Built-in or freestanding?

Another decision to make is which style of cooker you want. There are two options, a stand 'alone' / freestanding cooker, and one which is custom built into a fitted kitchen.

Built-in

The advantage of a built-in cooker is they can match the style and colour of the kitchen units. They can also provide more space, because, cupboards can be placed above and below.

Unlike with freestanding cookers, the cooking hobs are placed separately to the oven and grill. A built-in cooker can also be placed higher, so that they can be at either waist or eye height. Therefore, this reduces the amount of bending down needed to view, or place items inside the cooker.

Built-in cookers come with either a single or double oven, the double ovens are usually placed one on top of the other. The dimensions of a built-in cooker are regulated by most manufacturers into one width, which is 60cm.

The height will obviously vary for single and double oven options. A single oven is usually 60cm in height, whereas the double oven is usually 90cm in height.

Freestanding

Freestanding cookers are less complicated, they simply stand alone, and are less hassle to fit into a kitchen space. They are also an 'all in one' package, with a cooker, grill and hobs all in the same unit.

The grill can be placed inside a second oven, or above the hobs, which is usually more convenient, because it's at eye level. Whilst a freestanding cooker may not seamlessly fit into a kitchen, they can still look stylish if matched with the kitchen units.

Most freestanding cookers will need to be hardwired by an electrician. A few can simply be plugged into the nearest socket. The dimensions of a freestanding cooker are regulated by most manufacturers into three widths. The depth of nearly all models is 60 cm. The standard widths are threefold, 50, 55 and 60cm.

Range

A range cooker, as pictured above, is a variant of a freestanding cooker. They usually come with either one large oven, or two side by side. They provide double the cooking capacity of a standard freestanding cooker. Ideal for large families, you will find range cookers in professional kitchens for hotels and restaurants.

The advantage of two ovens is that you can cook food at varying temperatures, which is perfect if you have timed your meal wrong, and need one item to cook slower or faster. In conclusion, if you cook alot, or desire to bake, grill, boil, stir-fry and roast simultaneously, then a range cooker is for you.

The standard width dimensions of a range cooker are 90, 100 and 110cm.