Essential Product Guide for Freestanding cookers and Built-in ovens and hobs

The Home Heating and Cooking Specialists

Installation & Surveys Price Promise Special Offers Product Guides Showrooms Contact Us

Terms and conditions

Product Guide: Cookers

Product guides are for general advice only. Every installation situation is different. For more specific advice from one of our experts please visit you local Gasflair showroom.

<<Back to Product Guides Menu

Freestanding Gas Cookers
2 types available are slide in and high level grill. Slide in cookers come in a range of widths from 500mm to 1200mm and align with the kitchen worktop. Some have glass lids that can be lowered to enhance the look when not in use. Eye level grills are popular as the oven is not as low as with slide in cookers. The grill is mounted at high level so it is easier to see what is cooking. They usually have a built in storage compartment under the oven. Models are available in Natural gas and LPG (bottled gas).

Installation requirements: Gas appliances should only ever be installed by qualified Gas Safe registered engineers. Freestanding gas cookers are connected to the gas supply using a flexible hose with a bayonet twist and pull connector in the wall (similar to a light bulb). This enables the consumer to safely unplug and remove the cooker to clean behind. Flexible hoses are not supplied with any gas cooker.

Electric Cookers

Hobs
Radiant - this is the traditional spiral element, reliable and effective usually with a lift up hob top for ease of cleaning.
Solid Plate -sealed cast plates are exceptionally hard wearing and easy to clean. Red spot versions heat up faster than none red spot models.
Ceramic -made from toughened glass, ceramic hobs look good and are easy to clean. There are standard ceramic, fast heat up ceramic (sometimes called 'Fastlite' or 'Solarglo') and Halogen hobs that heat up instantly at the speed of light. Generally the faster the warm up time, the more expensive the hob. Not all pans are suitable for use on ceramic hobs.
Induction -these ceramic hobs work by using a magnetic field under the ceramic surface of the hob. They are extremely fast and controllable. Not all pans are suitable for use with Induction hobs.

Grills
There are radiant grills (similar to radiant rings), and fast heat up grills. Both can be 'dual circuit' meaning that either one side or just the centre can be used for grilling smaller items, saving energy.

Ovens
Conventional Oven - this type of electric oven has either the heating elements in the sides of the oven, making the top shelf hotter than the bottom shelf, or elements in the top and bottom of the oven, giving the oven a similar temperature throughout.
Fan Assisted Oven - has the elements in the top and bottom of the oven and a circulating fan to give a more even temperature.
Fanned Oven - has a heating element surrounding the fan at the rear of the oven this gives a reliable even temperature throughout the oven. Fanned ovens reduce cooking time and seal in the flavour of the food. Different types of dishes can be cooked in the same oven with no transfer of flavours.
Multifunction Oven - this type of oven can incorporate upper and lower heating elements and a fanned oven. It allows the flexibility to cook in a number of different ways using some or all of the elements and fan at the same time. Most models also have a defrost facility that uses the circulating fan with no heat.

Installation Requirements
Electric cookers with electric hobs and ovens require a double pole isolating switch (30amp or 45amp cooker switch) and cannot be run off of a standard 3 pin 13amp plug. We recommend that you employ a suitably qualified electrician to connect your cooker.

Dual Fuel Cookers
As their name suggests use a combination of gas and electric. The controllability of gas is used on the hotplate with (usually) an electric grill and electric oven. They require a 30amp wired cooker socket and connection to the gas supply.

Built in Ovens and Hobs
Built in ovens come in sizes designed to fit into standard sized kitchen cabinets. All models are approximately 600mm wide and are available in the following height sizes:

600mm (single cavity built in)

720mm (twin cavity built under)

900mm (twin cavity built in)

They are available in gas and electric models. Gas models are installed using a flexible hose in the same way as a freestanding gas cooker. Electric models are either plugged into a 3 pin 13amp socket (usually only single cavity ovens) or may need professional installation using a 30amp cooker socket (twin cavity models). Built in hobs are available in various sizes to match ovens. Hob types available are the same as those for freestanding gas and electric cookers.

Extractor Hoods
Extractor hoods are designed to remove cooking smells from the kitchen. Most models can be used in Re-circulatory and Vented modes. Re-circulatory mode is where the stale air passes through a grease and charcoal filter and flows back into the room. Vented hoods have a pipe that carries the cooking smells and some of the steam (condensation) from cooking to the outside through a vent. Hoods are available in sizes to match the width of cookers, usually 60cm, 90cm, 100cm, 110cm and 120cm wide.

Splashbacks
Splashbacks are flat metal or glass sheets that protect the wall area behind a cooker from grease and splashes that occur during cooking. They are specific to each manufacturer and designed to match particular models (usually range style cookers). They are fixed to the wall using screws or brackets and provide a professional look and finish when used with an extractor hood.

Please remember that installing gas appliances is not a DIY job. All gas appliances must be installed by a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer (Gas Safe have replaced CORGI). The information given here is a guide only. To confirm suitability of any gas fire to work correctly with your flue or chimney you should employ a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer to conduct a site survey and report. We recommend that you have your flue checked prior to ordering, as the return of an unsuitable product that is not faulty may incur a handling and re-stocking charge.

Gasflair provide local installation services and surveys- contact your nearest showroom for further information.