Alternative cooking.

Ruby I got a halogen oven earlier this year, after my sister recommended them and absolutely love it. In fact I seldom use my main oven any more.

You can get an accessory pack with a rack on legs which then make two levels in it and I use it for all our main meals. It does toast and grills bacon etc. My sister does chips in hers but I've only done oven chips so far. Makes good roasties though.

It's very easy to clean and just plugs into a socket on the work top. I would say the only slight quibble I have with it is that the timer can only be set for 1 hour so you have to re-set it if doing something for longer than that. Mine was less than £30 and well worth every penny.

Hope that helps!

Do you mean those new slow cooker things? I suppose it's down to size. A big one will cook a big meal!

In your position I would have a good look around at the new range of electric cookers. My DS's ceramic hob is excellent and cooks well with pretty much instant heat. The only draw back being the sort of pan you can use. Easy to keep clean too. We changed from a gas oven to electric when we moved and I've not noticed any difference.

If you really don't like cooking electric have you thought of Calor Gas? You do need space for a tank, but it can go in the ground.

Wouldn't be without my halogen oven!! I use it most days. I'm not a gadget person, so wasn't sure about buying one, but I've never regretted it. Even have a spare one upstairs in case the one I'm using packs up

If you search Gransnet under 'Remoska' and 'Halogen Oven', you will find several theads on the subject. I love my Remoska and use it most days, and I understand Halogens are just as good and cheaper. You can cook anything in them that you would in a conventional oven. However, I wouldn't want to be without a proper cooker too, with hotplates and room for several dishes.
Good luck with your decision.

The problem with not having gas is the hobs. Electric ovens are much better and more reliable than gas ovens. Unfortunately electric hobs are not and take a lot of getting used to because adjustment is not instant in the way it is with gas hobs. I have always previously had gas hobs and electric ovens. I am currently in a rented house so have no choice, but if I did, I would probably go for an electric oven and ceramic hobs in the absence of gas.

I'm with you there, absent! I have a gas hob and a stand alone electric cooker that came with the house, but it's more or less given up the ghost. The ceramic hob part was disconnected so was used as another work surface.

My problem now is that I don't want to buy another full-sized electric cooker, but the oven/grill only ones are obviously quite a bit shorter so I'd need to get another unit or something to stand it on.

I believe regulations are quite strict these days about spacing etc.

rubylady for one blissful moment when I read the heading I thought you had found an alternative to cooking!

Nom, nfk it's not a slow cooker. My SIL has a halogen oven and thinks it is wonderful. It stands on the worktop, but I have no idea how it works.

We have a gas hob and an electric fan oven which seems a good combination in case of power cuts.
DS has a new halogen hob and likes it.

that is supposed to say 'no', nfk

Gas hob, electric double oven here,seems to me to be the best of all worlds although my slow cooker is in use most weeks for casseroles and gammon joints.

Thanks for all your comments, they are really helpful. It is only myself and my 17 year old son moving in so a big oven really isn't needed anymore, especially as for the next few months, I have to lose some weight. Halogen are supposed to be healthier so will probably give it a go for a while as I have a houseful of carpets to buy first and we need them to keep warm. Exciting, but tired today after a full day of packing up.

Have to disagree re electric hibs. I have an induction hob. It is very responsive, if something is boiling over you can turn it down and it responds immediately. It has a boost setting which means water boils faster than in a kettle. Because the hob itself does not get as hot as say a ceramic hob it is a dream to keep clean as well. I would never change. Plus with gas you have all those clunky bits of metal. The two downsides are that it is more expensive than ceramic hobs and you may have to buy new pans. Apart from that - it's just wonderful!

Grr, should read "hobs", sorry!

Isn't halogen just a different form of electric?

I had a halogen hob and loved it, it was wonderful because it also doubled as a worksurface when not in use.

I live alone and during the summer my Aga is turned right down so I have no oven and Aga's are so slow to heat up it doesn't seem worth it. I was missing a roast so bought a halogen oven.....bloody marvellous.