On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 20:39:20 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:
I see. A bit like parts of Holland then, although hopefully it
doesn't smell of pig ****.
After 30 seconds in the standing "breeze" what it smells like is
immaterial, your nose has been scoured by the sand to bare bone.
I see no reason for the risk to be any greater with
an Aga than any other form of cooker, if one is stupid enough to do
that.
You may see no reason for it but it is. Firstly because it is much
easier for things to catch fire, in this respect it is on par with
an electric hob rather than a gas one and secondly because people
seem to use bigger containers on them so there is more immediate
fuel. I'm not sure if the size of the heated area and the inability
to turn them off plays a part but they are somewhat more of a hazard
than other cooker types.
Hmmm... That depends on the temperature a the time. Equally, one
sees gas hobs with 3 and 4kW main and 6kW wok burners, so I don't buy
the power argument.
If you have something like a chip pan and add too many soggy chips it
will boil over onto a gas hob and usually put the flame out without
igniting. Do the same on an electric hob or Aga and the result is
spectacular. Whatever the reason the data (1990-1995 - fires in
Norfolk and Suffolk) shows a greater than expected number of Aga
related fires.
You have to look at the design of the internals.
I am familiar with them.
Temperature gradients are achieved by position of the burner relative
to the boiling plate, flue gases being directed past the roasting oven
and then connecting sections of metal linking the simmering and
warming ovens to the roasting and baking ovens.
You are missing my point - to have a significant temperature gradient
you have to have significant heat loss. Once steady state has been
achieved then if the container is well insulated everything within it
will be at the same temperature. That various conductive pathways
have made some bits get hotter faster than others is immaterial.
If you are used to a fan oven, you may not be familiar with the
advantages of temperature gradient within an oven.
I am well familiar with the concept and practice of temperature
gradient within an oven and it has no advantages - that's why I
prefer fan ovens.
Aga:- "If you want to cook large cakes which take more than 45
minutes to cook, such as fruit cake, Madeira cake, cherry cake, etc.,
with a two oven Aga you should invest in an Aga Cakebaker."
Hmm. I wouldn't describe it as particularly special purpose though,
Aga do.
since the innards replace cake tins and the outer provides a 5 litre
pan.
Without it you get a dried out cake with an uncooked inside or a
pound of dried cooked sawdust.
The "modern" gas one dates from 1968 (upgraded 1993). I suppose in
Aga terms that is modern.
THere isn't a lot that can be changed in a design that is tried and
tested and works well.
As a method of saving the servants from topping up the coal several
times a day it is unrivalled. That was its only design aim. I
suppose it is possible that they also stumbled upon the ultimate
cooker at the same time but consider that to be unlikely. I do find
it a bit surprising that in the Nordic countries, which would benefit
from the "continuous heat" the year around, it is virtually unknown
and of course the Swedish company whose name it bears ditched it some
50 years ago.
Have you ever tasted dried labrador? Quite inedible.
Not really. Horse, bear, whale, but not labrador.
Far worse.
I think that they are being conservative to avoid accusations of
unrealistic figures.
I think they are probably sailing as close to the wind as they can
already :-).
I've found Aga-Rayburn to be great to deal with in terms of customer
service. For example, I found a tiny blemish in the enamel of the top
in a place that can not normally be seen without crouching down and
looking carefully.
You inspect your cooker by crouching down and inspecting the bits you
can't usually see!!
A quick phone call and they had a person out the
following day with a replacement, no questions asked.
A replacement cooker? What with that and the number they give away
free to "celebrities" it is no wonder the thing costs over GBP5,000
If you think about it, many people have that sort of figure in
lighting and appliances.
All the more reason not to put another 0.7/1.0 kW/hr on top.
Not really. It depends on what is needed to provide heating for the
house in general.
From June to September usually nothing.
--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/