Guest Anonymous Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Wondering if anyone has any experience of a Rayburn?I'm planning to replace my freestanding electric cooker and am also looking to replace my electric storage heaters with something more efficient and economical.I'm considering installing an oil fired Rayburn to replace the cooker and also run the hot water and a sytem of radiators.Does anyone have any experience with regard to how economical and efficient a Rayburn is, and also how good they are to cook/ bake with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 We'd all love to live in this ideal world where we have a five oven Aga that each oven was at the correct temp, but it just doesn't happen.If installing a Rayburn/Aga make sure you have back-up cooking/heating/emersion.Make sure the system will work in event of a power cut and you have a reliable engineer near by.The back up cooker is for when you need an exact temp for cooking something, it is the bane of any Rayburn/Aga owner trying to do almost anything exactly. But you can keep a pot on the stove all day/night with out the worry about how much it costs.The back up heating is for the one time you forget to get a top up or when the system breaks down, usually when the weather's at it's worst around Christmas, New Year, or Easter or just plain when your engineer is on holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 We have a 'Stanley', which amounts to the same thing. It provides our central heating, hot water and has hot-plates and an oven. It is great for cooking with, but isn't cost-effective to use too often; the price of oil makes it an expensive way to warm a pizza. We have a rule that the Stanley only gets used when making our own food. If it comes out of a box, we use the gas cooker. The gas cooker is essential for all the reasons MJ has given. Electricity supply is required to make the pumps on ones Aga/Rayburn/Stanley work, and we've had it break down on us before too. As far as efficient and economical heating, I suspect that your storage radiators are probably the best you can hope for. It will not be more economical to heat your house than this I expect, but I could be wrong. Oil-fired central heating is more convenient but not cheaper and, theoretically, only electricity has the potential to become truly green. Given the cost of installation and high oil-prices, I'd recommend sticking with your storage heaters for the meantime, if economy is an important factor to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 If it's replacing your storage heaters I can recommend electric panel heaters the whole zoning thing is fantastic. S&S recommended them for the small charity shop i used to work in. It's almost instant heat when needed and they can be easily adjusted without the hassle of storage heaters. Just don't loose the remote. The closest thing I can find is Kalirel, though the hydro shop might be able to give you better information. And you can never go wrong with a Gas cooker, especially in power cuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 I had a Rayburn that was all singing and dancing (ie hot water, cooking and heating). It exploded. I phoned Rayburn who admitted they regretted making this particular model. The more things you ask a Rayburn to do, the more complicated it becomes and the worse it does everything. In the end I swapped my Rayburn for a single burner oil fired one that does hot water and cooking. When the wind blows a gale, it becomes colder and you can barely cook on it. Hot water is adequate and I certainly wouldn't use it as my primary source of cooking - I've got a cylinder gas stove for that. It is a luxury and we use about £400's worth of oil every three months - and that is on the lowest setting. I also have an oil-fired boiler using up some of that oil for the central heating. Having said that it does keep the kitchen warm and when it goes out you really realise how much heat it adds to the house. They are nice, but get back-ups for everything! Fx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Thanks eveyone for your replies. It sounds like the idyl of the Rayburn is not quite all is cranked up to be by the agents.I think I may look at getting a more modern range cooker and keeping my electic heating,possibly panel heaters rather than storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeAyBee Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Thanks eveyone for your replies. It sounds like the idyl of the Rayburn is not quite all is cranked up to be by the agents.I think I may look at getting a more modern range cooker and keeping my electic heating,possibly panel heaters rather than storage. In the South where there is natural gas available the AGA-Rayburn-Stanley-ESSE type products are all cheaper to run, but not that much cheaper. My two oven AGA cost around £200 a quarter to run plus servicing costs - oh yeah, they don't tell you that bit. Having a range like the AGA or Rayburn or whatever is more of a statement of lifestyle rather than an efficient tool. That having been said I really miss mine - I haven't been able to cook pork crackling or a lemon meringue pie as well as I used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISOT Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 I think you might find that using electric panel heaters would be less cost effective than your storage heaters which you already have. Although storage heaters are not ideal they are cheaper to run than having to use panel heaters regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 What about the solid fuel rayburn/aga/esse stoves. Seem to remember they would run on coal, coke, peat, wood, vegetable peelings and the neighbours dead cat. Bit more work but reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crofter Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 We have an old solid fuel rayburn which we converted to oil a few years ago. Thinking of converting it back, due to the price of oil, but coal is likely not cheap anymore either. Peats are probably the fuel of choice, if you have the time to work with them. Coal fired, the heat was unbelievable, used to have to open the doors to heat up the atmosphere a bit some nights, but one thing I don't miss about solid fuel is cleaning out the ess and the dust which covered everything in the house. Gas is unbeatable for cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heimdal Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Yes, oil's no cheap, got 1000 litres this week, including the 5% vat it came to £475.44. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 I noticed a £75 climb on 1000 litres since I filled the tank in September, to when I filled it last week. I think the price may have actually fallen slightly just recently, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercloud Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hi, What would consider best form of heating your homes in Shetland with advantages and disadvantages if you don't mind please. I am thinking of oil central heating and having a wood burner for more occasional use in the lounge that could also heat hot water if ever needed by use of back boiler in case power cut . Plan is to have an oil fired Aga for cooking and heating water ,realising we cannot run radiators off the Aga,but love agas as opposed to other traditional ranges,if the Aga is a no go for us then we plan to have a rangemaster with electric ovens and gas hob so need calor bottles for that. Is oil better for general heating of house or electric or any other suggestions you may have? Anyone with any experience of ground heat pumps? like in Canada and Scaninavia and increasingly in Britain where there is also a grant availableto help with installation costs. If possible how much is coal/logs/oil on Shetland Thanks Silvercloud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 We have an oil fired Rayburn and I am sure you can get oil fired Aga's too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercloud Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hi, An oiled fired Aga ia what we are planning, yes you can get them,realise they will need servicing twice ayear, and also with this type cannot run our radiators off but can for hot water and obviously cooking. Regards,Silvercloud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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