About our test

We use the same cooking tests for all stoves.

Oven

We bake scones to test how well the ovens do at high temperatures over a short time, and meringues to test them at low temperatures for a long period.

We cook a custard tart to test how the oven responds to a change from a high to moderate temperatures.

We make a freshly prepared pizza and cook it at a very high temperature for a short period to assess the oven’s ability to crisp and brown the base and evenly cook the toppings.

And we roast a whole chicken to assess how each oven copes with a non-uniform food.

Grill

We make toast and grill sausages to assess speed and evenness of grilling.

Cooktop

First we make white sauce on the simmer-burner to test the cooktop’s ability to perform at a low temperature for a long time.

Next we cook rice on the medium-sized burner. This tests the "turn down" capacity of the element and whether the burner can maintain a suitable level of heat at the lowest temperature setting.

We cook a beef and vegetable stir-fry on the wok burner or the largest element to assess its ability to deliver continuous high heat.

Our final test is chocolate-melting. Chocolate is sensitive to high temperatures: it must be melted on a very low temperature to avoid burning.

Ease of use

We look at the user-friendliness of the controls and displays, and at how easy it is to use the cooktop elements, grill trays and oven shelves. We also evaluate the tedious stuff – cleaning each stove (inside and out).