Gas Cookers Buying Guide

Freestanding cookers are designed to fit between your existing kitchen units, meaning they are easy to slot in to position and to remove further down the line. Coming in sizes 60cm or narrower, they are perfect for homes with a smaller kitchen.

Cooker Width

Freestanding cookers come in three different widths: 50cm, 55cm and 60cm. Most manufacturers recommend there be a 5mm gap either side of the appliance for ventilation purposes. Anything larger though and you could spoil the aesthetics of your kitchen so please measure up carefully.

Oven Liner Type

There are three main oven liner types: enamel, catalytic and pyrolytic.

Under a microscope, an enamel surface has a slightly bumpy surface, meaning it can be more difficult to clean than higher-grade surfaces. Look out for enamel ovens listed as “easy clean” which have a smoother finish and are therefore easier to clean.

Catalytic liners have a special coating which, when heated to approximately 220°C, oxidise any grease and burnt food, meaning the food can be more easily wiped away with domestic cleaning solutions.

Lastly, Pyrolytic liners offer the simplest form of cleaning solutions and no cleaning products are required to get rid of burnt food and grease. They work by heating the inside of the oven to over 500°C, effectively incinerating any grease or food in to ashes which is then simply brushed away leaving your oven looking like new.

LPG Convertible

For those who do not have a gas mains supply but would still prefer to cook using gas, LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is an option. It comes in bottles or canisters and can be bought easily from most DIY stores and garden centres, for example. Some cookers are designed to run off LPG out of the box, whereas others can be converted by your installer through the use of LPG conversion kits.