We take a look at how range cookers continue to resonate with the British consumer – from capacious cooking cavities through to a rainbow of colours

Collaborating with UK paint brand Dulux, Stoves introduced its colour of the year – Bright Skies –across its Richmond Deluxe range cookers.

A staple in any independent kitchen showroom, the range cooker continues to resonate with the British consumer.

It is seemingly able to reinvent itself, not only to meet interior trends but to be found by new groups of consumers.

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In fact, Stoves conducted consumer research, in 2019, which revealed range cooker owners are becoming younger.

It found 25-34 year olds were the highest proportion of consumers who had bought a range cooker in the past two years.

However, in light of the pandemic, it could be argued functionality has been at the core of range cooker sales.

Managing director of Bertazzoni UK and Ireland Maurizio Severgnini comments: “Despite multiple lockdowns bringing in-store shopping to a halt, the market for range cookers has seen a bounce back during the last 12 months and is now back to 2019 figures.

“We believe this is because more consumers are appreciating the vast number of benefits that range cookers provide or have been able to add one to their home following a refurbishment.”

Cooking function

With capacious cooking cavities, range cookers could meet the most arduous batch cooking schedule, created by the lockdowns, and for at-home entertaining now restrictions have lifted.

Adding to Smeg‘s existing Portofino range, the 900mm double cavity range cooker (CPF92) sits alongside the 900mm single cavity and 1200mm double cavity model.

Even before the pandemic, Stoves found in its research that consumers were seeking multi-function ovens, multiple cavities and a separate grill.

And range cookers are able to meet the most demanding cooking requirements, with technology such as splitters to divide tall ovens, through to dedicated steam cavities and pyrolytic technology for easy cleaning.

Maurizio Severgnini of Bertazzoni continues: “Range cookers facilitate a professional cooking experience in a home environment and modern range cookers, in particular, have the technology to allow this.

“Many now boast a variety of unique functions, such as integrated digital food probes and some even come with a rotisserie.”

He explains range cooking technology has not only borrowed from the built-in oven market but also from the hob sector.

Severgnini adds: “Cooktop technology has also advanced apace with induction models, such as that on our Professional Series 100cm induction top electric double oven, featuring a booster function for extra-fast boiling, as well as ‘boil and simmer’, which brings the pan to the boil and then slowly reduces to a simmer.”

Colour comeback

Of course, such a large-scale appliance must also fit with the demands of the latest interior styles.

Part of the Bertazzoni Professional Series is the 1000mm wide induction top, electric triple oven. It boasts 11 oven functions, including Defrosting and Pizza, and five induction zones.

When cookery TV shows started to find favour in schedules, the range cooker shed its farmhouse image for an industrial and restaurant-style aesthetic, focused on stainless steel.

Interestingly, however, with the revival of the classical kitchen, as well as the interior trend for personalisation, colour has made a return to the cooking appliance.

Maurizio Severgnini says he had noticed the move towards colour in his company’s sales, commenting: “Colours, textures and metallics are having their moment within interior design and for consumers who are looking to bring colourful, contemporary looks to their kitchen there are plenty of different options from bright and beautiful appliances through to subtle accents such as the range cookers in our Heritage Series.”

Natural inspiration

Interestingly, nature has most recently inspired the palette of British manufacturers Stoves and Rangemaster.

Expanding its offering, Rangemaster has introduced three Earth-inspired colours of Mineral Green, Stone Blue and matt Charcoal Black. The colours are available across seven cooker families

Stoves introduced the Dulux Colour of the Year – Brave Ground – to its Richmond Deluxe range cookers, last year and has now introduced Bright Skies as the colour of 2022.

It sees the company offer 10 colours as part of its Stoves 2020 Colour Boutique line.

While earlier this year, Rangemaster added three Earth-inspired colours – Mineral Green, Stone Blue and Charcoal Black – to seven cooker families, bringing its total number of colours to 17.

Brand and digital marketing manager at Rangemaster Emma Cowley continues: “With green and blue tones set to become an even bigger trend in kitchens over the next year, these three nature-inspired colours are designed to enrich everything from dark, dramatic cabinetry to sleek, neutral tones and natural wood finishes.

“The ever-multifunctional kitchen offers the perfect canvas to bring nature indoors and, unsurprisingly, biophilic design is gaining traction in the design world as a way to connect with the outdoors, make us feel good and benefit our health.”

She adds: “While a brushed stainless steel range cooker will always be popular in a modern kitchen, we continue to see consumers incorporating appliances in coloured finishes as a way to create individuality.”

Memorable marketing

Of course, colour not also provides a design advantage but can also make an independent showroom even more memorable, when consumers are shopping around for their new kitchen.

With a total capacity of 140 litres, the freestanding dual fuel range cooker (OR90SCG6B1) from Fisher & Paykel has nine oven functions, including Pastry Bake and Pizza. It also boasts a pyrolytic self-clean function.

Emma Cowley of Rangemaster explains how coloured range cookers can be an important marketing tool for the entire business: “For the retailer, an appliance in a vibrant finish taking centre stage in a showroom display – or on social media – can only be a good thing.

“Not only does it work to attract attention and draw people into a showroom, it’s also a great talking point and conversation starter. And of course, it looks fantastic too!”

With kitchen trends for 2021 focused on large capacity appliances, nostalgia and dining in, it’s easy to see how range cooking remains key to kitchen design – ticking all those boxes.

In fact, Severgnini concludes: “Whilst the built-in market will continue to grow, we do not believe this will be at the detriment of range cookers, which deliver both capacity and pleasure.”