Free standing cooker or separates?

sussexbaker

Hi all

First time post here, so hopefully I'll not tread on too many toes!

I'm having to get some appliances for a new home, and that includes an oven and hob. The existing kitchen had a fitted hob and single oven, but the worksurface they were in has been broken so needs replacing. Instead of replacing the part where they were I'm thinking about putting in a free standing cooker and just putting a small piece of work surface over the unit next to them.

The thing is I love cooking and as the house is off gas mains I'm really looking at getting an induction hob, and free standing cookers with induction hobs seem fairly thin on the ground. Looking around there appears to be an AEG and De Detrich at the sort of prices I was thinking of, but I was wondering if free standing cookers are worth it? I can imagine they're cheaper to build but I wondered if they're a bit like hifi seperates vs mini-systems, where everything tends to be on the cheaper side?

Any advice is more then welcome. In an ideal world I'd like a decent powerful 60cm hob with a good single oven (I bake bread so being able to get really hot (ie over 250) is important to me).

So, free standing cookers worth it or not, and if so suggestions as to brands/models

Thanks

Waterlily24

Personally I like separates - no bending to get stuff out of the oven lol. I have to say that I don't think you can beat an induction hob. Mine's a Fagor which is one of the cheaper ones. No problems so far touch wood, it's about two years old.

Welcome to the forum.

paulmapp8306

Definately induction. Im re-doing our kitchen and after using an induction a few times there was no argument to be had.

Ive not seen any free-standing cookers with induction hobs - but Ive not been looking TBH, but would think if you can go seperates - then do. There not more expensive to build (except the cost of the second enclosure in the seperates) BUT if the oven give up you need to replace the hob as well (which has happened to me in the past). Its a bit like choosing a washer & Dryer v single washer/dryer.

sussexbaker

Induction is a done deal, even if gas was available I'd still be tempted by induction as I've used it before. I guess the issue with going with separates is having to get a bigger work top with a cut out, and the whole business of having to have a certain amount of space between the oven and hob. Sadly there isn't room to fit an oven above the work surface, so it'd have to go under the hob (which removes the advantage of not having to bend).