Electric cooker features

ElephantBoy57

My cooker is starting to go faulty and I am thinking about buying a new one.

Cheapest that I have seen   https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beko-AS530K-Free-Standing-A-Electric-Cooker-with-Solid-Plate-Hob-50cm-Black-New/292727362019?_trkparms=aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=20200520130048&meid=c35c5e97f5fe435db1ae9001a3e2a9ee&pid=100005&rk=1&rkt=12&mehot=pf&sd=184433832054&itm=292727362019&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithBBEV2bDemotion&brand=Beko&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

I do the occasional roast and use the hobs, but what features does a £500 cooker have that a £189 does not have? The one listed is a little smaller than the one that I have now, but maybe cookers are more efficient and use less electicity these days?

grumbler

ElephantBoy57 said:

 what features does a £500 cooker have that a £189 does not have?

Loads: ceramic hobs with multi-zone rings with timers, fan-assisted ovens with timer, grill,  various regimes (combinations of heating elements), telescopic shelves, self-cleaning panels/liners etc.

maybe cookers are more efficient and use less electricity these days?

Yes, ovens can be insulated better, and multi-zone rings are more efficient for small pans, but I don't think saving is huge.

Jeepers_Creepers

Hi EBoy.

Yes, they are more 'efficient' these days, I guess because they are better insulated so less heat escapes. That oven itself has achieved an A rating.

I think the single biggest omission in that oven is a fan - I suspect for not a lot more you'll find one with this if it's important to you.  

These solid hob plates work fine but are a bit sluggish to respond, so if something is boiling furiously it'll still be doing so after you've turned it down. 

FreeBear

Jeepers_Creepers said:  These solid hob plates work fine but are a bit sluggish to respond, so if something is boiling furiously it'll still be doing so after you've turned it down.

"Sluggish" is being way too polite.

Those solid plates take ruddy ages to heat up from cold and start to look real manky after a very short period of time. They also remain dangerously hot for a long period of time once turned off.

A ceramic, halogen, or induction (by far my favourite) is much easier to keep clean and a lot more responsive.

ElephantBoy57

FreeBear said:

Those solid plates take ruddy ages to heat up from cold and start to look real manky after a very short period of time. They also remain dangerously hot for a long period of time once turned off.

A ceramic, halogen, or induction (by far my favourite) is much easier to keep clean and a lot more responsive.

Not sure that is an issue for me, I did notice a review of the oven stated there was no light, but the lights are often poor. I have got my torch out before now.

Jeepers_Creepers

Are you sure you'll be ok without a fan oven?

If you've been used to one, you might be disappointed; generally higher cooking temp required (~20oC) and/or longer cooking times, and the top area of the oven will be significantly hotter than the bottom; if you were to put a load of muffins in there, those on the top shelf would be burnt before the bottom shelf's offerings were fully cooked through - that much difference. 

Jonesya

Does it have to be electric? basic gas cookers are cheap enough and the running costs are a lot lower.

Vegastare

My Bosch oven is 6 years old and after several engineer visits a new fan etc (although they said it was still ok)- and a cooked pizza displayed to show how it browns unevenly - cakes etc the same.  Now my MIL who is 80 years young and only has her state pension was able to get a new free standing cooker on a grant scheme...bog standard white with solid plate rings.  Her sandwich cakes and scones are baked to perfection and the other weekend while spending the day I made a quiche - out it came cooked to perfection.
The only thing she finds troublesome is the grill, but her microwave has a grill which she prefers.....so what is the name of the bog standard cooker that runs rings round mine......Beko.

ElephantBoy57

Vegastare said:

Now my MIL who is 80 years young and only has her state pension was able to get a new free standing cooker on a grant scheme...bog standard white with solid plate rings.  Her sandwich cakes and scones are baked to perfection

Just when I was going to blame my poor cooking skills on my oven

My present cooker does have a good grill, my microwave grill is very under-powered. I don't have gas in my kitchen.