October 18, 2024

A few years ago, my family and I rented a home in Tennessee over Spring Break. It was my first experience with AGA appliances, and I fell in love. The range, in particular, was beautiful. It had character. It was functional. And most importantly, it wasn’t a stainless-steel box. My love-hate relationship with Wolf and Viking appliances has lasted many years. They’re wonderfully functional, but they’re stainless-steel boxes with little character except for the fingerprints so often left behind. They are fantastic, and, let’s be real, I wouldn’t turn one down, but give me a BlueStar, AGA, ILVE, or La Cornue any day…until now. Standard Appliances Have New Finishes I recently experienced the new finishes offered by both Wolf and Viking. They finally picked up on my telepathic vibes and introduced not only new finishes for their ranges, but Wolf also has new colors for their knobs. We no longer have to acquiesce to bright red, albeit iconic, knobs Wolf ranges. They now have a beautiful black powder-coated finish, crisp white, stainless, and black. Viking just introduced a delightful range of colors, with more on the way, which moves them up on my list. You’ll want to check them out. While we’re on Wolf appliances, let’s also discuss their Convection Steam Ovens. These aren’t new, but they are overlooked, and that’s a shame. Consider one of these if you’re looking for a built-in oven. It’ll make the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving while taking leftover night to a new level. Revisiting AGA for Their Radiant Heat Finally, let’s revisit AGA. AGA cookers are cast iron and use gentle, radiant heat that circulates throughout their ovens and hotplates. There are distinct cooking zones set to specific temperatures, which offer convenience and consistent results. Unlike traditional ranges, which use hot air, radiant heat is gentler and helps retain the natural moisture, flavor, and texture of whatever you cook. And now, with the latest electric models, you can turn the AGA on when needed and off when not in use. Their Classic line makes them stand out, but that look doesn’t work for all aesthetics. It’s a niche, but they introduced the Mercury line a few years ago. The lines are sleek, and the finishes are numerous. Certainly, it is a range that could find its place in most design styles. But now, we can pre-order the AGA ER. The ERA is where they marry induction with their archetypical cast iron. In their words, “The all-electric AGA ERA features two large-capacity cast-iron radiant heat-storage ovens, a fan oven, a powerful grill, four-zone induction hob, and a controllable cast-iron hotplate, all wrapped in a contemporary black glass fascia and polished chrome trim.” Sign me up!