Black Cookers

Fuel is the first decision because it shapes everything else. Electric is the easiest to install in a flat or rented home, since you only need a cooker circuit and there's no gas safety check. Ceramic and induction hobs both sit on top of electric models, and induction is faster to heat and easier to wipe down because the glass itself stays cooler. Read More...

Gas suits people who like a visible flame and instant control, and a 60cm gas cooker with a glass lid is still a popular layout in smaller kitchens. Dual fuel splits the difference: a gas hob for responsiveness and an electric fan oven for even baking. Most dual fuel models in black sit at 90cm or wider, so check your worktop run before falling for one.

Black cookers come in four practical widths. A 50cm slots into a galley or small flat and usually means a smaller second cavity. A 60cm is the standard UK replacement size and the easiest swap if you're upgrading. A 90cm range starts to feel like a centrepiece and needs a proper extractor above it. A 100cm or 110cm range is a statement piece, often dual fuel, and you'll want to plan for the heat output and the visual weight of all that black in one stretch.

Measure the aperture in three places. Old kitchens drift, and a 600mm gap on paper can be 595mm at the back. Black gloss finishes show every smudge against pale walls, so think about the wall colour behind it as well as the worktop next to it.

A double oven gives you a smaller top cavity, often grill-and-bake, and a larger main oven. It's genuinely useful at Sunday lunch when you want crisp potatoes at one temperature and a slow joint at another. A single large oven gives more usable volume for one big tray and is the format you'll see on most range cookers.

A ceramic hob is the cheapest electric option and looks clean against a black surround, but it heats and cools slowly. An induction hob needs ferrous pans (a magnet should stick) and rewards you with quicker boil times and lower bills. A sealed gas hob with cast iron supports is the easiest to clean of the gas options and pairs well with a glass lid for a tidy look when the cooker isn't in use.

Energy ratings on cookers describe the oven, not the hob. An A-rated oven on a freestanding model is a sensible floor. If you cook most days, the running cost gap between an old electric oven and a current A-rated one over a year is noticeable.

Brands you'll typically see include Beko, Hotpoint, Hisense, Indesit, Leisure, AEG, Rangemaster, Smeg, Stoves and CDA. Beko, Hotpoint, Hisense and Indesit dominate the entry and mid tiers and tend to be the easiest to get serviced. Leisure and Stoves are the go-to for affordable 90cm and 100cm ranges. AEG, Smeg and Rangemaster sit at the premium end, with heavier doors, better seals and more cavity options.