Freestanding cookers: Best Buys 

A shiny, new freestanding cooker can be a great finishing touch to your dream kitchen. But which ones are best? Should you go for gas, electric or dual-fuel? Will an induction hob make a difference? And are self-cleaning cookers worth paying extra money more for?

At Which? we buy each product that we review and run them all through an identical series of controlled tests, so you can be assured that each freestanding cooker Which? review that you read is directly comparable with all the others.

• We only measure the actual space that you can use inside the oven, rather than the total volume figures you see on manufacturers’ sites, and we test what you can realistically fit inside by trying to fit a large fake turkey and a tray of roast potatoes in together.

• When we test freestanding cookers we measure how quickly the main oven heats up and how accurately they maintain cooking temperatures.

• We use strips of shortbread to measure how evenly the heat is distributed around the oven, and we bake a large sponge cake to see how well they can maintain a steady supply of heat.

Try a £1 trial subscription to Which? today, and instantly unlock all our freestanding cooker reviews

What makes a Which? Best Buy freestanding cooker?

Freestanding cooker reviews you can trust

Nobody goes to the same lengths that we do when testing domestic products. In our grill test we cover the grill pan with crustless white bread to see how evenly and how far heat spreads. On the hob we record how quickly the burners bring a pan of water to the boil and how effective they are when simmering rice pudding.

Which? is independent - we work for you, the consumer, so you can be sure that our product recommendations are influenced only by our test results. We don't take advertising and we buy all the products that we test ourselves, so our advice helps you to make the right choice first time and avoid costly mistakes.

More ways to save money

Which? reviews thousands of products and services each year, shedding the light on the best and worst and helping you with your everyday decisions. With advice and reviews on everything from energy suppliers and high street shops to ebook readers, cars and mobile phones, Which? can help you save money.

Try a £1 trial membership, and you'll receive access to all our online content and get Which? magazine delivered monthly to your door. You can also phone our Which? Legal Service and personal finance experts for one-to-one help, plus you'll get access to Which? Local, where members share recommendations for the best services in your area.