Electric Cooker Buying Guide: Everything to Check Before You Order

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Buying an electric cooker can feel overwhelming. Dozens of models, conflicting specs, different power requirements, and a hefty delivery charge if you get it wrong. Here’s a simple checklist to run through before you click buy — it’ll save you time, money, and the headache of a return.

1. What Circuit Do You Have?

This is the most important question, and the one people most commonly get wrong. Your consumer unit (fuse box) tells you everything you need to know.

Check for a breaker labelled ‘Cooker’ in your consumer unit:
– 32A or higher — You can buy any standard freestanding electric cooker (60cm wide, induction or ceramic, any power rating). You’ll need an electrician to hardwire it, budget ~£80–£150 for the connection.
– No cooker breaker — You only have standard 13A sockets. You need a 13A plug-in model (usually 50cm wide, labelled “13A plug connection” in the specs). These come with a plug fitted — no electrician needed.
– 16A or 20A cooker breaker — Not enough for a full-size cooker. You can either upgrade the circuit (£300–£600) or buy a 13A plug-in cooker.

If you’re not sure how to check, read our step-by-step guide to identifying your cooker circuit.

This is the single most common mistake: buying a 32A cooker when you only have a 13A socket. It won’t work, you’ll have to return it, and some retailers charge a collection fee for heavy appliances.

2. Measure Your Space

This sounds obvious, but returns departments see this every day. A tape measure costs a fiver. A failed delivery costs you time and money.

Pro tip: Cut a cardboard template of the cooker’s dimensions and place it in the gap. This reveals any issues with door swing, cupboard handles, or pipework that a tape measure might miss.

3. Hob Type: Induction vs Ceramic

This is the biggest performance decision you’ll make.

Induction Hobs

• Faster — Boils a litre of water in ~2 minutes (versus 3–4 for ceramic)
• Safer — The hob surface stays cool; only the pan heats up. No burn risk
• More efficient — ~84% energy transfer to the pan (versus ~60% for ceramic)
• More expensive — Induction cookers start at ~£450 (full-size) or ~£550 (freestanding)
• Requires magnetic pans — Do the magnet test: if a fridge magnet sticks to the bottom of your pan, it works on induction

Ceramic Hobs

• Cheaper — Freestanding models from ~£250
• Works with any pan — No magnetic compatibility issues
• Slower — Takes significantly longer to heat up and cool down
• Less safe — The surface gets extremely hot and stays hot for 20+ minutes after use
• More expensive to run — Lower efficiency means higher electricity costs

The verdict: If your budget allows and you don’t mind replacing non-magnetic pans, choose induction. If you’re on a tight budget or you have a set of non-stick pans you love, ceramic is perfectly adequate.

Not sure which pans work? Read our guide to induction vs ceramic vs gas hob types.

4. Oven Features Checklist

The hob gets all the attention, but the oven does the heavy lifting. Here’s what to look for:

5. Energy Ratings

Look for A+ or A++ rated cookers. The energy label applies to the oven only (hobs aren’t rated separately in the UK scheme). A fan oven is inherently more efficient than conventional.

Over a year, the difference between an A+ and a B-rated cooker can be £30–£50 on your electricity bill. Over a 10-year lifespan, that’s £300–£500 — enough to justify paying more upfront for a higher-rated model.

Induction hobs are significantly more efficient than ceramic (84% vs 60%), which reduces running costs by roughly £25–£40 per year for the average household.

6. Installation — Is It Included?

Retailers like AO.com, Currys, and Argos offer installation services:

• AO.com — ‘Install & Recycle’ (~£20–£30) includes connecting your new cooker to an existing circuit and taking away the old one. They can also disconnect your old gas cooker.
• Currys — Similar installation service (~£25) plus optional old appliance removal.
• John Lewis — Installation from £35 with free delivery on cookers over £150.

Important: These services connect to an existing cooker circuit only. If you need a new circuit installing from scratch, that’s a separate job for a qualified electrician — budget £300–£600.

If you’re buying a 13A plug-in cooker, you don’t need installation at all — just plug it in. Most retailers will deliver it to your kitchen and take the packaging away.

7. Delivery and Returns Policy

Cookers are heavy (40–70kg) and awkward to move. Check before you order:

• Delivery options — Most offer free standard delivery but charge for a specific time slot. AO.com, Currys, and Argos typically charge ~£10 for timed delivery.
• Returns window — Typically 14–30 days. Check whether there’s a restocking fee.
• Collection cost — If the cooker doesn’t fit or isn’t compatible, you may pay £20–£50 for collection.
• Keep the packaging — Until you’re 100% sure it fits and works. Retailers may refuse a return without original packaging, especially for large appliances.

8. Warranty

Buyer’s scenario: “I ordered a 60cm induction cooker from a large online retailer without checking my consumer unit first. It arrived, and when I opened the back panel to connect it, I realised there was no 32A circuit — just a 13A socket. The retailer charged me £40 to collect it. I then bought a 50cm plug-in Beko from AO.com, which arrived next day, I plugged it in, and it worked perfectly. The whole saga cost me £40 and two weeks of eating takeaway. A two-minute check of my consumer unit would have saved it all.” — Dan, Reading

The Five-Minute Pre-Order Checklist

Run through this before you add anything to your basket:

1. Circuit check — Consumer unit has a 32A+ ‘Cooker’ breaker, or you’re buying a 13A plug-in model?
2. Space measured — Width, depth, height, ventilation gaps? Template test done?
3. Hob type decided — Induction or ceramic?
4. Pans checked — If induction, magnet test passed on your existing pans?
5. Installation arranged — Electrician booked (32A models) or self-install (13A)?
6. Delivery slot booked — Timed delivery if needed?
7. Returns policy understood — No restocking fee? Original packaging kept?
8. Warranty confirmed — Extended cover worth it?

Tick all eight, and you’re ready to order. For model recommendations, see our roundup of the best freestanding electric cookers for 2026.

Conclusion

Buying an electric cooker is straightforward once you know what to check. The two big gotchas — circuit compatibility and physical fit — are easily avoided with a tape measure and a quick look at your consumer unit. Everything else (hob type, oven features, energy rating, warranty) comes down to your budget and cooking style.

The golden rule: check your circuit first, measure your space second, and choose your hob type third. That order saves you the most common and costly mistakes.