Compare the 10 Best IronsOctober 2017

A cooker is the central componant of many larger kitchens - they are usually made up of a freestanding oven, with a hob comprising of several burners on top. Their size mean that they have a sizable footprint in the kitchen, but can also be used to cook several dishes at once - making them invaluable for large families.

There are several different types and configurations of cooker, and your choice will be dictated largely by how much food you prepare on a regular basis, and whether you need the capacity for both oven cooking (such as baking cakes or pies) and hob cooking (such as boiling and frying).

Oven

The oven is the main section of a cooker, and is mainly used for baking, roasting and slow-cooking dishes. Most cookers will have a single oven with the hob placed on top - however some more expensive brands contain 2, 3 or even 4 ovens. In these cases there is usually one oven that is the larger 'main' oven (for cooking large dishes like turkeys or geese) and several smaller ovens.

The capacity of the oven(s) is extremely important since the larger the capacity, the bigger the dishes you can prepare. Oven capacity is measured in litres - we look both at the capacities of the individual ovens and the total capacity of the entire cooker to help you make an informed decision.

Hob

The hob is the second section of the cooker - a collection of hot plates or burners which allow several different dishes to be cooked at once. When comparing hobs on a cooker, it's important to look at the number of cooking zones (burners or hot plates) on the hob. Most cookers have 4 burners spaced evenly across the top of the machine - however some models have as few as 2, or as many as 7.

Another important consideration is whether to choose a gas or electric hob for your cooker. Both have advantages and disadvantages:

Gas Hob:Gas burners have no heat-up time, so are far quicker to use, and the heat levels are easier to control than electric. Gas flames tend to spread more evenly across the bottom of pans, meaning quicker heating and more even cooking. They are also cheaper to run than electric hobs, saving you money on daily use.

Electric Hob:Electric hot plates take time to heat up, and tend to have a far more concentrated heat radius, leading to uneven heat distribution with large pans. They are also more expensive to run than gas hobs - however they are easier to clean, and significantly easier to set up and use.

Power Level

The power level of both the oven(s) and hob is an important consideration - the higher the power level, the faster and more efficiently food can be cooked. All our ovens and cookers are measured in watts (W).

Energy Efficiency

All our cookers are graded on their energy efficiency. The higher the grade, the less energy will be used during cooking, and the cheaper the cooker will be to run. Look for a cooker graded at A++ or above for the best efficiency in daily use.

Extras

Finally, there are a multitude of smaller features and functions to consider when choosing a cooker. These can involve safety features such as child locks and automatic shut-off systems and pre-programmed settings to make cooking popular dishes extremely easy. We also have cookers in a wide range of colours and styles, so you can match it perfectly to the design of your kitchen.

Iron Prices

We currently list 89 irons ranging from $0 to $342. The average price of a new iron is $39 and the 80% of irons are priced between $0 and $116. The Tefal GV8932 is the cheapest iron at only , and Braun SI9188BK is the most expensive at $342.

Iron Brands - Price Range

The %8highest average iron price out of all brands is Oliso irons with an average price of $160. Oliso irons start at $160 and the most expensive Oliso iron costs $160.

Panasonic irons range in price from $42 to $60, and the second highest average iron price out of all brands is Panasonic irons with an average price of $51.

The %8highest average iron price out of all brands is Braun irons with an average price of $50. Braun irons start at $342 and the most expensive Braun iron costs $342.

Iron Brands - Average Ratings

We have analysed 8 expert reviews and 1,705 user reviews for irons available online and used this information to determine the average rating for each brand of iron. The top rated iron brand is Russell Hobbs with an average rating of 93%. The second best brand is Morphy Richards with 93% and the third best brand is Tefal with 86%.

Biggest Iron Retailers

We found 36 current offers for irons from eBay making it the biggest iron retailer. That is over 4 times bigger than the second biggest retailer, Overstock for whom we found 8 current offers for irons. The third biggest retailer is Amazon US with 3 current iron offers.

When Are Most New Irons Released?

July to September is the most common period for new irons to be released in. September was the biggest month last year for new irons, with 43 new irons released that month. The biggest month in 2015 for new iron releases was July, with 66 new irons released that month. In September 2014 74 new irons were released making it the biggest month that year for new iron releases.

How Fast Do Iron Prices Drop After Release?

On average irons drop in price by 30% in the first 6 months after release. If you are prepared to wait then you could save an average of $3 on a typical $9 new iron by waiting 6 months before buying.

Powers

This denotes the power level of the iron, measured in Watts (W).

Comparing all irons, the powers range from 760W to 3,200W. The powers of most irons range from 2,200W to 2,500W. The iron with the biggest power is the Russell Hobbs20630, which is a 3,100W iron and currently retails for $63.12. The iron with the smallest power is the Russell Hobbs20630, which is a 1,000W iron and is priced at $0.00.

A more powerful iron means that the device will be able to iron clothes more efficiently, get out more stubborn creases, and generally be far more helpful.

Colours

The most common colour amongst new irons is White. We found 253 irons that are irons that have a White coloured. The second most frequently found colour amongst new irons is Blue. We found 142 irons that are irons that have a Blue coloured.

Types

We found 212 irons that are steam irons, which makes steam the most popular type amongst new irons. We found 170 irons that are dry & steam irons, making this the second most popular type amongst new irons.

Biggest Iron Retailers

We found 36 current offers for irons from eBay making it the biggest iron retailer. That is over 4 times bigger than the second biggest retailer, Overstock for whom we found 8 current offers for irons. The third biggest retailer is Amazon US with 3 current iron offers.

Which Are the Cheapest Retailers for Irons?

The retailer that most frequently offered the cheapest price on irons is eBay and offers the cheapest price on 33 irons.

Proportion of Irons for Which Each Retailer is Cheapest?

eBay most frequently has the cheapest iron prices (found to be cheapest for 91.7% of its irons).