Okay right here we’re, let’s speak about this stunning elephant within the room. Our new range which is a refurbished Cream 4-Oven AGA cooker. It has been a very long time to get so far, and there’s nonetheless a lot work round this area and this cooker, however I couldn’t wait till your entire kitchen was buttoned again collectively, and since we’re taking fairly a little bit of the renovation right here on this area and some others, it could possibly be months earlier than all of it comes collectively. I’ve dreamed of this cooker for a few years as I pined over previous English cottage kitchens I’d research in books & on-line that every one had a model of this cooker in them. So let’s get into a bit of QA kind of weblog to reply a number of the questions you could have about this cooker, and the way we will got here round to convey it to the farm.
What’s an AGA
If you happen to don’t know what an AGA cooker is or solely acknowledge them from a couple of kitchens, let me offer you a short run down. AGA cookers had been first invented in 1922 by a Swedish physicist named Gustaf Dalén. Dalén was blinded in an accident whereas working with strain vessels, so he got down to create a cooker that didn’t require fixed consideration. He got here up with the thought of utilizing forged iron to retain warmth and constructed a cooker that could possibly be left on on a regular basis with out the necessity for adjusting the temperature. Your entire unit is insulated with a couple of totally different layers from inside the physique to the gaskets on the door.
When trying on the oven every door has a pre-determined temperature, give or take a couple of levels, when the cooker is introduced as much as operating temperature. Prime proper is the Roasting Oven, backside proper is the Baking Oven, prime left is the Simmering Oven, and the underside left is the Warming Oven. The middle door is the place the burner meeting is positioned. There’s a little variable right here however roughly the roasting oven is about to about 450-460 diploma, the baking oven at 350 levels, the simmering oven is near 250 and the warming oven is nearer to 150 diploma. I intend on utilizing a laser temperature reader to learn totally different areas however typically talking these are good temperatures to reference when cooking.
The highest has a warming plate, that’s fairly scorching. You’ll be able to faucet it along with your hand however you may’t actually depart it on the waring plate. The middler is the boiling plate, the most well liked a part of the cooker, and the far proper is the simmering plate. The very cool factor in regards to the simmering plate is you may cook dinner immediately on it, so we now have already accomplished grilled cheese and cheese quesadilla for Copey.
Okay let’s get into the QA for this magnificence.
Aren’t They Costly?
Lets get the massive query out of the best way. The worth. We bought this Pre-Owned– sure, Pre-Owned. There’s truly a reasonably substantial marketplace for pre-owned AGA’s that brokers and installers have on-hand right here within the US, capable of be shipped to your house. We had no thought this was a risk so we assumed we might by no means be capable to personal an AGA cooker, however in the future with some willpower we found this world of used AGA cookers & so we needed to share that with all of you in case it’s been your dream to have on as properly. We bought ours from Chef Cargo (hyperlink) and had a beautiful expertise. Matt gave us an inventory of installers in our areas in addition to observe on steps after we bought that began us on our planning journey. A fast google search will present you that Model New Forged Iron AGA’s promote for north of 3ok, I can completely guarantee you that we didn’t pay that, Pre-Owned AGA’s promote for a spread of 70-75% off new value factors. After ours had been shipped, we fell proper inside that vary of 70-75% off model new costs. And for a number of the Ranges we had been , the extra typical ones, we had been on the similar value level.
How you can you go from on-line buy to totally put in?
So as soon as you buy your AGA on-line or in-person, I like to recommend you discover an installer to see if you will get them to return onsite forward of your set up and look over your area. We didn’t do that, and I misplaced quite a lot of sleep over this, however over the telephone and thru the usage of a digital copy of the producers specs and dimensions to get our area constructed out for the cooker.
We’ve an Open Flute 4-0ven AGA, which required a B-Vent put in to vent out via the roof. There are two variations of those Cookers, the Open flute, which is the uncovered vertical black pipe going up an out of the home, and direct vent, which isn’t uncovered. Fortunately we had a pre-excisiting venting for our earlier hood, that we used to route our new B-Vent comparatively simply. This did require a separate skilled to put in the vent. While you name round you realized this isn’t a brilliant widespread equipment, we discovered that wooden range and hearth installers had been essentially the most knowledgable for this software.
The AGA tough top is 33 1/2 inches tall. We constructed a bit of platform to lift it as much as our counter top. This appears to be regular follow in most kitchens so a bit of step up platform most certainly will likely be required. We constructed ours into our Range Cove with lumber and plywood. We lined the highest with factor aluminum sheeting and confronted this step up with full bricks that our masons put in.
The installer did point out that the edges, again, and backside needs to be a non-combustable materials. So we had cement board, our brick veneer, and prime plated the step with a skinny layer aluminum nailed in place.
To put in the AGA you have to to discover a licensed/licensed AGA installer. The AGA when shipped is available in two crates and it’s assembled in place. I feel roughly the AGA weights about 1200 lbs, so as soon as its put in its not sliding wherever. This isn’t a type of, “solely licensed installer” situations, like connecting fuel strains, or putting in a water heater, the place owners with some widespread sense can deal with the duty, that is a completely no method round it, skilled installer required.
We used Rob from The Aga Studio (Hyperlink), fortunately he’s from Michigan, however he has been known as to put in from Georgia to Mackinac Island, and all over the place in-between. The set up takes about 1 1/2 days and had a beautiful time studying in regards to the set up, components, anticipated service and upkeep, in addition to some ideas and methods as he owns a couple of. Rob additionally does refurbish and resell pre-owned AGA’s as properly with some very-very aggressive costs as properly.
The place can I discover one?
The dealer we used was Chef Cargo, and our Installer has some as properly, The AGA Studio. We’ve discovered some on Fb Market as properly for wherever from $5k-9k. Additionally basic on-line looking is a good suggestion as your space could have them on the market in different capacities too. My advice can be to look to see if in case you have an installer close by and see if they’ve one on the market, or know of anybody promoting. We discovered that some folks buy a house with an AGA that don’t need them, in order that they name an installer to take away them or attempt to promote them. If there aren’t any present purchaser the Installers will take away them and buy them and hold them readily available. The perfect half about this, is there’s much less palms within the course of, and the installer sometimes will refurbish them as soon as they’ve them.
Are you able to Change the Shade?
Sure and no. The enamel prime and entrance could be recolored and re-glazed, nonetheless our installer was not conscious of anybody in the USA and solely an organization within the UK. The worth would price to ship it method and ship it again can be near the price of a pre-owned AGA of a distinct colour.
Why Cream?
We had been going between a cream and a white unit. We chosen the cream for a couple of causes. We felt it complimented a brick veneer higher, in addition to begin are transition into bringing a bit of extra colour into this area. We additionally liked that cream was the ORIGINAL colour of the AGA cookers so it has that historic appeal to it. We could have no different home equipment close to this area so we additionally had no different equipment colours to work round.
What Prep work did you want to do?
- We began with eradicating the previous kitchen cupboards we had in place.
- Then we eliminated the stone wall that was beforehand put in once we bought the house.
- Recognized the range cove had been the AGA was going. Decided the help beneath, which we had a full block wall beneath to help the beforehand put in stone wall.
- My brother, Johnnie Debruin Builders, corrected some structural points and get a brand new header in place that was probably inflicting a couple of points within the ground above. He created a step as much as convey the AGA to our present counter top and framed the cove and cement boarded the inside partitions to be prepared for the masons.
- There was some electrical ran within the cove that wanted to be re-routed and repurposed, in addition to creating a brand new swap plate finding for the brand new pantry.
- We added a water line for a future pot filler and area of interest to be put in within the cove.
- We then had our masons, Brixstone Masonry, set up brick veneer.
- As soon as the AGA installer was onsite we decide the very best inlet and placement for the fuel, and put in a model new 1/2 inch line beneath.
Does it make your Kitchen Sizzling?
I learn someplace that it was so properly insulated you may’t actually really feel any warmth. I don’t suppose that’s totally true. While you get a couple of ft from the AGA you may inform its on. The warming plate does kick out a little bit of radiant warmth. Lots of seasoned AGA homeowners make the most of this to assist dry garments, moist boots, and different issues. Our house is fairly broad open with quite a lot of home windows, we’re at all times catching breezes, as well as we now have a beefy attic fan that will get air shifting. We must see if it creates any un-comfort this summer time, however at this second it isn’t making your entire area hotter, however subsequent to it you may really feel its heat. The doorways, and Hob covers (scorching plate domes) do hold in a ton of the warmth. Once more we are going to shoot this so you may see how how it’s open, closed, close to and much.
What’s left for across the AGA?
We’ve water ran to the area of interest above we simply want to choose a backsplash tile for the again of the area of interest wall.
We bought some vintage ceiling tin that we plant on putting in.
We try to find out our lighting state of affairs if we want one thing over prime or not.
The flooring in entrance (and all through the kitchen) goes to get up to date as properly.
Have you ever Cooked on it but?
Sure we now have. As soon as it was put in it took a few 2 days to get to temperature. We’ve solely had it for lower than every week now, so we’re nonetheless studying the method, however we’ve had household spaghetti, grilled rooster fajitas, and quesadillas. Burgers, Salmon, and Rooster are on the menu within the subsequent few days. As soon as we get extra snug with it, I’m so excited to do a full Turkey or some bigger gadgets, in addition to discovering some wholesome baking recipes to do frequently. Copey is obsessive about baking so we’re on a mission this summer time to make this a routine– he’s actually good with remembering the directions and its simply a lot enjoyable.
You’ll be able to see extra in regards to the AGA cooker as we go & extra of our kitchen Renovations [HERE]
