Cooking on a Rayburn/Aga
Discussion
We're looking at a place that has a Rayburn for both heating and cooking. It's only a tiddler (which makes me wonder how good it'll be at heating a pretty much uninsulated barn conversion 
) with two ovens and a double hob so what else would you suggest to supplement it.
And just how useable are they?
) with two ovens and a double hob so what else would you suggest to supplement it.And just how useable are they?
My parents have had a solid-fuel Aga for years. It heats one radiator, which to be fair has really been installed (no other central heating and only recently double-glazed) to take away some excess heat in to the dining room in summer.
I can't speak for have a whole system running off of it, but they do throw out a lot of heat in the summer. I know of others who have had a smaller cooker for the summer, so that they can let the Rayburn/Aga out and avoid roasting! Also, keep it well maintained. My parent's one had issues for years which weren't immediately obvious but impaired it's performance significantly (chimney-related). Strangely, the problem was always at its worse on a Sunday morning!
In terms of cooking, they have a tendency to dry things out if you're not careful when using the ovens, just make sure you cover things accordingly and watch your timings. That said, your cooler oven is great for slow-cooking. Shove your casserole in before you go to work and come home to a lovely meal.
I can't speak for have a whole system running off of it, but they do throw out a lot of heat in the summer. I know of others who have had a smaller cooker for the summer, so that they can let the Rayburn/Aga out and avoid roasting! Also, keep it well maintained. My parent's one had issues for years which weren't immediately obvious but impaired it's performance significantly (chimney-related). Strangely, the problem was always at its worse on a Sunday morning!
In terms of cooking, they have a tendency to dry things out if you're not careful when using the ovens, just make sure you cover things accordingly and watch your timings. That said, your cooler oven is great for slow-cooking. Shove your casserole in before you go to work and come home to a lovely meal.
Try asking these guys http://www.saxonhomecare.co.uk/
They should know the footage and KW for a stove if you have the dimensions and model and answer specific questions.
Ara's are superb things, you can buy companion cookers for them which match - they have a hob and an oven so you can wind the main Aga down in the hight of summer. They'll heat hot water too.
I will eventually get one - probably in next move as it'd be impractical now due to the size of house. Cooking on them is a doddle, for example if you make a pizza and put it in the cooler of the two ovens it will be cooked to perfection in about 10 minutes, same with the hot plates, one is usually hotter than the other . They seem to radiate heat in the ovens unlike a conventional electric or gas (even fan assisted) and do a great job - hence why my childhood memories of my grandma's sunday dinners cooked in her Aga are some of the best I can remember.
If it's a coal or wood fired one they are less convenient (imo) than an oil or gas fired one.
They should know the footage and KW for a stove if you have the dimensions and model and answer specific questions.
Ara's are superb things, you can buy companion cookers for them which match - they have a hob and an oven so you can wind the main Aga down in the hight of summer. They'll heat hot water too.
I will eventually get one - probably in next move as it'd be impractical now due to the size of house. Cooking on them is a doddle, for example if you make a pizza and put it in the cooler of the two ovens it will be cooked to perfection in about 10 minutes, same with the hot plates, one is usually hotter than the other . They seem to radiate heat in the ovens unlike a conventional electric or gas (even fan assisted) and do a great job - hence why my childhood memories of my grandma's sunday dinners cooked in her Aga are some of the best I can remember.
If it's a coal or wood fired one they are less convenient (imo) than an oil or gas fired one.
A modern Rayburn can have two burners - one for CH/HW and one for cooking. We have an oil-fired with a timer so that it doesn't need to be on all day. So - it depends very much on the model & the fuel, OP. Can you find this out ?
The only other cooking devices we have are a microwave and the barbecue - nothing else needed.
The only other cooking devices we have are a microwave and the barbecue - nothing else needed.
RV8 said:
I think most systems combine an emersion heater on a timer - stick that to come on in the evenings.
Good point, I did spot one.marshalla said:
A modern Rayburn can have two burners - one for CH/HW and one for cooking. We have an oil-fired with a timer so that it doesn't need to be on all day. So - it depends very much on the model & the fuel, OP. Can you find this out ?
The only other cooking devices we have are a microwave and the barbecue - nothing else needed.
It has switches on the control panel to do that so I assume it's modern.The only other cooking devices we have are a microwave and the barbecue - nothing else needed.
For some reason you can't smell anything cooking so if you forget about something in the oven you won't get a warning sign of a burning smell.
As others have said, you cook stuff by starting it in the hot oven compartment and then switching it to the cooler oven.
They are also good for drying clothes by folding them in a pile on top of the hotplate lids
As others have said, you cook stuff by starting it in the hot oven compartment and then switching it to the cooler oven.
They are also good for drying clothes by folding them in a pile on top of the hotplate lids
Pferdestarke said:
My in-laws have one and i hate the thing. It takes an age to warm anything through and makes the kitchen unbearably hot in summer. They all love it and hang around it like cats on a car bonnet.
You want a combi boiler and an induction hob as we are in 2011 not 1930
Either that, or be consistent... replace the washing machine with a washboard, the tumble drier with a mangle, and the dishwasher with someone who sleeps in the cellar and is fed on scraps... You want a combi boiler and an induction hob as we are in 2011 not 1930
I'm on the 'hate' side for Agas / Rayburns too, I'm afraid. A lot of faff (and expense) for little reward.
They may be great for slow-cooked casseroles, but you could buy a slow-cooker for £12 from Asda / Tesco which runs on the equivalent of a 60W bulb, rather than haemorrhaging money on oil or coal.
Moreover, the hobs on such things don't get very hot. The culinary equivalent of a bidet on a motorbike.
However, I suspect that's going to be the least of your concerns:
Barns
- Freezing in winter, roasting in summer
- Draughty. If it's gusting 80mph outside, it will be 30mph inside
- Impossible to heat
- Water pressure could be a problem if there's no space for a header tank
- You'll bang your head at least 50,000 times during your period of tenure - more if the bedroom is on a mezzanine
- More than likely no damp course - a problem if impermeable masonry paint has been applied on the outside
But would I change any of it given the character?
Naaaaah.
They may be great for slow-cooked casseroles, but you could buy a slow-cooker for £12 from Asda / Tesco which runs on the equivalent of a 60W bulb, rather than haemorrhaging money on oil or coal.
Moreover, the hobs on such things don't get very hot. The culinary equivalent of a bidet on a motorbike.
However, I suspect that's going to be the least of your concerns:
Barns
- Freezing in winter, roasting in summer
- Draughty. If it's gusting 80mph outside, it will be 30mph inside
- Impossible to heat
- Water pressure could be a problem if there's no space for a header tank
- You'll bang your head at least 50,000 times during your period of tenure - more if the bedroom is on a mezzanine
- More than likely no damp course - a problem if impermeable masonry paint has been applied on the outside
But would I change any of it given the character?
Naaaaah.
Mobile Chicane said:
A lot of faff (and expense) for little reward.
They may be great for slow-cooked casseroles, but you could buy a slow-cooker for £12 from Asda / Tesco which runs on the equivalent of a 60W bulb, rather than haemorrhaging money on oil or coal.
Listen to Hannah Hauxwell, she's talking sense man!They may be great for slow-cooked casseroles, but you could buy a slow-cooker for £12 from Asda / Tesco which runs on the equivalent of a 60W bulb, rather than haemorrhaging money on oil or coal.
brickwall said:
We've had a gas-fired Rayburn for 15 years now.
Ours seems to work pretty well as a CH boiler and only takes about 25 mins. to get up to full cooking temp. (ovens), though we can cook on the hob after about 5-10 mins. Are you sure yours is working properly or the right spec. for your system ? (different models have different heat outputs and they need to be matched to the rest of the CH system) - They're spectacularly inefficient for heating water/radiators. Get a normal central heating boiler for this.
- If they're off/turned down (i.e. overnight/in the summer) they take ages (1hr) to warm up again. This is a major pain if you just want to quickly cook a pizza or something. Make sure you have a 'normal' oven and hob as well.
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