Range Cookers vs Built In Ovens

Smeg range cooker built into white kitchen

When it comes to the wonderful world of cooking appliances and namely ovens, there are two options one must consider. The freestanding range cooker or a built in oven. In this post, we are going to compare the two based on a number of factors to help inform your decision of what cooking appliance to go for.

Before we go any further, let’s explain the basic differences between the two.

Range Cookers


A range cooker is freestanding model, that normally has a grill, oven and hobs all in the same unit.

Built in Ovens


A built in oven is pretty self-explanatory. There’s no other cavities or chambers to use and it is designed to be integrated into a work top or cabinet.

We have wide selections of both range cookers and built in ovens on our website from some market-leading brands. We only stock our appliances from brands that we know and trust, so you can browse from both sections on our website with confidence.

Bear in mind that there is no ‘winner’ or ‘loser’ between these two. It comes down to your personal preference for what each type of oven has to offer.

Freestanding vs Built In – Which is Right for Me?

The first thing to consider and compare is their design. Range cookers are all freestanding units that often contain everything you need to cook anything within its design. Everything bar a microwave. Built in ovens are normally just a single oven chamber that needs to be installed into bespoke cabinets or worktops. You can opt for a double built in oven however, to open up more cooking possibilities.

So why should you consider freestanding? A freestanding range cooker will fit into any space in your kitchen. It can just be slotted into a gap in the cabinets. It stands alone as an appliance and a unit, and you could take it with you to a new home. If you get one, and then decide you want to rejig your kitchen layout, it’s really easy to fit it into your new design.

However, the built in oven also has a lot going for it. A built in oven will blend into the design of your kitchen. It won’t stand out quite as much as an eye catching appliance, but the integrated aspect of it can help to achieve some really sleek and seamless kitchen designs. If you are tight on space in your kitchen, this takes up barely any.

Shop from our line of Range Cookers from the likes of top brands such as Rangemaster, Smeg and Belling. Top quality for low prices. Buy online today!

Take Me There

How do I Pick the Best Colour for My Cooker?

Does your kitchen need a splash of colour? Range cookers can come in a variety of bright hues and tones that could add a dynamic element to your kitchen in a way that you weren’t thinking of. Built in ovens do come in different colours but nowhere near as much as range cookers can and do.

Take our line of Rangemaster Range Cookers for example. With colours from Royal Pearl to Cranberry to Ivory, don’t think of a range cooker as simply just a cooking appliance, but as a striking design element in your home. If colour is a big thing for you, you’ll want to consider a range cooker for sure.


What Features do Freestanding and Built In Cookers Have?

There are certain features in both that should help you inform your decision. For example, are you cooking for a family? Or do you like to entertain guests often?

Oven Space

Range cookers typically have 50% more oven space in them than a built in oven does. As there are different compartments in a range cooker, you can cook different dishes at the same time at different temperatures too.

Hob Choices

Range cookers come with hobs as standard. You also have a choice on what kind of hobs come with your range cooker. An induction range cooker for example, is a great addition to any kitchen.

Easy-to-clean

 You can also choose to get some easy-to-clean models with pyrolytic and catalytic self-cleaning functions. This makes cleaning your oven much easier to do. It’s an important task for keeping it firing on all cylinders and getting the most out of your oven.

Eye-level Height

Having said this, a built-in oven gives you a bit more choice on positioning. For instance, if you don’t like having to bend down to retrieve your food every time, or you have a condition that makes this hard for you, a built-in oven can be installed at eye level. It’s easy to see how your food is doing, and equally as easy to get when it’s finished cooking. It sounds like a small thing, but it actually makes quite a big difference.

Create Your Own Range

Need everything a range cooker has, but prefer what the built in oven has to offer? You can create your own range cooker out of separate built in units. For example, say you would like two oven cavities, a grill and a hob. You can get the former two as built in units or as a built in double oven and position your hobs anywhere in your kitchen, especially if they’re electric or induction hobs. This gives you some more freedom in the design of your kitchen and for some people, is a much more beneficial option than having it all built into the same unit. As range cookers frequently cost more than built in ovens, this may be a better option for you price-wise.


Energy Efficiency

A big thing that you’d want to consider is the energy efficiency and running cost of each. There is no discernible difference between the running cost of a range cooker and a built in oven. If your range cooker is also controlling the heating, then it will inevitably use more energy than a built in oven.

Also consider that as the range cooker has more ways for it use energy e.g. multiple oven cavities, grill and hobs, it will cost more than a built in oven to run if you use all of these features. But if you were to compare the oven in a range cooker to a built in oven, there would be almost no noticeable difference.

Appliance City & Rangemaster

With this comparison of range cookers of built in ovens, you can make an informed decision of what would be the best option for you and your kitchen. For more capacity, all your cooking features in one place and a splash of colour, a range cooker should definitely be considered. If you want something a bit cheaper, with a sleeker design that will integrate well with the rest of the kitchen, a built in oven is for you

You may be asking yourself now, which range cooker is best? Head over to our full selection of range cookers to browse from our stock, made up of products from market-leading brands. With range cookers from the likes of Rangemaster, Smeg, Bertazzoni, Belling and more, we’ve got a fantastic array for you to choose from. If built in ovens sounded more up your street, you can see our full selection here. For more helpful guides about range cookers, see below:

Need more information?