Homes & Gardens
Hot Stuff: 5 Cookers That Make Great Eco Alternatives To The Aga
If you love the look and idea of an old-school Aga but want a more eco- and running cost-effective option, do consider these five greener alternatives to the traditional Aga.
An Aga is an undeniably beautiful thing. Along with butler sinks and wood burners, they have long been counted amongst the most longed-for of home comforts, a signifier of the homely and convivial country kitchen so many of us aspire to. Always hot thanks to their model of radiating heat off metal plates, they are ever on standby to deliver an especially delicious Sunday roast or a richly comforting farmhouse-style cake – all while heating the kitchen beautifully.
The flipside to all this is, of course, that they consume energy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And, as we live through a cost of living crisis and a climate emergency, that can start to feel harder to justify and, indeed, to afford. So, what can you put instead of an Aga? It just so happens that there are some equally lovely alternatives to Agas that cost less to run and do not impact the environment in the same way.
If you are considering installing a new country-style range cooker, do first take a look at our top five eco-friendly alternatives to the Aga.
Main image: Everhot
Everhot cannot lay claim to being cheaper to buy than Aga. However, when the company was founded in the 1970s, it was with the aim of producing range cookers that would provide a more energy efficient alternative while dropping no balls in the style stakes. As such, it runs on electricity and, even better, an Everhot’s peak electricity demand is a fraction of that needed by other heat storage range cookers. We love the colours too, which come in the gamut from the traditional pastel shades associated with Agas to more eye-popping options such as Fandango pink and tangerine. Its range of equally rainbow-hued stoves is also hard to resist. Explore the range here.
If you like the look of the Aga but want something that runs on a more modern and energy efficient system, then do consider The Rangemaster Elan. A dual-fuel model with gas hobs, it can be run as an all-electric model with five ceramic or induction hobs. Available in black, cream, cranberry, olive green, royal pearl and stone blue, it’s a looker too. Explore the range here.
Founded in 1854, Esse has had a good number of years to perfect its craft. And perfect it it has. As such, its best-selling electric range cooker is a triumph of style and substance. The surround heat means that it offers a more even temperature, and thus gets exceptional results, plus, it is outstandingly efficient too, costing as little as £1 a day to run. Available in white, cream and black, it also has some more arresting options you could go with: pepper, sage and shadow. They don’t come cheap, but this quintessentially British brand does make them to last. Explore the range here.
You can rely on Smeg to deliver in the style stakes. Happily, its Victoria model is practical too; running on dual fuel, its two ovens feature Smeg's Circulaire function, which means that you can expect no flavour transfer when cooking different food types at the same time. Rated class A for energy efficiency, it also has some 13 shelves in total, making it perfect for batch cooking, thus saving on time too. Explore the range here.
If, in ditching the traditional Aga, you also want to bid farewell to the aesthetic and opt for something altogether slicker, then it might be a moment to consider Italian brand, Bertazzoni. Dual fuel and with a multifunctional main oven, it is not only energy efficient but made from recycled materials too, thus ticking all the eco boxes. Plus, it’s more affordable than some of the others and looks sharps as can be too. Explore the range here.
By Nancy Alsop
January 2024
The flipside to all this is, of course, that they consume energy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And, as we live through a cost of living crisis and a climate emergency, that can start to feel harder to justify and, indeed, to afford. So, what can you put instead of an Aga? It just so happens that there are some equally lovely alternatives to Agas that cost less to run and do not impact the environment in the same way.
If you are considering installing a new country-style range cooker, do first take a look at our top five eco-friendly alternatives to the Aga.
Main image: Everhot
Everhot Stoves, from £7,095
Everhot cannot lay claim to being cheaper to buy than Aga. However, when the company was founded in the 1970s, it was with the aim of producing range cookers that would provide a more energy efficient alternative while dropping no balls in the style stakes. As such, it runs on electricity and, even better, an Everhot’s peak electricity demand is a fraction of that needed by other heat storage range cookers. We love the colours too, which come in the gamut from the traditional pastel shades associated with Agas to more eye-popping options such as Fandango pink and tangerine. Its range of equally rainbow-hued stoves is also hard to resist. Explore the range here.
The Rangemaster Elan, from £2,399
If you like the look of the Aga but want something that runs on a more modern and energy efficient system, then do consider The Rangemaster Elan. A dual-fuel model with gas hobs, it can be run as an all-electric model with five ceramic or induction hobs. Available in black, cream, cranberry, olive green, royal pearl and stone blue, it’s a looker too. Explore the range here.
Esse 1000T, £10,465
Founded in 1854, Esse has had a good number of years to perfect its craft. And perfect it it has. As such, its best-selling electric range cooker is a triumph of style and substance. The surround heat means that it offers a more even temperature, and thus gets exceptional results, plus, it is outstandingly efficient too, costing as little as £1 a day to run. Available in white, cream and black, it also has some more arresting options you could go with: pepper, sage and shadow. They don’t come cheap, but this quintessentially British brand does make them to last. Explore the range here.
Smeg Victoria TR103 Dual Fuel Range Cooker, £2,999
You can rely on Smeg to deliver in the style stakes. Happily, its Victoria model is practical too; running on dual fuel, its two ovens feature Smeg's Circulaire function, which means that you can expect no flavour transfer when cooking different food types at the same time. Rated class A for energy efficiency, it also has some 13 shelves in total, making it perfect for batch cooking, thus saving on time too. Explore the range here.
Bertazzoni MAS905MFED Twin Dual Fuel Range Cooker, £2,499
If, in ditching the traditional Aga, you also want to bid farewell to the aesthetic and opt for something altogether slicker, then it might be a moment to consider Italian brand, Bertazzoni. Dual fuel and with a multifunctional main oven, it is not only energy efficient but made from recycled materials too, thus ticking all the eco boxes. Plus, it’s more affordable than some of the others and looks sharps as can be too. Explore the range here.
By Nancy Alsop
January 2024
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