Dual Fuel Cookers

Buying a Dual Fuel Cooker

Dual fuel cookers, as the name suggests, require two fuel supplies - gas and electricity - and, as such, offer the advantages associated with both types of supply. Gas hob burners, for example, offer fast response, and easy, visible control, while electric ovens offer, for example, more even baking, and are better at self-cleaning, so a combination of the two, in a single cooker, can give you the best of both worlds.

In addition to their obvious attractions from a culinary point of view, most dual fuel cookers are rated "A", or, at worst, "B", for energy efficiency, under the European Union Energy Label system, meaning that they incur acceptably low costs, to you, financially, as a consumer, and in environmental terms.

Dual fuel cookers are available in many designs, from the traditional to the more contemporary, and a range of sizes, colours and finishes to suit almost any kitchen environment, but there are some important factors that you need to consider before making your final purchasing decision.

Considerations

Accomodation

In order to accommodate a dual fuel cooker, you will need, fairly obviously, sufficient space for it - which, in itself, should not be too much of a problem, as cookers are available in widths of 600mm, or so, and upwards (dimensions of height, and depth, do tend to be fairly standard) - and correctly installed electricity and gas supplies. The Electrolux EKM6044WN Dual Fuel and Smeg SUK61MFX5 Dual Fuel models, for example, both have standard dimensions, of 900mm x 600mm x 600mm.

Electricity

The electricity supply to a cooker, of any description - and dual fuel cookers are no exception - is usually provided by its own radial circuit (that is, not connected to the ordinary household circuit), and protected by its own 30 ampere, or greater, fuse. If you are in any doubt about your requirements, it is vital that you consult a professional electrician before installing a cooker.

Gas

Gas supply may be supplied from the standard, domestic supply, or in the form of LPG, the generic name for commercial propane and butane gases, which can be obtained in the form of individual cylinder, or bulk tank supply. It may be possible, with some dual fuel cooker models, to switch between the two forms of supply, but if you do intend to do this, be careful to check the manufacturer's specification before proceeding. One of the fundamental reasons for doing so is that, cubic foot for cubic foot, LPG contains more than twice the energy of natural gas, and the connection of unsuitable appliances can have catastrophic results. As with the electricity supply, make sure that you consult a registered professional - in this case a CORGI ("Council for Registered Gas Installers") member - with regard to your connection, and handling of gas supplies, if need be. Doing it yourself may seem tempting, but the - not insignificant - dangers involved in doing so aside, problems with warranties, or even supply itself, may ensue, if anything goes wrong.

Useful Features

Useful features include automatic ignition, safety systems - such as "flame failure" device, which automatically terminates the gas supply to a burner, should the flame be extinguished by accident - and a range of ergonomic pan supports, in, for example, cast iron or enamelled styles. Gas is also far more energy efficient than electricity. The Indesit KD6G35M Dual Fuel Cooker, and the Stoves SN DF600SIDOm White Dual Fuel Cooker, as examples, both feature gas hobs.

Gas - Strengths

Gas is the natural choice for a hob, as it is fast and easy to control. Gas hobs are available in standard, four burner designs - usually one small, two medium, and one large burner, ranging from, perhaps, 1 kW ("kilowatt") to 3 kW in output - or, for the larger kitchen, designs featuring more, larger burners, and special additions, such as a wok burner and support. Remember, however, when choosing the number, and size, of gas burners that you require, that clearance - a minimum of 750mm - and ventilation, is required, above the hob, to prevent fire and carbon monoxide hazards, and to comply with HSE ("Health and Safety Executive") and CORGI regulations.

Electricity - Strengths

Electricity also has some advantages, and is usually the fuel of choice for ovens and grills. Electric ovens, nowadays, take advantage of fairly sophisticated technology, for example, in the form of versatile cooking programmes, fans and variable heating, from the top, bottom and sides, to produce an even distribution of heat throughout the oven. Another significant advantage of electric ovens is that many models - particularly those at the higher, more expensive, end of the market - employ "pyrolytic" (high temperature), or "catalytic" (normal operating temperature) methods of self-cleaning, to keep grease, grime and soil to a minimum, without any user intervention whatsoever. The Cannon C60DPX Dual Fuel Cooker, for example, has a fan assisted, programmable oven, while the Zanussi ZCM651X Dual Fuel Cooker has a multifunction oven, with an easy to clean interior. Similar comments apply to electric grills, which also cook food more evenly, and most of these now include thermostatic control, for more predictable cooking results. Electric grills cool down more quickly, and are easier to clean, than the gas alternatives, and, environmentally, offer significant reductions in the level of carbon monoxide emissions.

Conclusion

Dual fuel cookers combine the instant heat and controllability of gas with the speed and convenience of electricity, and, chosen carefully, can add a new dimension to the whole culinary experience - both in terms of the speed and ease of preparation, and the quality of the end product. They are also more affordable than you might imagine - indeed, prices are falling all the while - and this, coupled with the likely reduction in your overall energy bill, means that a duel fuel cooker is a sensible, and attractive, option from an economic, as well as a practical, point of view. The debate regarding the relative merits of electric, versus gas, cooking, will, no doubt, continue to rage for quite some time yet, so, perhaps, now is the time to sample a little of each, and make up your own mind.