Aga cookers were invented 80 years ago by Nobel prize winner Gustav Dálen who was blinded in an industrial accident and subsequently spent a lot of time at home watching his wife cooking. He realised that if he invented a cooker with a variety of ovens and hotplates that her work would be easier and so the cast iron Aga cooker was born.
If your grandparents have ever had an Aga, they conjure up wonderful memories of apple pie, griddle bread toasting and soups and stews bubbling away. Anyone who has ever been in a home with an Aga will know how cosy they make the entire house. There’s a lovely warm glow from an Aga the like of which you’ll never get from any other type of heating. Traditional Aga’s require a constant source of heat and are ‘always on’. This means the hot plates are able to be used at any stage throughout the day for simmering, boiling or stewing. So, at any one time you can be preparing a variety of dishes easily. Moreover, you can also have a cake in one oven, a casserole in another and warming your plates in the warm oven ready to serve up your culinary delights.
Traditional Aga cookers require a constant source of fuel, usually gas, coal or oil to run. As they’re always on it means that there’s a constant cosy glow throughout your home, so they’re great for family homes where there are people in and out throughout the day. Most modern Aga cookers are electric and can be switched on and off easily.
If you do have an older Aga cooker and would prefer to have more control over it, then it is possible to convert a coal, oil or gas fired Aga to electric with a conversion kit. This means that you will be able to have more control over when your Aga is turned on and how you use it. So for example, in the summer time you can turn your Aga off and then turn it on again when you feel you want to use it more coming into Autumn. Moreover, each hot plate and oven is easier to thermostatically control.
Aga cookers are so versatile for cooking that you’ll wonder what you ever did before you had one. You can almost cook dishes without having to think about it, because they’ll just simmer and bubble and roast away on a fairly gentle heat. Converting your Aga to electric means that you won’t have a flue to emit noxious fumes or particulates and as a consequence the Aga will be more environmentally friendly. Modern day electric Agas also require less servicing as servicing intervals are reduced because you are not burning fossil fuels. Plus, you can also control them with your smartphone and have them ready to cook your meals straight away when you get home in the evening.
The experience of cooking on an Aga can never be equalled on a conventional convection oven. Agas have their very own personality and modern day electric Agas are so easy to control because they keep a constant thermostatic temperature as they have no flue. Moreover, there’s much less chance of fire or fuel leakage if you are using an electric Aga and they’re a bit cheaper to run because they don’t always have to be left on. This gives you more choice and flexibility in the summer when you don’t want the heat emanating from the Aga.
The Aga represents longevity and quality like no other. Given that the Aga brand itself is almost 100 years old, man Aga cookers are still going strong 40 years later. This faithful and solid servant is still a very popular and practical choice for many family homes. Not only do people love the glow that the cast aga frontage gives off, but they also love the versatility of having different hotplates and ovens enables. Owning an Aga gives you membership of a very exclusive club. Aga owners know quality and longevity and appreciate good design. It’s no surprise that the aga has been around for almost a century, and it couldn’t have happened without it being a really high quality product.
If you want to make a statement, a cast iron Aga represents tradition like nothing else can. This cast iron beauty stores the heat wonderfully and gives the cosiest glow and enables you to cook a variety of wonderful cuisine to boot. So if you’re considering new cooker for your home, make sure you consider all the pros and cons and get the advice of an Aga specialist before you finally make your choice. Buying a cooker like any home appliance is a very important purchase and expert advice will help you make the right choice for your family and home. Whatever your choice in Aga cookers, you won’t be disappointed by how it creates a wonderful atmosphere and glow in your home.
