So, you've taken the plunge and bought yourself an AGA / Rayburn cooker. Learning to use an AGA cooker is a very different experience to other conventional ovens, but after a little patience and experience you will be getting the most out of your cooker and cooking delicious meals.
The first step to understanding your new AGA or Rayburn cooker is to understand how everything works. The cooker functions quite differently to a lot of other cookers, so you may have to prioritize the way you cook things. With conventional cookers, the majority of the cooking process typically takes place on the hobs; however, with an AGA cooker you should be using the oven itself as the primary cooking facility.
The reason why you should be cooking in the oven itself wherever possible is because the cooker loses a lot more heat with the hob lids up. AGA ovens also tend to perform better than their competitors as they usually cook more evenly, with less of a tendency to dry out the food that is being cooked.
AGA or Rayburn stoves are designed for slow cooking, so it's not uncommon to leave them unattended for long periods of time. However, you must be careful of spillages because as the oven is almost always on, these stains can dry out very quickly and damage the cooker, meaning that they will require AGA / Rayburn servicing. It's also important that you only use cleaning products that have been approved for the oven otherwise the appearance and the quality of the oven will likely be reduced.
If you own an AGA or Rayburn stove, it's very important to get it serviced regularly. The manufacturers recommend that your cooker be serviced at least every year and that is especially important if your AGA / Rayburn cooker burns oil. Small carbon deposits can build up in the pipes that feed the oil burner which will cause the stove to malfunction. AGA / Rayburn services do apply to all stoves, however, no matter what fuel they burn. It is possible to perform your own DIY service, but in the majority of cases it is wise to hire a professional who has accredited the relevant AGA and Rayburn training courses.
If you are undertaking AGA / Rayburn servicing it is important to note that you have to ensure that your cooker has been switched off for at least 24 hours before an engineer can work on the unit because that period of time is required to allow the cooker to cool down completely.