The Appliance That Decides the Rest of the Kitchen
A range cooker isn't just a bigger cooker. It replaces your hob and your oven with one appliance, it sets the width of the gap in your run of units, it dictates the hood above it, and in most kitchens it becomes the thing people look at first.
Which means it's the decision to make early, not late. Choose the cooker, then design around it. Do it the other way round and you'll find the 110cm model you fell in love with needs a gap you no longer have.
We stock range cookers from Smeg and Bertazzoni, from £1,399 to just over £7,000. Here's how to work through it.
Step One: Width — and Why the Gap Must Be Bigger
Range cookers are sold by width, and the common UK sizes are 60cm, 90cm, 100cm, 110cm and 120cm.
- 60cm — range cooker looks and features in a standard cooker footprint. The Smeg Victoria 60cm dual fuel at £1,905 fits where an ordinary freestanding cooker sits.
- 90cm — the most popular size by a distance. Five burners or zones, usually two cavities, and it fits most kitchens without dominating them.
- 100cm — a genuine step up in oven space, typically three cavities.
- 110cm — the classic "statement" range. Four cavities on models like the Smeg Victoria 110cm, and enough hob space to cook a full Christmas dinner without moving pans around.
- 120cm and up — professional territory. The Smeg Opera 120cm and the 150cm Opera with an electric griddle sit here.
The critical detail: the gap in your units must be wider than the cooker, not the same. Manufacturers specify a clearance either side — often around 2–5mm minimum, sometimes more — because the cooker needs to slide in without scuffing the units and needs air around it. A 110cm cooker in a 110cm gap will not go in. Always work from the model's own installation figures.
Range cookers are also deeper than standard units, so expect it to sit slightly proud of your worktop line. That's normal and part of the look.
Our measuring guide covers exactly what to record before you order.
Step Two: Fuel — the Decision That Costs the Most to Change
Dual fuel means a gas hob with electric ovens, and it's the traditional UK favourite. You get the instant visual control of a flame for cooking, and the even, dry heat of electric fan ovens for baking. The Smeg Portofino 90cm dual fuel in matt black at £1,399 is our entry point; the Smeg Concert 90cm at £1,862 and the Smeg Opera 90cm at £3,166 step up from there.
All-induction ranges put an induction hob on top of electric ovens. Faster than gas to boil, far easier to clean, safer with children, and no combustion in the room. The trade-off is that you need pans that work on induction, and the cooker needs a substantial electrical supply. The Smeg Portofino 90cm induction at £1,722 and the Smeg Symphony 90cm induction with double oven at £2,335 are strong value; the Smeg Victoria 110cm induction at £3,931 is the flagship.
All-gas and mixed fuel ranges keep gas throughout, or combine gas burners with an electric griddle or wok burner. The Smeg Opera 150cm with electric griddle is the serious end of this.
Worth thinking about: new-build homes in the UK are increasingly electric-only, and if there's any chance you'll move to a heat pump or lose your gas supply, an induction range future-proofs the kitchen. If you already cook on gas and love it, dual fuel remains an excellent choice. Our induction vs gas guide goes into the cooking differences properly.
Step Three: How Many Cavities Do You Need?
This is where range cookers earn their money over a single built-in oven.
Two cavities — a main oven and a smaller second oven or grill. Enough for most households, and standard on 90cm models.
Three cavities — main oven, second oven and a separate grill compartment. You can roast, bake and grill simultaneously at three different temperatures. The Smeg Victoria 100cm at £3,230 is a good example.
Four cavities — the full 110cm setup. Two large ovens plus a grill and a slow-cook or warming cavity. If you cook for a crowd at Christmas, this is the reason to go to 110cm rather than 100cm.
Be honest about it. A fourth cavity is genuinely useful two or three times a year for most families. If that's you, buy it — those are the days it matters. If you cook for two most nights, a well-specified 90cm will serve you better and leave budget for a proper hood.
Step Four: The Supply — Check This Before You Order
This is the step that delays installations, and it's worth sorting before the cooker arrives, not after.
- Electrical. Almost every range cooker needs a dedicated hardwired cooker circuit rather than a 13amp plug, and induction models need more capacity again — a 110cm induction range draws a serious load. Have an electrician confirm your consumer unit and cable can take it.
- Gas. Any gas or dual fuel range must be connected by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Check where your gas point sits relative to the new cooker position — moving it is a separate job.
- LPG. If you're off mains gas, check the model is available in or convertible to LPG before ordering.
- Floor. These weigh a great deal and need a level, solid floor. An out-of-level range cooker cooks unevenly, and it shows in baking first.
- Delivery access. A 110cm cooker is wider than most internal doorways. Measure the route in, not just the space it's going to.
Step Five: The Hood Above It
A range cooker produces far more steam and heat than a standard hob, and the hood needs to match. As a rule, the hood should be at least as wide as the cooker — so a 110cm range wants a 110cm hood, not a 90cm one.
Smeg's Victoria 110cm traditional hood at £957 is designed to pair with the Victoria range cookers, and the Bertazzoni 120cm T-shape at £1,039 covers the widest models. Budget for the hood at the same time as the cooker — it's the most commonly forgotten line in the whole kitchen.
Step Six: Cleaning and Colour
Pyrolytic cleaning is available on several range cookers, and it's the same self-cleaning system found on premium built-in ovens: the cavity heats to around 500°C and reduces baked-on grease to ash you wipe away. The Smeg Portofino 90cm dual fuel with pyrolytic oven at £3,040 and the Smeg Opera 90cm induction pyrolytic at £4,512 both have it. On an appliance this size, with this much cavity to clean, it's a bigger favour to yourself than it is on a 60cm oven.
Colour is where range cookers differ most from built-in appliances. The Smeg Victoria and Portofino ranges come in multiple colours — cream, black, and bolder options — and Bertazzoni's Professional series runs to gloss orange. A range cooker is the one appliance where colour is a design decision rather than a compromise, so it's worth seeing the finish before committing.
What to Spend
- £1,400–£2,000 — 90cm dual fuel or induction, two cavities, proper build quality. The Portofino 90cm dual fuel at £1,399, the Portofino 90cm induction at £1,722, the Concert 90cm at £1,830.
- £2,000–£3,200 — double ovens, more cavities, induction across the top. The Concert 90cm ceramic double oven at £2,067, the Symphony 90cm induction at £2,335, the Portofino 90cm five-zone induction at £2,999.
- £3,200–£4,500 — 100cm and 110cm, three or four cavities, colour options. The Victoria 110cm dual fuel at £3,435, the Opera 100cm dual fuel at £3,597, the Victoria 110cm induction at £3,931.
- £4,500+ — 120cm and 150cm, pyrolytic cleaning, professional specification. The Opera 120cm at £4,846, the Bertazzoni 120cm Professional at £6,499, the Portofino 120cm mixed fuel pyrolytic at £7,090.
For how the brands compare, our Rangemaster vs Smeg comparison covers design, reliability and colour, and our Smeg vs CDA guide looks at where the money goes across the rest of the kitchen.
Before You Order: Six Checks
- Gap width — wider than the cooker, to the manufacturer's stated clearance.
- Depth — it will sit proud of standard units. Check it clears any walkway or island behind you.
- Electrical supply — confirmed by an electrician, especially for induction.
- Gas point — in the right position, and a Gas Safe engineer booked.
- Delivery route — measured at its narrowest point, including doorways and turns.
- Hood width — ordered at the same time, matched to the cooker.
Our Recommendations
- Best value way in: the Smeg Portofino 90cm dual fuel in matt black at £1,399 — a genuine Smeg range cooker for less than many built-in oven and hob pairs.
- Best all-round 90cm: the Smeg Symphony 90cm induction with double oven at £2,335.
- Traditional kitchen, cooking for a crowd: the Smeg Victoria 110cm dual fuel, four cavities, multiple colours.
- All-electric home: the Smeg Victoria 110cm induction — the same cooker without the gas.
- Keen cook who hates cleaning: the Smeg Opera 90cm induction with pyrolytic oven.
- Statement kitchen: the Smeg Portofino 120cm or the Bertazzoni 120cm Professional.
Browse the full cooking range, or tell us your gap width and whether you have gas — we'll tell you what actually fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size range cooker should I get?
90cm suits most UK kitchens and most households. Go to 100cm or 110cm if you want three or four cavities, cook for large groups regularly, or want the hob space. 60cm range cookers exist for kitchens where a standard cooker gap is all you have.
Does the gap need to be bigger than the cooker?
Yes. Manufacturers specify a clearance either side — the cooker will not slide into a gap of exactly its own width, and it needs air around it. Always work from your specific model's installation instructions.
Dual fuel or induction — which is better?
Dual fuel gives you a gas flame with electric ovens, which is the traditional British preference. Induction is faster to boil, far easier to clean, safer around children, and future-proofs an all-electric home. Neither is wrong; it depends on how you cook and whether you have gas.
Can I install a range cooker myself?
No. Range cookers need a dedicated hardwired electrical circuit fitted by a qualified electrician, and any gas connection must be made by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Sliding it into position is the easy part.
What size hood do I need above a range cooker?
At least as wide as the cooker, and ideally wider. A 110cm range wants a 110cm hood. Range cookers produce considerably more steam and heat than a standard hob, so undersizing the hood is a common and noticeable mistake.
Are range cookers expensive to run?
Not necessarily more than a separate oven and hob — you're heating cavities of similar size. What changes the figure is how many cavities you actually use. Heating a large main oven for two jacket potatoes is where the waste happens, which is one argument for a model with a smaller second cavity.
Do they come in colours?
Yes, and it's one of the main appeals. The Smeg Victoria and Portofino ranges come in several colours, and Bertazzoni's Professional series goes as far as gloss orange. Worth seeing a finish in person before you commit.
How long do range cookers last?
Fifteen years or more is realistic with good installation and maintenance. Because the components are separate — burners, elements, fans, doors — they also tend to be more repairable than a cheap freestanding cooker, which is part of what you're paying for.
