AGA? Why?!

[Ivor Windybottom]

Isn't an Aga just an oven that you never switch off? I've never had one but know people with them, this website says they cost £24-£60 a week just to have sitting there...

Aga Cooker Running Costs

We're a small family business refurbishing Aga Cookers since 1988. We also convert Aga Cookers to eControl and Electrickit for lower running costs.

www.saltirecookers.com

...which I suspect is an under-estimate as they're flogging the things.

We have a heat pump heating system, which switches on only when it's cold. And an oven, which I switch on when I need to cook something.

Am I missing something or is this some sort of snobby madness?

 

[blup]

Get a rangemaster

 

[IT Minion]

They also double up as a boiler iirc.

 

[Si_]

I once rented a house with an aga. The owner said she'd like it kept on over winter and I said sure, no problem. The oil refill after six months was the best part of £1400 and I only used the thing twice.

 

[fillyboy]

A lot of my customers had them as they lived in old cottages of converted barns and farmhouses. I used to dread working near them in the summer months as they were permanently on. A couple of them kept me fed on Victoria Sponge made in the aga, one of them had a new electric aga fitted and the cakes were never quite the same, not sure why. Several of them had the old ones converted to electric but hellishly expensive to do and whilst being cheaper to run, still expensive.

 

[Notch7]

I took an old one out last year, they are flipping complicated inside, way more parts than you might think

And they full of loads of vermiculite - I had to spend ages vacuuming it out

 

[fillyboy]

I took an old one out last year, they are flipping complicated inside, way more parts than you might think

And they full of loads of vermiculite - I had to spend ages vacuuming it out

And very heavy.

 

[Koolpc]

I used to sleep in one...

 

[Mottie]

Most people who have an aga, have a real oven for cooking food properly in.

 

[transam]

Afaik aga no longer do gas ones ??

All
Leccy now ??

 

[robinbanks]

Am I missing something or is this some sort of snobby madness?

No. Yes.

 

[Odds]

They also double up as a boiler iirc.

k

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Glad to hear they really don't make any sense, as I suspected!

I'm guessing they did have a purpose when they were fueled by coal or wood, you could cook using solid fuel while heating your house, in an area or time when gas or electricity didn't exist.

But now? I find the idea of an electrically heated version the ultimate in stupidity. Heating wastefully with the most expensive heat source possible.

 

[Exedon]

I've been involved the the cast iron/range type cooker market for many years.
Was a agent for the much more efficient Stanley cooker (oil gas and solid fuel) and Bosky wood burning cookers .
I have a full time oil service engineer and look after a fair number of oil aga's .
As a group the aga owners are mostly eccentric and I can absolutely assure you if the aga ever stops you will get a phone call regardless of day or time.
My oil engineer is retiring in April so have already contacted all the aga owners, its been worse than announcing a death in the family! What are we going to do? Or you can't retire! have been normal reaction.
Aga's are just horribly inefficient but a certain group of people love them.

 

[aveatry]

Aga owners are the same as horse owners ---- you only have to be in their presence for 5 mins before they let you know that they have one