If kitchens are the heart of the home, then range cookers are the heart of the kitchen. They act as the centrepiece or pièce de résistance of the room, filling it with character – and even heating it, too. It’s the essential ingredient for any keen cook, large household or family that loves entertaining. No kitchen appliance is coveted quite like it. As most range cookers mirror the warm, curved lines of a traditional Aga, they sit particularly well in country or shaker-style kitchens – but with all the cutting-edge technology of the smartest and most contemporary designs in colours hot off the catwalk, they are just as at home in modern kitchens too. These days you can even find a blend of the two; with traditional-looking ranges featuring ultra-modern induction hobs. And although range cookers don’t come cheap, they’re certainly worth the investment.

1082 Dual Fuel Range Cooker in Blueberry, £4,300, Mercury

(Image credit: Liquid Image)

1082 Dual Fuel Range Cooker in Blueberry, £4,300, Mercury

This range cooker comes singing This range cooker comes singing and dancing with a huge cooking area, two ovens, separate grill and stainless steel hob. With its simple, chunky handles, clean lines and sleek induction cooktop, it’s the perfect fit for a chic contemporary kitchen.

TR4110I Electric Induction Range Cooker,£2,629, Smeg

TR4110I Electric Induction Range Cooker,£2,629, Smeg

It’s not just the on-trend shade that make this Smeg design ultra-desirable. It boasts an AA-rating for energy, making it cheaper to run than its power-guzzling cousins. It also has a stone for making pizzas, and an induction hob which wipes clean with ease.

900 Deluxe Electric InductionRange Cooker in China Blue, £3,179, Falcon

(Image credit: matt oliver)

900 Deluxe Electric InductionRange Cooker in China Blue, £3,179, Falcon

This sleek design in blue is not just a pretty face. It has a clever energy saving panel that allows you to split the oven in half – so you can use the full oven for making your Sunday roast with all the trimmings, the transform it into a compact, economical single oven for smaller meals. Genius.

Macon Classic Dual Fuel Range Cooker,from £4,190, Lacanche

(Image credit: RAVASSOD)

Macon Classic Dual Fuel Range Cooker,from £4,190, Lacanche

Perfect for whipping up a feast for friends, this range has not one but two large 55-litre ovens – perfect for slow roasting melt-in-the-mouth meat – plus a third, smaller oven and grill that heats at a quicker speed. The fourth compartment is ideal for warming plates and keeping food warm so even late arrivals can have a hot dish. Not so keen on the lavender finish? It’s also available in 29 further colours, with 6 different metallic finishes to choose from.

JLRC922 Dual Fuel Range Cooker,£1,099, John Lewis

JLRC922 Dual Fuel Range Cooker,£1,099, John Lewis

If you love the range look but can’t spare the room, this compact two-door cooker still ticks all the boxes; with an AA-energy rating, 105 litre oven capacity, a five-burner hob and even a handy built-in digital clock with minute minder – all at a price that won’t bust the budget.

Three Oven Dual Fuel Range Cooker,£10,595, Aga

Three Oven Dual Fuel Range Cooker,£10,595, Aga

They say size doesn’t matter – but we’d beg to differ, particularly when it comes to the traditional AGA that all other range cookers were first modelled on. It’s capacious, with four ovens, has two hotplates that are always ready to go, and keeps the kitchen toasty all year round. The only downside? It’s admittedly expensive to run.

Three Oven Dual Fuel Range Cooker,£10,595, Aga

Three Oven Dual Fuel Range Cooker,£10,595, Aga

They say size doesn’t matter – but we’d beg to differ, particularly when it comes to the traditional AGA that all other range cookers were first modelled on. It’s capacious, with four ovens, has two hotplates that are always ready to go, and keeps the kitchen toasty all year round. The only downside? It’s admittedly expensive to run.

Lotte Brouwer

Lotte is the Digital Editor for Livingetc, and has been with the website since its launch. She has a background in online journalism and writing for SEO, with previous editor roles at Good Living, Good Housekeeping, Country & Townhouse, and BBC Good Food among others, as well as her own successful interiors blog. When she's not busy writing or tracking analytics, she's doing up houses, two of which have features in interior design magazines. She's just finished doing up her house in Wimbledon, and is eyeing up Bath for her next project.