The AGA – A Big and Beautiful Design6 min read

The AGA is a big and beautiful design that has been at the heart of the home for decades, showing off their iconic faces that fit in with every type of home and lifestyle. The AGA cooker was invented in 1922, where it would be on all the time. In most recent years times have changed and the technology within, allowing for the AGA not to be on all the time.

This type of appliance has a different way of cooking to most ovens. They are built from cast iron which is fantastic at radiating heat. The cast iron is produced at the Shropshire foundry in Coalbrookdale making it one of the first foundries in Europe to win an environmental award.

Cooking with an AGA uses the radiant heat which cooks gently on the food and locks in moisture, flavour and goodness, making the food taste delicious as always.

Once you have decided on purchasing an AGA you will not go back. Many AGA owners will tell you that they can’t imagine life without one. Family and friends seem to be more keen on joining in with the food prep.

Our client below in their stunning property chose the CRL Savannah Quartz with a single Ogee edge profile. It’s a luxury natural quartz that looks beautiful against the lightly coloured cabinets. The iconic classic cream AGA was chosen for this large open-plan space.

AGA History

  • 1922 was the beginning of this world-known appliance. It was invented by Dr Gustaf Dalén who was a Sweedish physicist blinded in a terrible accident. He wanted to create a cooker that was clean, economical to run, easy to use and which produced great food with the minimum fuss. He went on to invent a cooker that changed the lives of cooks around the world. It became an immediate success and came to Britain in 1929.
  • The 1930s – 1940s was where Britain’s love affair with the AGA really took hold. During the war, the AGA played its part, with the British government placing orders for AGA cookers for munitions works, communal feeding centres and hospitals. In 1947 the company began manufacturing its cookers in Shropshire, where they are still made today.
  • The 1950s – 1970s saw the introduction of the new colours in pale blue, pale green, grey and white. For 34 years, the AGA had only been available in cream. White proved extremely popular with AGA lovers and the famous AGA chrome-plated lid domes were introduced. In the 1960s the first iconic black AGA lozenge logo was seen which is still used today. Oil and gas-fired AGA cookers were born and the 1970s saw the launch of further new colours, such as black which is still hugely popular in the AGA world.
  • The 1980s saw the first electric AGA cooker born. 1985 AGA launched a landmark model – the 2-oven EC2, which was the first electric AGA range cooker, followed two years later by the 4-oven EC4.  In the early 1980s, AGA celebrated its 50th birthday.
  • In the 90s Mary Berry published a book for AGA. During this decade the term ‘AGA saga’ was coined by novelist Terence Blacker to describe a genre of literature dealing with British country life.
  • In the Millenium – the 2000s the 3-oven AGA cooker was launched. In 2004 the 13-amp electric model was born complete with a standard household plug that changed the AGA family forever.
  • The 2010s saw the launch of many models, including the game-changing AGA Total Control, the first AGA cooker that can be on when you need it and off when you don’t. The AGA Dual Control was also launched around this time, as was the company’s smallest ever cooker, the AGA 60 and the largest 5-oven AGA.
  • In 2018 and 2019 the AGA eR3 Series collection was launched. Cookers in this range come with the option of a state-of-the-art induction hob and many other innovative features. 2019 saw the launch of the electric AGA 7 Series models.

How does the AGA work?

Good question… An AGA is always ready to cook instantly. There are no switches or dials, it looks after itself. It has an outstandingly efficient energy store, that transfers the heat from its core into the ovens and hotplates. The thermostatic control maintains a consistent temperature throughout and the high levels of insulation within the outer casing and beneath the hotplate cover ensures that every AGA uses the fuel economically. The AGA is a very hot appliance and will certainly release a unique source of gentle, friendly warmth into your kitchen.

This appliance also produces a wider gentler cooking process without the fierce direct heat that comes from conventional cookers. Ask any AGA owner and they will tell you that their food really does taste better and a brilliant result is achieved every time they cook.

The 8 properties within the AGA cooker

  • Insulated covers– they are the AGA hallmark. When closed, they are gently warm to touch. Open them and both hotplates are instantly ready to cook
  • Boiling Plate– the plates can hold three average sized saucepans at once just like a hob. The high heat that comes from these makes the water boil fast and faster than most electric cookers.
  • Heat Source– when the AGA is at the operating temperature just a trickle of energy is all that’s needed. You can choose from natural gas, propane gas, electricity or oil.
  • Simmering Plate– this has a far gentler heat that the boiling plate. It works wonders when frying an egg and can hold three average-sized saucepans and can also be used as a griddle.
  • Roasting Oven– the baking temperature is perfect for bread, cakes and biscuits. The cast iron interior holds the heat so the door can be opened to take a peek at the cooking progress.
  • Simmering Oven– this produces such tender and flavoursome meat. Slow cook from morning to evening.
  • Warming Oven– the warming oven keeps food warm without it drying out. Ideal when cooking a few different courses. It also gives the benefit of keeping the plates warm.

We were very excited to supply and install quartz worktops to the AGA showroom in Harpenden. Simple but elegant, the Technistone Crystal Diamond was chosen to sit amongst the beautiful coloured AGA’s that are displayed in the showroom.

Cawdor Stone Gallery are a division of the Cawdor Group, one of the UK’s leading natural stone providers. With over 30 years of experience, our highly qualified team have undertaken international projects of all sizes, providing high-quality materials and a comprehensive range of stone-related services to a range of projects. Contact us today for more info on our quartz and granite worktops.

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