasking.
It is very heavy and needs to be installed by a certified AGA installer, plus I had a range hood vented to the outside. (I really can't stand heat!). i have no regrets on my purchase and it only takes up 39.5 in of space!›17 Replies-
re: BreeBree
hi - I just found this post. We are interested in getting a six-four. Are you still happy with yours? Can you tell me if the ovens work well for you - I read about some issues with them and also have you noticed any peeling/bubbling enamel near the burners? One more thing - do the knobs/controls seem too "plasticy"? I read about these complaints and wanted to hear some good things!
I really appreciate it!-
re: farmmom5
We have had a 4-oven gas AGA for over 20 years, in Toronto. We love it, and it has held up perfectly, no chipping or bubbling issues. We've had 2 tuneups in 20 years, just as regular maintenance, no operating issues. As BreeBree says, it allows so much flexibility. No electronics, no dials... it's marvelous. We do not have a hood.
We have a small kitchen; we turn it down a notch in the summer (so the hottest oven is 350, not 450- this is fine as we use the BBQ for high heat cooking. Once you have an AGA you will not want anything else.
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re: ferret
c oliver
Jan 20, 2013 08:36 PM
If you scroll down to energy use, you'll see that even AGA knows it's a crazy use of energy.
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re: c oliver
Hi, coliver:
I just quickly ran some numbers, and at 425 kWh/week consumption and average gas prices, it looks to me as though an AGA 2-burner would cost approximately $56/month to run.
How much *more* this is than a conventional gas range is going to depend. Obviously, if you and yours cook every meal at home, the added cost goes down, and if you only use your Blue Star for bling, it goes up--to $56.
For comparison, an electric oven running at 350F draws 2 kWh. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Appliances-Promotions/How-much-energy-does-the-average-range/oven-use%3F-/pcmcat160300050011.c?id=pcmcat160300050011 If you left it on 24/7, that's 336 kWh/week, or 79% of the 2-oven AGA.
For another comparison, a full suite of home electronics will run you about $49.00/month (using Australian rates). See, http://www.cnet.com.au/power-consumpt... A plasma TV alone, run 8 hours/day, will soak up $13/mo.
I would gladly scrimp on other things to fit an AGA's energy cost into my budget.
Aloha,
Kaleo-
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re: ferret
Hi, ferret:
You may think they're ridiculous comparisons. I think they're useful.
Points that bear emphasizing are: (a) there's not a huge difference in energy costs between an AGA and a "standard" stove *when they're on*; and (b) running a "standard" gas stove doesn't use/cost much in the first place, so any multiplier would have to be huge to make the AGA uneconomical to run.
I know some folks object to the always-on aspect as intrinsically wasteful. But it is not as if the heat is completely wasted in most cases. And there is the convenience/time factor of not having to preheat the stove. Whatever fraction (of $700/year max) is added to one's energy bill to have an AGA may, depending on the individual, be worth it.
'Scuse me, I gotta go stoke some coal...
Aloha,
Kaleo
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re: ferret
Hi, ferret:
If you sold them, what IS the cost of keeping them on 24/7? The UK isn't exactly profligate about wasting energy.
I live in Seattle, and my 1907 house has no heat in the kitchen, precisely *because* the warmth from a cookstove was the intended heat (Wahine: "Oh, THAT'S what the other chimney is for!"). There's maybe one week a year when 24/7 would be too hot.
They are spendy, though...
Aloha,
Kaleo -
re: ferret
Hi, coliver: "...you may want to check..."
Absolutely. And anyone considering it should also check: (a) with their insurance company; (b) their spouse; and (c) their psychiatrist and personal trainer (You must have a healthy mind and strong back to start with, else the process of tree-to-cooking has no luster).
So far, I'm happy having made the switch to wood and coal. I don't drive a lot--otherwise I'd feel bad about my carbon footprint.
Aloha,
Kaleo-
re: kaleokahu
Well, I want and Aga sooooooo bad. I live in Perth, Western Australia where the climate would mean that for I could run it from say May until 1 October and outside those dates the heat would be unbearable. I also live in a second floor apertment and I doubt the floor would stand the weight. So...it ain't going to happen.
Ive had to make do with the Aga enamelled cast iron, and tea towels.
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I put in an Aga this summer and so far it exceeds its lofty expectations. I have the 3 oven cooker. The true convection cooking and ample oven space are a big plus. The salesperson said it was for people who loved to cook but did not want to be locked in the kitchen. You need to have more advanced planning. I could go on and on but i'll stop myself.
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They're listed on eBay most of the time. You could get an idea there of price. I've occasionally seen them on Craigslist as well. The problem is that they are heavy as all get out. Some one who buys it has to be able to arrange dis-assembly, shipment, re-assembly, etc. I am pretty sure they have to be taken apart to move them.
Why did you decide to sell it? What are you replacing it with? -
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The only thing I hear is, since they're on all the time, you want to get one in a cold, damp wintry climate like England. The desert doesn't seem like a place for them. The story is they were created by blind inventor so he could cook because everything was in the same place and he didn't have to worry about whether the flame was turned on or not. Seemed like an expensive very specialized range as compared to my personal favorite the Blue Star.
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MsDiPesto
Oct 17, 2006 05:22 PM
The house we stayed in outside Inverness had one. I cooked eggs on it one morning, but the cook we hired did all kinds of stuff on it for our crowd of 12 people.
I can see having one in cooler, damp climates as the previous poster nailed it by saying it's "cozy". -
My friends in England have one. When they bought the house it was a huge selling point that it had an Aga. It's huge. From what I understand, the ovens are at different set temperatures, and my friends model has a warming oven too. Some of the "burners" have covers which the lids hinge up. She manipulates the heat by the doors and covers. I don't know how and I have seen her do this and am amazed every time. She said it took time, but she has learned her Aga. She says it is effortless cooking. Her kids cook on it too, with no problems.
I have never had a bad meal in their house and some of my best memories with them have been in the kitchen infront of that stove. It is on all the time but its certainly not an oppressive heat. It's cozy. When I have been there during the summer the kitchen wasn't hot. You didn't really notice it was on.
I think there is an Aga fan club here in the US (?) and in Pasedena, CA there is a store which sells them and gives demonstrations. The name escapes me. Hope this helps. -
Here's the little I know: A friend in Wales has one and loves it. She's an excellent cook & her roast lamb (local pré salé Welch lamb) served with roast potatoes made in the Aga is superb. How much is the Aga and how much the fine quality of the ingredients + the ability of the cook, I don't know. She also does all the usual stove top cooking (making coffee, eggs, etc) on the Aga. Everything comes out very well so obviously there's a way to adjust the heat...I don't know what it is though.
Yes, the Aga stays on all the time and, yes, it does heat up the kitchen. In fact, that's part of the point. In the cool damp Welch climate, this is a plus.
Wish I could help more but that's all I know. HTH
