As the days grow shorter and the evenings draw in, the kitchen becomes more than just a place to cook - it turns into the heart of the home. The warmth from the oven, the sound of something gently simmering on the hob, and the comforting aroma of home-cooked food all combine to make winter feel a little more inviting. There is something deeply satisfying about preparing hearty, wholesome meals while the weather does its worst outside. 

This is the season for slow roasts, rich sauces and unhurried meals that bring everyone together. The pace of life feels different in winter - more time spent indoors, more excuses to gather round the table, more appreciation for simple comforts. A good range cooker fits perfectly into this rhythm. It is not just a kitchen appliance but a dependable companion, designed for the kind of generous, warming dishes that make the colder months feel cosier. 

With its spacious ovens, powerful hobs and clever features, a range cooker can make cooking for winter both effortless and enjoyable. It handles big family dinners just as easily as a quiet evening meal for two, keeping everything warm, consistent and ready when you are.

As the temperature drops outside, let's take a closer look at the features that make a range cooker such a valuable ally through the winter months - helping you create comforting meals and a kitchen that truly feels alive.

 

1. Multiple Ovens for Flexible Feasts

When the festive season approaches, oven space becomes precious. A range cooker with two or more ovens gives you the freedom to prepare several dishes at once - roasting meat in one, crispy potatoes in another, and perhaps a crumble quietly baking away on the shelf below. Each oven can run at a different temperature, so you can juggle complex meals without compromise. 

Many models include both multifunction and fanned ovens, giving you the choice between even, all-round heat or something a little more food focused. It is the kind of flexibility that makes hosting in winter feel much more manageable - and a lot more enjoyable.

For instance, you might have:

• A fanned oven providing rapid, even heat for roasting meats and vegetables.
• A conventional oven offering top-to-bottom heat gradients perfect for baking.
• A slow cook or warming oven maintaining a gentle heat for casseroles, soups or keeping dishes ready to serve.

For large family meals or festive entertaining, this multi-oven setup transforms your range into a culinary powerhouse.

 

2. Slow Cooking for Effortless Comfort

There is something magical about returning home to a meal that is already cooked - especially when it is dark and cold outside. One of the most prized features on many range cookers is the slow cook cavity - a dedicated oven designed to operate at lower, steady temperatures, typically between 80°C and 120°C. 

In practical terms, a slow cook cavity works by maintaining a consistent, radiant heat that circulates evenly through the oven, avoiding the temperature fluctuations common in conventional ovens. This makes it ideal for braising meats, simmering casseroles and slow-roasting joints, all without the need for constant supervision. 

What's more, because this cavity operates at a fraction of the energy output of a standard oven, it's both cost-effective and energy-efficient - a welcome bonus when your home's heating system is already working overtime in winter. 

For winter cooking, the possibilities are almost endless. Classic beef and ale stews, slow-braised lamb with vegetables, or a rich casserole all benefit from this slow, moist heat. The long cooking time allows flavours to blend and intensify, while the gentle temperature ensures sauces thicken naturally and meats remain succulent. It is equally brilliant for curries - particularly those that rely on developing complex spice bases. A slow-cooked lamb rogan josh, or butternut squash and chickpea curry, can simmer away for hours in the slow cook cavity, allowing spices to mellow and harmonise without risk of scorching. 

Some ranges may not come with a dedicated cavity, but may include a slow cook function within their multifunction oven. To use it, select the slow cook mode, choose your temperature, and begin. 

 

3. Warming and Proving Drawers: Precision warmth for the perfect finish

While range cookers are celebrated for their powerful ovens and versatile hobs, it's often the warming drawer, or proving drawer, that quietly becomes indispensable once the colder months arrive. These subtle yet sophisticated features bring a level of control and convenience that makes winter cooking smoother, more efficient and more enjoyable.

A warming drawer is far more than a storage compartment - it is a precision-controlled cavity designed to maintain a steady temperature, usually between 30°C and 80°C. This range of heat is perfect for a variety of kitchen tasks. Most commonly, it is used to keep plates warm and dishes ready to be served.

While many home bakers are used to proving dough in a slightly warmed oven, or even leaving it on a sunny windowsill, a dedicated proving drawer offers a far more controlled and consistent environment. Designed to maintain the perfect temperature and humidity for yeast activation, it allows dough to rise evenly without the risk of overheating, drying out, or forming a skin - common pitfalls when using an oven. This precision helps develop better texture, flavour and structure in your bread, pastries and pizza doughs. 

 

4. Simmering Plates & Hotplates for Ultimate Flexibility

In winter, soups and stews become a weekly staple. The simmering plate on various range cookers is perfect for keeping pans gently bubbling away, developing deep, rich flavours without the worry of overcooking.

With an induction range cooker, the innovation continues on many models with simmer mode - a clever feature that offers precision control at low temperatures. For example, on the Rangemaster models the L3 control on the induction hob is great for simmering and perfect for meals such as curries, pasta and rice.

Meanwhile, a hotplate on some models offers instant, powerful heat - perfect for searing meat, boiling up mulled wine, or even making eggs or flipping pancakes on a frosty Sunday morning.

 

5. The Magic of Steam and Pyrolytic Cleaning 

When cooking the slowly cooked stews and bubbling casseroles, even your golden-topped pies and indulgent puddings, it can often mean plenty of spillages, splatters and stubborn baked-on residue. With all that cooking comes the need for a little extra cleaning, and that's where steam cleaning within your ovens really shines. 

Using nothing more than heat and moisture, steam gently softens grease and food build-up, making it easy to wipe away without the need for harsh chemicals or endless scrubbing. It is a natural, efficient, and eco-friendly way to keep your oven looking as good as new, even after the busiest of winter weekends. 

The impressive pyrolytic setting, included on some range cookers, uses high heat to burn away grease and grime, reducing it to a fine ash that can be effortlessly wiped away. A steam cleaning function is perfect for lighter, more frequent cleans. 

 

6. Handyracks and Telescopic Shelves for Easy Transfer

With winter meaning larger dishes and heavy trays of comfort food, features such as the Rangemaster Handyrack and telescopic shelves are two more items that bring specific advantages.

When you have a large joint roasting, or a heavy tray of potatoes, you want to be able to slide it out partially to check or baste, without lifting the whole tray freehand. Telescopic shelves help to reduce the risk of spills or burns, with sliding rails that allow a shelf to glide smoothly in and out of the oven. Being able to slide the tray out partially means there is also less heat loss from the oven, and less disturbance to the food - which is important when you are working with large volumes of food.

The Rangemaster Handyrack works in a similar way, with a height-adjustable wire frame holding an enamel-coated roasting tray that attaches to the oven door. It allows you to check your food without removing the dish completely from the oven or balancing it on a shelf. Opening the oven door and having the roasting tray already hanging at a convenient height reduces risk of burns or awkward handling when the oven and tray are hot. This is especially useful for when turning or checking a joint of meat. 

 

 

Here are a few range cookers that include some of the best winter features...

 

Rangemaster Estel Deluxe 110 BC Induction

This striking 110cm wide induction model gives you a spacious 80-litre multifunction oven and another 80-litre fanned oven, but the real standout is the dedicated slow-cook cavity - perfect for stews, curries or any dish that needs gentle, long, low-temperature treatment. 

It offers a "set-and-forget" luxury: simply place your food inside, select the low temperature range and let it quietly work its magic, freeing you to focus on other tasks or simply enjoy your day.

The Estel Deluxe has a timeless, classic aesthetic, blending retro and traditional elements. On top is the impressive Series 2 induction hob, with five powerful induction zones including boost, child lock and hot hob indicators. There is also a useful bridging zone allowing two zones to be used as one with a removable griddle, which is great for searing the perfect steak for a cosy night in.

 

AGA Masterchef Deluxe 110 Induction

AGA is synonymous with cosy winter meals, creating cast iron machines for years that have created some of the most delicious dishes. The AGA Masterchef is designed for those of you who have always wanted an AGA in your kitchen but felt it was either a little out of reach or completely impractical. Instead of a large expensive-to-run cast iron range, you get a very usable modern range cooker. 

The welcome bonus on this model is, again, a slow cook oven. Located in the top right cavity, it means you are still left with a dedicated grill, and not one but two large capacity ovens - one multifunction and one fanned. 

On top is the impressive induction hob, with a cast iron griddle also supplied to take advantage of the bridging feature. 

 

Rangemaster Classic Deluxe 110 OC

The Rangemaster Classic Deluxe's traditional styling makes it a popular choice within many homes. Effortlessly blending vintage charm with modern practicality, the Classic Deluxe sits in the heart of many characterful kitchens in eight different colours.

This 110cm model brings an offset configuration, taking away that typical symmetrical layout. It features an 80-litre multifunction oven, with eight different cooking functions that now include DUO - this function allows both fan and base elements for the gentler cooking of cakes and pastries. There is also the addition of Rangemaster's unique Handyrack for easy roasting of meats.

On the right is a second 80-litre oven, with a dedicated 25-litre proving drawer below, enabling you to rest and rise your dough before baking. On top is the deluxe five-burner gas hob, accompanied by two ceramic zones with a multi-zone griddle on top, plus a handy wok cradle for cooking the perfect stir fry. 

 

ILVE Majestic 120

The ILVE Majestic is a grand, elegant looking range cooker, with a good helping of modern technology. 

The TFT touch screen display is a welcome addition, acting as the oven temperature and function indicator for ILVE's excellent E3 technology. This precision temperature control system allows you to select the oven function, then set the desired oven temperature from 30°C to 300°C.

ILVE's pizza/bread setting is excellent, cooking a homemade pizza in minutes. The handy function can also be used to bake bread, as heat is distributed evenly from below, ensuring a perfect bake. Plus, in the smaller oven on the right, there is a handy rotisserie, perfect for succulent cooking of any of your winter meats.

Also included, on the very impressive gas hob, is one of the most useful hob elements you could wish for - the fry top. Solidly made in thick stainless steel, this semi-integrated griddle is something you will use more than you may initially think, with a teppanyaki style cooking surface that is perfect for anything from meat and all-day breakfasts to pancakes or stir fries.

 

Fisher & Paykel Series 9 Contemporary Induction

This single cavity Contemporary style model features a soft-close, quadruple-glazed door, with an impressive 140-litre, A-rated oven inside. Offering nine versatile functions, there is everything you could need ranging from slow cook to pastry bake with pizza mode. 

The oven also uses Fisher & Paykel's AeroTech™️ system, which uses twin fans to ensure even cooking throughout. There is also the added pyrolytic oven cleaning system, breaking down food residue at a very high temperature and leaving a light ash that is easily removed with a damp cloth. 

On top are five high quality induction zones, offering instant and immediate control along with dual SmartZones. SmartZone links two cooking zones and controls them as one, giving you the flexibility to use large pans and griddles. 

 

Find out more about any of the models mentioned on our website here.