Buying an Everhot

Taking the plunge and investing money in purchasing a cooker is not a decision you take lightly, especially if you are considering buying an Everhot range cooker. A range cooker that will set you back more than a second-hand Fiat UNO!  And, if like me, you have already haemorrhaged money on a kitchen building project, where everything that could go pear-shaped, did, it’s even more of a dilemma. Despite this, I have finally decided and the Everhot won!

Should I be buying an Everhot?

• An Everhot costs quite a lot – at least three times that of a bog standard fan-assisted appliance
• Running costs are more than your average fan oven – maybe £10-£15 a week, depending on the model
• Cooking with an Everhot range is an entirely different way to cook. It uses a radiant heat like an Aga – more of that later
• There are so many wonderful colours it’s impossible to choose and will keep you awake at night
• I have no money!

But as I sit here typing this, while having my roots dyed, I am now the ‘almost’ proud owner of one. My decision was driven not by my head but by my heart. Initially my other half, the sensible one, was not at all keen.

Having suffered from Aga envy for the bulk of my sensible adult life (post babies), I was convinced that an Aga was the way to go and spent years trying to persuade my husband – though thankfully I failed. While searching for a new kitchen (we did not need a cooker), one of the showrooms we visited featured an Everhot Range cooker at centre stage. I was smitten! Everything about the design is luxurious – voluptuous yet restrained, classic yet trendy, and above all, completely functional.

I was rather devastated however to discover the price – ouch. So we began searching for other cheaper alternatives. But I kept returning to the Everhot, and after learning that I could attend a cookery demonstration for free, I booked myself in.  Just to make sure that it wasn’t all fur coat and no knickers!

Sadly, it does have knickers and not just a measly thong – it has big comfortable pants! You know the ones – a bit grey, saggy elastic, and oh so soft, and you are dreading the day when you finally have to part!

Back to the Everhot cookery demonstration

After a drive on the M25 through driving rain on a gloomy Saturday morning in January (say no more), we pitched up at Princes Risborough and approached the event with trepidation. One hour (and a bowl of chilli, roast potatoes, vegetable risotto and sizzling sausages) later we were converted.

We were not the only ones either. In the 30 minutes while we vaccillated over the colour and dithered over ‘should we or shouldn’t we’, four families bought an Everhot – three 110is and one 150i model in a range of colours from cream to tangerine.

Everhot bought

We were the last to leave the shop, having signed on the dotted line and parted with a 50% deposit so the factory could start building our range. We have a 110mm space so the size was a given (although I did contemplate chopping the granite tops so we could have a 120!). The colour we chose was graphite, despite the fact that we had previously decided black was the way to go.  I even rang Everhot to ask if I could change but then changed my mind again – they were very accommodating.

The lead time was eight weeks – a long time to wait but we felt it would be worth it. Seven weeks on and there are  seven sleeps to go before ‘Nigella’ – yes you have to name your Everhot –  is installed.

I really cannot wait! All we need to do now is install some plugs as we just realised we need two 13 amp plugs not a hardwired cooker socket… and move the gas pipe.

Will it really be worth it? Watch this space! And, if you are looking for a dealer visit the Everhot website.