[Bionic]

Little Blue had said in a message on another subject, where would the smallholders be without their AGA's or Rayburns?

When I eventually get my smallholding I do want an Aga or a Rayburn but can anyone tell me which is best?
Sally

[Sandy]

Not sure theres too much difference, I had a gas AGA for years and missed it when I divorced, we had a hanging rail over it (lazy suzie) and dried washing ovenight and you could ever press stuff on the closed lids. Takes a while to get used to this type of cooking but the flavors get seeled in AND, I never had to clean the ovens out!!!! I suppose the makes and models of both vary so its more a case of finding one that suits your need and fuel type as they can be greedy on the fuel, but cosy as well!!!!

[Rosemary]

If you want to be even the vaguest bit green, don't have either. Just get a lamb warming box and an energy efficient cooker.

[SallyintNorth]

I don't know about the modern ones but from my understanding the original Rayburns were different to the Agas.  Mum's had Agas for years, I had a very early Rayburn for a few years. 

The Aga is meant to run at a constant temperature and cook the same every time; the variation in cooking temperatures comes from the location of the food in the ovens.  With the (solid fuel - not sure how the oil or gas ones did this) Rayburn you vary the heat and type and location of heat according to how you build the fire.  A hot roaring fire gets the hot plate hot but may not heat up the ovens, a long slow deep burn puts heat into the ovens but not the hotplate, etc.  (I'm writing this from memory - it's been more than 10 years since I used my solid fuel 1952 Pattern No 1 Rayburn - I do still miss it!)

My wee 1952 Rayburn would run for 24 hours on a little more than a scuttle-full of coal, cook meals and heat water for two and heat the main living space in the cottage.  I could keep it going on low overnight and ramp it up to cook the toast and eggs for breakfast.  Warm kitchen first thing, no damp in the house - ah, those were the days...

[Frieslandfilly]

With the new Rayburns you can direct the heat from heating to the cooking depending on what you require. 

If you want to be even the vaguest bit green, don't have either. Just get a lamb warming box and an energy efficient cooker.

Plus as a 'green' option they are a good choice, the wood you burn is carbon neutral  even better if you are using fallen wood from your land,and they use reclaimed iron and its 70% recyclable!


We have an old Rayburn (prehistoric) that someone has tampered with and now cant run heating so we have decided to invest and put in a new one, big investment but will last a lifetime and I know people who take them with them when they move!! We went for the Rayburn because of the size and the multifuel use, but you will need to decide based on your circumstances.

[robert waddell]

all farmhouse type stoves are recyclable  all are made from scrap metal (as are wind turbines) when we moved here there was a wellstood in the kitchen it had all the attributes that sally in the north has listed plus you could dispose of dead rats hens and road kill cats it was replaced with a Stanley oilfired cooker  and short of going into rant mode all modern farmhouse stoves are overpriced inefficient and cost a fortune to maintain and run

[Simon O]

Rayburns can run on wood, Agas cannot. We have been thinking of a Rayburn for the kitchen as we have so much wood on the land. We were going to get a very old and rusting Rayburn from Edinburgh to use as some heating/cooking facilities in the outhouses but no-one can get it out from our friends basement space to road level as it is so heavy and awkward

[SallyintNorth]

Yep, they are certainly heavy.

Many many years ago the boyfriend at the time set off one Saturday morning to help a mate get an Aga onto his houseboat.  Mob-handed, they managed the deed.

The Aga promptly crashed through the floor of the boat and the whole lot - houseboat, Aga and all - sank to the bottom of the canal!

[OhLaLa]

Work out the differences and see which suits you best:

Aga is the more 'prestigious' of the two (the snob factor  )
Rayburn does not dismantle to move/install - the Aga does
Aga's have smaller ovens than Rayburn
Aga's come in 2 or 4 oven versions - also possible to get matching 'standard' cooker to sit alongside
Aga's will not run radiators
Older Aga's were built to run on solid fuel, so you do have the option if you can get hold of one in decent condition.
Rayburn's have the oven temp gauge built into the door
Rayburn's take up less room as are smaller on the exterior
If you want solid fuel, it's easier to find a solid fuel burning Rayburn

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.
Whichever one you choose - don't get a converted one - get one that was made originally to run on the fuel it takes.

Love them both, had them both  ........and have an Aga right now.

[Crofter]

I know it's neither one nor the other but I just wanted to put in a word for Stanley stoves. We wouldn't be without our SuperStar, it heats the kitchen, cooks, heats the water and runs 10 radiators. We run ours on peat as we have a peat bank with the croft and it does use a lot of fuel (putting out 35Kw it would do) but at a cost of £700 second hand it has done 6 years. This winter I had to put in a new boiler which was £400 but still worth it.
Just my thoughts

Dave

[norfolk newbies]

Interesting thread. My sister has a Rayburn, loves it in the winter, turns it off during summer ( oil fired) loves the hot water, cooking and drying clothes option ( she is in Cumbria and they do not get many dry days0. It will heat radiators when connected.

Our derelict house has Aga in original condition, which used to use anthracite, but not working at present. We were going to get it converted to gas (I did not want to throw it away and was trying to re-use it.)

What are the problems with the conversion?

We did consider keeping it solid fuel and using wood, but had heard that it is not that efficient at heating HW and cooking at the same time using wood . I did not realise that Agas and wood not an option.

[Sylvia]

Lillian, I had a Wellstood many years ago (30 or more!) It kept us warm all winter through,did the cooking and had a large tank on the side with a tap. This was topped up with  water as hot water was used and you could burn anything on it, wood, coal, tin cans, old leather boots,bones, everything.
I now have a Rayburn, old but efficient(a bit like me!!) and wouldn't have anything else. I wouldn't like to have anything that depended on mains gas, electricity or coal, if push ever comes to shove I can cook and keep warm.

[suziequeue]

If you want to be even the vaguest bit green, don't have either.

Seconded

[robert waddell]

the nearest these stoves are to being green is if you get a green one

[Pony-n-trap]

We have a woodburning rayburn, wouldnt be without it!