A range cooker is usually the single most expensive thing in a UK kitchen, and it is the one appliance you cannot quietly swap out if you get it wrong. Get the width wrong and the cabinetry has to move. Get the fuel type wrong and you are paying an electrician or a Gas Safe engineer to undo it.
This guide walks through the decisions in the order they actually matter: size first, then fuel, then cavities, then everything else. It is written for UK kitchens, UK supplies and UK installation rules.
Start with width, not with brand
Range cookers come in fixed widths, and the common UK sizes are 60cm, 90cm, 100cm, 110cm, 120cm and 150cm. Almost everyone starts by falling in love with a model and then discovers it does not fit. Do it the other way round.
Measure the gap you have, then subtract. Manufacturers specify a clearance either side for heat expansion — typically a few millimetres, sometimes more for gas models — so a 900mm aperture will not comfortably take a 900mm cooker. Check the exact figure in the installation manual before you commit.
Three other measurements catch people out:
- Depth. Standard UK base units are 600mm deep. Many range cookers are slightly deeper, and with the handle they can stand noticeably proud of the worktop. That is normal and usually looks intentional, but you need to know before it arrives.
- Height. Most models have adjustable feet so the hob can be brought level with a 900mm worktop. Check the adjustment range covers your worktop height.
- Delivery access. A 110cm range cooker can weigh well over 100kg and will not go up a tight staircase or through a narrow side return. Measure doorways and turns, not just the kitchen.
Which width suits which kitchen
60cm is the replacement for a standard freestanding cooker, and it is the sensible choice in a galley kitchen or a flat. You still get range-cooker build quality and looks without surrendering a metre of worktop. The Smeg Concert 60cm Dual Fuel is the entry point here; the Smeg Victoria 60cm is the same footprint with the traditional Victoria styling.
90cm is the most popular size in UK homes and the best balance for most families. You get five burners or zones and a usefully wide main oven without dominating the room. The Smeg Portofino 90cm in Matt Black and the Smeg Symphony 90cm Induction are both worth a look at this width.
100cm and 110cm is where range cookers start behaving like two appliances. You typically get three or four separate cavities, which means you can run a roast, a tray bake and a warming drawer at different temperatures at once. If you cook for a crowd at Christmas, this is the size that earns its money. See the Smeg Victoria 110cm with four cavities.
120cm and 150cm is genuinely professional territory. Twin large ovens, six or more burners, often a griddle plate. These need a kitchen designed around them — and a floor that can take the weight. The Smeg Opera 150cm with electric griddle sits at the top of this bracket.
Fuel type: the decision that costs most to reverse
This is where the installation bill lives, so decide it before you shop.
Dual fuel
Gas hob, electric oven. This is the most common configuration in UK range cookers and, for most people, the right answer. You get the instant visual control of a flame on the hob and the even, dry heat of a fan oven for baking. The trade-off is that you need both a gas supply and a suitable electrical supply, and the gas connection must be made by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Induction
Fast, precise, easy to clean, and safer with children because the surface heats only under the pan. The catch is electrical. A large induction range cooker draws a lot of current and will normally need its own dedicated high-amperage circuit run from the consumer unit, hardwired rather than plugged in. If your kitchen has not been rewired recently, budget for an electrician and get them to confirm your consumer unit can take it before you order.
You will also need induction-compatible pans — anything magnetic. If a fridge magnet sticks to the base, it will work.
The Smeg Victoria 110cm Induction and the Smeg Opera 90cm Induction with pyrolytic oven are both strong examples.
All gas
Gas hob and gas oven. Less common now, but gas ovens hold moisture better, which some bakers prefer. Temperature control is less precise than electric.
Ceramic and mixed fuel
Ceramic gives you a flat, easy-clean electric surface without the electrical demands of induction — see the Smeg Concert 90cm Ceramic. Mixed fuel models combine gas burners with induction zones on the same hob, which is the flexible option if you cook with both a wok and a milk pan. The Smeg Portofino 120cm Mixed Fuel is the fullest expression of that idea.
Cavities: how many ovens do you actually need?
More cavities is not automatically better. Each one takes space from the others, so a three-cavity 100cm cooker has a smaller main oven than a two-cavity 100cm cooker.
- Single cavity — one large oven. Best if you mostly cook one thing at a time and want maximum usable space for a big roast.
- Two cavities — a main fan oven plus a smaller second oven or grill. The standard arrangement and enough for most households.
- Three or four cavities — separate temperatures for separate dishes, usually with a dedicated grill and sometimes a slow-cook or warming compartment. Worth it if you regularly cook full meals for six or more.
Look at the litre capacity of the main oven rather than the number of cavities. That is the figure that tells you whether a turkey will fit.
Pyrolytic cleaning: worth paying for?
A pyrolytic oven heats itself to around 500°C and reduces baked-on grease to ash you wipe out with a cloth. On a range cooker with a large main cavity, it is the difference between a twenty-minute job and an hour on your knees with oven cleaner.
It adds cost and adds weight, because the cavity needs heavier insulation. If you cook roasts regularly, it pays for itself in effort. If you mostly use the hob, it is a luxury. The Smeg Portofino 90cm with pyrolytic oven shows what it costs at 90cm.
Extraction is part of the purchase, not an afterthought
A range cooker puts out considerably more steam and grease than a standard hob, and the extractor you already have is very likely undersized. As a rule of thumb, the hood should be at least as wide as the cooker — wider if you can, because a 90cm hood over a 90cm cooker still misses the edges.
Budget for it at the same time. Discovering afterwards that you need a 120cm chimney hood is an unpleasant surprise on top of an already large bill.
What you should expect to spend
| Budget | What it buys |
|---|---|
| £1,200–£2,000 | 60cm and 90cm models, two cavities, dual fuel or ceramic. Solid, well-built, no frills. |
| £2,000–£3,500 | 90cm and 100cm, induction options, three cavities, better hob burners and more oven functions. |
| £3,500–£5,000 | 110cm and 120cm, four cavities, pyrolytic cleaning, colour finishes. |
| £5,000+ | 120cm and 150cm professional models, twin large ovens, griddles, statement finishes. |
At the top of the market, the Bertazzoni Professional Series 120cm in Gloss Orange and the same model in Gloss White are the ones people design a whole kitchen around.
A short checklist before you order
- Measure the aperture width, then check the manufacturer's required side clearance.
- Measure depth including the handle, and check it against your worktop.
- Confirm the adjustable feet will bring the hob level with your worktop height.
- Measure the delivery route — doorways, turns, staircases.
- For gas: confirm the supply position and book a Gas Safe engineer.
- For induction: have an electrician confirm your consumer unit can carry a dedicated circuit.
- Check your extractor is at least as wide as the cooker.
- Decide who is removing the old appliance.
Work through that list and the cooker arrives, goes in, and works. Skip it and you find out about the problem on delivery day, with a very heavy box in your hallway.
You can see the full Core Appliances cooking collection, and if you are weighing up two specific models we are happy to talk it through — just get in touch before you order rather than after.
