Choosing the right cooker is one of the most important decisions when upgrading your kitchen. Whether you're replacing an old appliance or designing a brand-new one, the cooker changes how you cook every day.
Modern cookers offer better energy efficiency, smarter controls and more flexible oven capacity. Here are the options we'd actually recommend in 2026, and how to work out which suits your kitchen.
1. Professional performance for serious home cooking
Smeg Concert 90cm Dual Fuel Range Cooker with Gas Hob — £1,862.99
If you cook a lot, or regularly feed a crowd, a range cooker offers power and flexibility a single built-in oven can't match.
This 90cm dual fuel model pairs gas burners for immediate, visible hob control with electric multifunction ovens for even heat — the combination most serious cooks choose. Two cavities mean you can roast and bake at different temperatures at the same time.
Best for:
- Family kitchens
- Home cooking enthusiasts
- Anyone who wants gas on the hob and electric in the oven
2. Stylish induction cooking for modern kitchens
Smeg Portofino 90cm Five Zone Induction Range Cooker — from £2,999
For a kitchen where the cooker is part of the design, this is the standout. A five-zone induction hob and two spacious ovens, available in black, grey, stainless steel and white.
Induction brings real advantages over gas:
- Faster to boil
- Roughly 85–90% of the energy reaches the pan, against around half for gas
- The surface isn't the heat source, so spills don't bake on
- Instant response when you change the setting
The trade-off is that your pans need to be ferrous — hold a fridge magnet to the base, and if it grips firmly the pan will work.
Best for:
- Contemporary kitchens
- Energy-efficient cooking
- Anyone upgrading the whole kitchen at once
3. The affordable route: a built-in oven and a separate hob
Not every kitchen needs a range cooker, and the cheapest way to get a complete cooking setup is now two appliances rather than one.
A CDA six function built-in fan oven at £249 paired with a Montpellier 59cm ceramic hob at £159 gives you a full setup for around £410. Step up to a twelve function multifunction oven at £399 and a CDA 60cm induction hob at £349 and you have a genuinely good kitchen for under £750.
Buying separately also lets you spend where it matters to you — a modest oven and an excellent hob, or the reverse.
If you need two cavities without a range cooker, the CDA built-in electric double oven at £609 does the job at eye level, and the built-under version at £599 fits beneath a worktop.
Best for:
- Flats and rental properties
- Smaller kitchens
- Anyone replacing one appliance at a time
How to choose the right cooker for your kitchen
1. Kitchen space
- Built-in oven plus 60cm hob — compact kitchens, and the most flexible layout
- 60cm range cooker — the range-cooker look in a standard gap
- 90cm range cooker — medium to large kitchens
- 100cm and above — spacious family kitchens, three or four cavities
Always measure your space before ordering — including the route the appliance has to travel to get there.
2. Fuel type
Electric — simple to install, common in modern homes, and the only option if you have no gas supply.
Gas — immediate heat and visual control on the hob. Must be fitted by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Dual fuel — gas hob, electric ovens. The combination most cooks prefer, and why it dominates the range cooker market.
Our induction vs gas guide covers the hob decision in full.
3. Oven capacity
Larger households benefit from multiple cavities, which let different dishes cook at separate temperatures. Range cookers typically include two ovens and a separate grill; a built-in double oven achieves much the same in a smaller footprint.
4. Extraction
Size the hood to the hob, not the cabinet — at least as wide, ideally wider. Our cooker hoods guide covers extraction rates and ducting.
Where to go next
For the full detail on widths, fuel types and cavity counts, read our range cookers buying guide. For the built-in route, see the built-in ovens guide and the hobs guide.
Browse cookers and range cookers, or get in touch with your kitchen dimensions and we'll tell you what fits.
Prices correct at September 2026.
