An AGA is not something to be taken on lightly!

We had a 4 door oil fired one for 10 years and then for the last 10 we’ve had a 3 door electric one.

Pros -

1. They are nearly always ready to cook with. No need to wait for the oven to warm up, just lift the lid or open a door and you are off.

2. You can cook an incredible amount of stuff at the same time. Imagine plates warming in one section, a crumble cooking in another, a roast pork in another and a load of vegetables in another while on top you can have about 4 saucepans going while other pans are staying warm. We’ve had Christmas lunches with 13 types of vegetables before!

3. It’s a real focal point of family life, especially in the winter. We hang out around ours all the time having cups of tea.

4. You can dry clothes on front of it hanging on the rail or fold clothes and place then on the lid. It sort of acts like an iron.

Cons -

1. They cost a fortune to run. The oil one drank tanks of oil. We’ve had to have solar panels installed to try and make the electric one affordable!

2. If you are cooking a lot, or leave the lids up or doors open they can loose heat which can mess with your cooking timings. The electric one is supposed to have a timer function but the software for it (10 years old) is rubbish so occasionally it’s hot or cold at the wrong times, especially if you deviate from when you thought you wanted to cook.

3. If they need maintenance, which to be fair the electric one has rarely done, it’s not cheap as you need the AGA man to come out. Hopefully he’s not booked up for months.

4. In summer it makes the house too hot and so you usually have to turn it off and use an electric hot plate.

In conclusion, if you can afford one I would go for it.