Planning to do a bit of kitchen updating and will take the oppourtunity to get a new oven. Decided to stick to one with a ceramic hob and have been trying to decide which manufacturer. I've looked at cookers in shops, then get home and read reviews and go off them. Now don't what to do. I know reviews tend to be from people where things have gone wrong, but are today's cookers so badly made that they break down within a few months?

My ancient current one (now no longer made) has never gone wrong and I would keep it except some of the knobs are failing making it difficult to operate and it is a 50cms one and I will need a 60 cms one when the kitchen is upgraded.

Who's happy with their oven and why? Can only be electric as no gas in our village.

Only had my Electrolux for a year but I could not be more pleased, no knobs touch controls, easy to clean and still looks new. It's very responsive and the first electric cooker I have been able to get on with.

I've wondered about the touch control type and get rid of the knobs altogether. Do you find the touch controls easy to use? A friend has a touch control induction hob and it seems a bit complicated, at least with a knob it's just a matter of turning it.

I have a Stoves oven, large fan oven, smaller top oven/grill and ceramic top.
It's 14 years old and still going strong, the only thing that needs doing, is the door seal replaced in one corner, other than that, I've been more than happy with it.
If I was being really picky, I would have liked a different design for the knobs as stuff does get trapped round them, and they are fiddly to clean.

Some years ago now, having seen one my neighbour bought, we bought a Zanussi with a ceramic hob.  Duel oven.   Over time we started having little problems and so, as our local electrical shop was having a deal on cookers, I made the decision to switch to another Zanussi.   Big mistake.   Not only is it far slower to 'fire up' (hob - my sister always commented on how instant it was compared to her stove) but the top doesn't clean up as easily as my previous Z. and this one doesn't have self-cleaning ovens (I of course knew this when I bought it but ...).   Small final thing that makes me regret not sticking with my original Z., is the timing warning bell doesn't stop after a while, and it's ANNOYINGLY noisy!!

I am basically a fan of Zanussi products much as I think they are now Hotpoint?

ps   I never thought I'd be discussing cookers on this website  LOL!

I have a Belling range cooker with ceramic hob and I'm very pleased with it (had it for nearly 2 years).  The ovens are quick to warm and the hob is almost instant.  I can't vouch for how easy the ovens are to clean as my husband is willing to do that bit!!

Ours is clearly larger than you need but they do a range of sizes inc 60cm.  Try AO.com for reviews, videos and very good prices.  They also delivery really quickly, for free :)

Thanks dogs a babe, that's really helpful.

Reading reviews about Zanussi I have come to the same conclusion as you mamabas, what used to be good, isn't any more. It's driving me up the wall. I want to do my kitchen up, but need to replace the cooker, feel like I'm going round in circles and sorry to bring cookers up on a dog forum. :-)

> sorry to bring cookers up on a dog forum

Don't be daft, we talk about all sorts here. Anyway the oven is quite important to dogs. It's a bit like scratch and sniff TV - and even if they aren't allowed to eat your roast dinner at least they get to fantasise about it it for an hour or two!

:-) dogs a babe.

Jodi, you ask about touch controls and it did take a couple of days to become confident but they are not difficult and it is wonderful not to have tacky knobs that seem to need removing and chuckling in with the washing up every day. Best tip, read the instructions.

who else is seeing the title & is thinking it reads....freestanding cocker with hob...lol

We've been happy with our Belling for some years now, it has a ceramic hob. A couple of the knobs have broken recently but we've got new ones and they are just fine (once we found the knobs with the white line indicator at the top rather than the bottom!).

One thing I would look at is getting an induction hob. My mother has one and I love it. It is extremely quick to heat up. and very controlable. because the hob itself doesnt get hot there is no more burnt on food even when things boil over.

You might need to buy new pans to go with it but  if you are having a new kitchen then  you cant use old pans :) a shopping spree is the order of the day.

>  if you are having a new kitchen then  you cant use old pans :-)

Why ??? :) :) My old pans lasted 34 years before I treated myself to new ones and have now been passed down to my DIL who is happy to use them :) :) :) We looked at induction hobs when putting in our current kitchen 4 years ago but decided not to bother :) I'm quite happy with my ceramic hob :)

I am too Daisy and I love my pans, sad but true.

Have decided to stick with ceramic after a serious consideration of induction. Now wondering about the AEG ceramic hob cooker which is exactly the same as the induction version. Anyone any experience of AEG? An AEG washing machine we had turned out to have many parts made by Zanussi!

> Anyone any experience of AEG

Not cookers tho' - we have an AEG large larder fridge and separate upright freezer, but they are only 4 years old. I'm very pleased with them :)

Yes I did lol

>who else is seeing the title & is thinking it reads....freestanding cocker with hob...lol

Oh thank God it wasn't just me, I was most intrigued ;)

:-)
At least it got people reading the thread.
Many thanks to all who replied.

>  if you are having a new kitchen then  you cant use old pans :-)" 

>Why ??? :-)"  :-)"  My old pans lasted 34 years before I treated myself to new ones and have now been passed down to my DIL who is happy to use them :-)"

Well obviously I am odd then, because I like shopping and would use the new kitchen as an excuse for a spending spree.

Out of interest what pans were yours? 34+ years seems like a very long time for a set of pans to last. none of the ones I have had over the years have lasted anything like that long

> Out of interest what pans were yours?

Long story :) When I moved out of home in 1978 I bought a set of three, unbranded stainless steel saucepans from the local 'cheap' shop. My OH (we weren't married at the time) had just bought his first house and had bought a set of three Prestige saucepans. When we eventually moved in together we realised that the two sets were almost identical :) They lasted us through 34 years of family life and apart from the 'bakelite' handles and knobs starting to wear due to going in the dishwasher for most of that time, they are still in good condition :) :) Having said that I'm careful with saucepans and never burn anything (rubs halo !) :) My DIL is very happy to have an extra 6 saucepans :) I do believe in making things last and rarely throw anything out unless it is broken or unuseable :)

No, but just to add, I said I thought Zanussi was now Hotpoint.   I think they are actually now made by Electrolux?  For all I know, everything is Walmart now  LoL.

That's interesting Daisy as my fave pans are prestige, the copper bottom ones. I've had them since we got married in 1973 and they were a wedding pressies as they were so darn expensive, no way we could buy a set. Like you, I have been careful not to burn stuff on them, but even on those occasions when there has been a bit of a mishap (not me of course) a soak and a careful scrub and scrape have bought them up like new.

I had a Moulinux originally, which I loved, but Hubby shattered the Glass door, and I couldn't find a replacement. We followed this up with a Stoves, but had problems from day 1 especially with the seals to the ovens, and now we are currently on our 3rd cooker, it's  a Rangemaster 110 all electric model,  with 2 ovens, 1 Fan assisted, Grill and Ceramic Hob.

It's coming up for 10 years old and the only problem I've had with it was when one of the elements on the grill went. I've had it insured since I got it, as at £1500 I couldn't afford to replace it should any thing go wrong, and £10 a month didn't seem too excessive considering, so a quick call to Rangemaster and an engineer with replacement part arrived later that day. If anything major had been wrong and he couldn't have fixed it, I would have been given a new cooker no matter how old my Rangmaster had been.

Pan wise we have Brabantia, and 14 years down the line they are still in perfect order, We have only lost the Frying pan out of the set as it finally gave up being non stick about 8 months ago. It was Guaranteed for 10 years, so wasn't unexpected.

>Long story :-) When I moved out of home in 1978 I bought a set of three, unbranded stainless steel saucepans

:-)  :-)  :-)  I did the same in 1976.