Gas cookers are cheaper to run than electric cookers because gas costs less than electricity, rather than any superior efficiency credentials. Gas cookers also tend to be cheaper to buy. Confused about a freestanding cooker term? See our Freestanding cookers jargon buster. How much should I pay for a freestanding cooker? Key specs – Size : 110 x 60 x 90cm (WDH); Fuel : Dual; Ovens : A-rated 73-litre multifunction, A-rated 73-litre fan, A-rated 21-litre slow cooking oven; Hob : Give-burner gas hob, two-burner hotplate with multi-zone griddle Other handy features that might tempt you include telescopic oven shelves to help you remove dishes; warming or storage drawers; and settings for defrosting, reheating and keeping food warm. An induction top and touch-safe oven doors are also desirable if you have young children. If you’re on the lookout for a classy single-oven range cooker with a built-in induction hob and self-cleaning tech – and can afford the privilege of owning a prestigious marque like Smeg – then stop right here. This brand-new 90cm model is ideal for medium-sized kitchens, although you’ll need to ensure your electricity supply can handle its high 11.4kW output.

It features a conventional main oven with 54L of cooking space, plenty of room to cook up a Sunday roast for the family. Being a conventional oven, the top of the cavity will always be the hottest, so it comes in great for cooking multiple dishes simultaneously that may require slightly different temperatures. The top cavity of the cooker houses a variable grill with two heat settings, so you can adjust the heat to suit your dish and size, it’s the perfect way to finish a dish with a tasty crisp top. The cooker also has a gas hob with four burners. There’s a variety of burner sizes to suit your different pots and pans. Enamel pan supports add a touch of class to the hob but also offer great durability for long lasting use. Programmable ovens These turn the cooker on, time your cooking and will turn the cooker off when the food is done. The 600DF, from British brand Stoves, is a 60cm dual-fuel cooker with a large 65-litre fan-assisted oven below and smaller 37-litre static oven and grill. The grill is of the open-door variety, which is said to allow air to circulate so the food is grilled rather than baked. Aside from having the usual temperature range (100˚C to 250˚C), the main oven also features a defrost function. Both ovens have very accurate temperature regulators, which is a big bonus if you’re a baker. They also heat up to full temperature within a few minutes. Another bonus.

Key specs – Size : 60 x 60 x 91.5cm (WDH); Fuel : Dual; Ovens : A-rated 65-litre fan, A-rated 37-litre conventional; Hob : Four gas burners However, paying more doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a decent cooker. We've found pricey models that fail to impress as well as some cheap-and-cheerful options. All are roughly the same height (80cm) and depth (60-65cm) to fit a standard kitchen and line up with your worktops. Oven capacity Automatic gas ignition These are more convenient to use than a separate ignition button as you don't need both hands. Key specs – Size: 110 x 61 x 90.5cm (WDH); Fuel: Dual; Ovens: A-rated 73-litre multifunction, A-rated 73-litre fan; Hob: Five-burner gas hob

Ranges may come with a whole gamut of cooking options – but before you get hung up on fancy extras like rotisseries, griddles, hotplates and meat probes, ask yourself if you’re likely to use them. The key things to look for are at least two ovens (preferably both multifunctional) and a varied hob top, such as a large wok burner and smaller burners for simmering. If you have a big family or you cook for parties and other get-togethers then you will want an oven with at least 60-litres of capacity. In this list you will find that most of them have at least 60-litre capacity and others boast more than 70-litres. There are different design styles to choose from too: you may prefer traditional lines for a classic country vibe, or stainless steel for a professional look. Cookers with bright enamelled finishes are an easy way to add colour and create a focal point. How much should I spend? The on-going debate about electric and gas cookers remains unsolved and it will stay that way for a long time. Thankfully, we have now seen the introduction of dual fuel and the innovation has provided many customers with an option that they thought was impossible. Key specs – Style: Dual-fuel; Width: 60cm; Number of ovens: 2; Main oven capacity: 78 litres; Fan assisted: Yes; Grill: Integrated oven/grill; Storage drawer: No; Timer: Yes; Hob: 4 gas burners; Energy rating: AEquipped with duel fuel the New World NW601DFDOL cooker provides flexible cooking and plenty of space, ideal for a family home. Hob-wise, it comes with four burners: a small 1kW burner for simmering duties, two 1.9kW burners for general cooking, and a large double-ring 3kW wok burner for frying pans and, er, woks. This model also comes with a glass lid to keep things tidy. However, this nice touch only comes into its own if the hob itself is kept sparkling clean – a difficult task, it must be said, given the amount of stainless steel used in the construction. Also be mindful that its electricity load rating is a rather high 5.3kW, so you may need to have a suitable ring main fitted before installation.

Range cookers come in a range of standard widths, from 50cm to 150cm. The most popular size is 90cm, which tends to come with three cavities (tall oven, second oven and grill), but there are also plenty of four-cavity 100cm and 110cm models to choose from. Key specs – Size: 89.8 x 60 x 89cm (WDH); Fuel: Electric; Ovens: A+-rated 115-litre fan; Hob: Five-zone induction hob

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Finally, look for ovens that are easy to clean. Many feature pyrolytic cleaning, which burns grease off at high heat or have catalytic liners that use the heat of the oven to break down grease, reducing time spent cleaning the cavity. Others have enamel coatings which are easier to clean than bare iron. The best range cookers to buy 1. Rangemaster Professional Deluxe 110 DF: The best large-scale range cooker Our tests show that the average usable oven capacity of a cooker's main oven is 43 litres, but there is quite a large range in volumes: the smallest main oven we've tested has a volume of just 38 litres, while the largest is a roomy 58 litres, giving you nearly a third more space to cook with. The main oven provides 65L of useable space and if that’s not enough for you the top oven has a capacity of 32L, more than enough space to cook a full roast dinner and cook pudding in the top oven at the same time.