Hot choice

Functionality is king when it comes to cookers, but style can also play a part, writes Carol O’Callaghan

IT USUALLY takes a big social gathering to see the shortcomings of our kitchen cooking equipment, like the last-minute decision Christmas week to buy a bigger turkey just in case some extra guests show up, and not being able to fit it into the oven and having to spend half an hour hacking off the legs so you can wedge in the beast. Then you’re left with the dilemma of where to cook the roast potatoes.

It’s at moments like these that hindsight is an unwelcome reminder of how all your careful planning was spoilt by a last-minute impulse decision, but it might also get you thinking how your equipment is, or is not, meeting your needs. If you’re in the market to replace your cooker it can be quite an investment, so if there’s a good time of year to do it, then it’s now while the sales are on and before we drift into longer salad-eating days.

When you go shopping try really hard not to be seduced by the look of the product. When it comes to cooking, function must reign supreme over all other considerations. Now that isn’t to say you can’t have the colour or shape you want, but don’t opt for the red cooker if the oven size is too narrow for your roasting trays as over time you will regret it. Trust me, cookers are like men: being gorgeous and lovely might be enough right now, but in the long-term they need to be skilled at DIY.

Measure up the cooker space you currently have — width, depth and height. If you’re splashing out on a bigger model with two ovens and extra hob burners, and the now very fashionable hotplate, what will you have to sacrifice in terms of cupboard space to slot it in? You may also lose overhead cupboards if you are installing an extractor hood so stop and consider the impact this will have on storage.

Opting for gas or electric will probably be decided by whatever services you have coming into your home, but it has become fashionable, especially with range-style cookers, to have a gas hob and electric ovens, an arrangement which comes into its own in the event of a power outage, or if you live in an area without mains gas supply and are dependent on bottled gas. If you run out of gas while waiting for a bottle delivery, at least you’ll have electric ovens to make a roast dinner.

Having two ovens is a great idea, especially if you choose one conventional and one fan-assisted. But if space and budget prevent you from having a large-scale cooker, try a regular size cooker with four burners, one regular oven and a smaller one that is a dual function oven and grill. Do check the temperature thoroughly in the latter before buying as some of them tend to be little more than warming ovens and may not rise to the occasion of cooking your delicate soufflé in the time you would expect.

* Next week we visit the bedroom, sitting room and hall, to show how just three products can liven up a tired space