my new AGA range

it has been three months since i have had my range, and i wanted to write a review on it after i felt it was fair to formulate an honest opinion.

here is some basic information about my range:

AGA PRO Plus APRO36DFBN 36-inch Dual-Fuel Range, (which means that the cooktop is gas and the oven is electric.)

here is some more detailed information on it that i am too lazy to cut and paste into this post.

we purchased it from an ad we saw on KSL (utahs very own version of craigslist).

we had seen another model in the ad, but when we called and described what we were looking for, we were pointed to this one, (which was recently discontinued) by jerry, the dealer.

when it arrived, it was crated and packed really nicely. the delivery was quick, professional and ON TIME. i was impressed.

just a side note:

we (of course) were on a VERY tight budget while looking for a range. these 36 inch and larger commercial style ranges are NOT cheap. one day, i walked into a local appliance/furniture store and when i asked if they had any 36" ranges for "around 2 or 3 thousand dollars", i felt like julia roberts in pretty woman when she walked into that rodeo drive boutique in her hooker get-up. the sales guy was not about to waste another second on an obviously deluded lady who was looking for a bargain. jerk.

anyway, on with my story....

before we purchased this range, i was not at all familiar with AGA.

(pronounced "AH-guh". yep. i even had to ask a pro the proper pronunciation!) 

i had to google the brand and read some reviews to make sure we weren't getting the YUGO of ranges! i read some very mixed reviews on this particular model, but since we got it for such a steal, i wasn't planning on returning it even if it turned out to be the worlds worst range.

first of all, i love to cook, so this thing gets used every day. i have never had a "professional" range before, or a convection oven, so this was a big step up for me.

ok--onto the important stuff:
it's pretty to look at!
ha! just kidding of course! looks aren't THAT important, but i have to admit that i like the way it looks!
i like the simple knobs and display and the look of the door.

the cook top itself is pretty wonderful!
it is easy to clean, has plenty of space for multiple pans and it is very easy to control the temperature. i have been particularly impressed with the lower heat settings (for simmering).
the center area is for a large pan or a wok. i really don't do a lot of stir frying, so i use this eye less than the others. i would have rather had a griddle here, but i cant complain about having an area for an extra large pan!

the oven has two more racks that i have taken out. i think these would only come in handy of you were baking cookies for a small country. i took them out, because otherwise  there would be no room for anything taller than a sheet pan or casserole dish.  the trays have a telescoping feature, which makes getting things in and out of the oven really easy. removing the racks and changing the position is also really easy. i have read some negative reviews on this model on the glass door shattering, so i have been extra careful not to shut the door unless the racks are completely pushed in.


i am still trying to figure out the convection oven and all of the features. even without the convection on, it seems to cook HOT compared to other ovens i have had. i have stopped using the convection feature, and usually turn the temperature down 25 degrees from what is needed. even then, it seems a little hot to me. i really need to get a thermometer and test it out.
i also think that it takes longer to heat up and is slower to cool down than other ovens i have had...i am not sure if this is just the way "commercial" style ranges are, or because something is up with my oven or what?

this oven has a "weird" feature (and probably one of the reasons it was discontinued!) that i am certain i will never use...it converts from ONE oven into two smaller ones. i stuffed all of the gear used to convert the oven into the lower drawer.




kinda weird, right?
or is it just me?

the storage drawer is nice sized, and if i ever feel like i need more storage in my kitchen, i may remove the conversion kit and pack it up in a box and toss it in the basement. (as soon as my basement is organized. which should be sometime in the next 4 years. ha!)


the knobs are easy to use, as well as the timer and the light. the oven also has a "timed cooking" feature that i have not figured out yet, but i think it would come in handy on those days when i am running back and forth in the afternoons, shuttling kids all over town!

overall, i am really, REALLY happy with my aga range!

if you are looking for commercial style appliances at bargain prices, here is where we found this one:

jerry martin, owner of for your kitchen.

he always has some listing on KSL as well.

we had a wonderful experience with this company and would reccommend it to anyone!