AGA cookers are designed to last for many years, decades in fact. It's this longevity, together with the craftsmanship that goes into making each one, that means some people consider buying a used AGA rather than a new one.
However, there are important differences between a reconditioned cooker and an AGA cooker designed, engineered and built today. If you're considering buying used, there are some important things to check before you buy, which could help you avoid expensive surprises later.
A reconditioned or refurbished AGA cooker is an older cooker that has been dismantled and rebuilt usually by a company that has nothing to do with AGA.
Depending on its age and history, it may contain original components, replacement parts or parts from other AGA cookers. Replacement components may not be genuine AGA parts.
Some older AGA cookers have also been converted from their original fuel source to electricity. While this changes how the cooker is powered, it is different from buying a new electric AGA cooker that has been purpose-engineered by AGA, with our latest proprietary electric technology integral to the cooker from the moment it is made.
Think of it a little like buying a 30-year-old diesel car that originally started life as a petrol model. The fuel source may have changed, but the car wasn't designed and engineered that way from the beginning.
If you are considering a reconditioned cooker, it is worth asking who carried out the work, what has been replaced or modified, whether genuine AGA parts have been used, what warranty is provided and what servicing may be required.
When comparing prices, it is important to understand exactly what is included.
With a new AGA cooker, delivery and connection come as standard, along with a five-year parts and labour warranty.
When buying second-hand or reconditioned, there may be additional costs for delivery, installation and connection. It is also worth checking what warranty is provided, what it covers and how long it lasts.
There can be differences in installation requirements too. Today’s electric AGA cookers do not require an external flue or a concrete plinth.
This will depend on the age of the original cooker and how it has subsequently been converted or reconditioned.
The AGA cooker of today has been designed around control from the outset. Depending on the cooker you choose, cast-iron ovens and hotplates can be independently controlled, allowing you to use the heat you need, when you need it.
Heat-on-demand hotplates can be switched on when required, while different oven settings make it easy to adapt your AGA to the way you cook, the seasons and the rhythm of your week. This greater control can also help you manage energy use and running costs.
Depending on the cooker you choose, the AGA cooker of today can also combine cast-iron cooking with induction and fan-oven options, giving you even more flexibility.
New AGA Signature, Classic, Compact and Mini cookers also require no regular servicing.
If you are considering a reconditioned cooker, ask exactly how its ovens and hotplates are controlled, how long they take to reach temperature and which parts of the cooker can be switched on and off independently.
The balance of ovens and heat-up temperatures can be very different on a refurbished cooker especially when there has been a fuel change.
AGA does not recondition old AGA cookers for resale, so a reconditioned cooker will generally have been rebuilt by an independent company.
Before buying, find out how long the company has been trading, what work has been carried out on the cooker and whether genuine AGA parts have been used.
Ask for a detailed specification of the cooker you are buying, including its original age and fuel type, any subsequent conversions, the components that have been replaced and details of the warranty and after-sales support provided.
A cooker is a major electrical appliance, so knowing who has carried out any conversion or reconditioning work, and to what standard, matters.
Every new AGA cooker is designed and manufactured to meet the relevant safety and performance requirements for the markets in which it is sold. This means it has undergone rigorous third-party testing and, for example, in the UK carries a CE mark. We can always supply a certificate of conformance for our products.
With a reconditioned or converted cooker, ask the supplier what testing has been carried out following the work, which safety standards the finished cooker complies with and what documentation can be provided to demonstrate this.
Any electrical installation and connection should also be carried out by an appropriately qualified person in accordance with the relevant regulations.