Aganomics - The Guide to Aga Home Economics
Tuesday 2nd September 2008
It's a changing world
Existing owners love their Agas and prospective owners fall in love with them as much today as they ever did, but increasingly they question whether the Aga is expensive to run and whether it suits their lifestyle. With rising energy costs and changing lifestyles, these are perfectly reasonable concerns.We're sensitive to this, and have worked hard over many years to address concerns about running costs, and continue to do so. The truth about today's modern Aga is that it can play a vital part in keeping household running costs down. In fact, thousands of customers have already discovered that their Aga costs them no more to run than a similar conventional cooker home. And we've kept up with modern lifestyles too. Almost 60% of all Agas sold are programmable - meaning that they sleep when you sleep, holiday when you holiday, and put their feet up while you're at work - saving up to 25% on running costs. Aga's iconic design and proud British heritage make the brand instantly recognisable. But just like today's lifestyles, Aga heat-storage cookers are not one-size-fits-all. What is guaranteed from every Aga model is the incomparable excellence of cast-iron, radiant heat cooking. Each model looks as good and cooks as good as the next. This is as important today as it was when the first Aga was invented in 1922.
The Choice
Many people are surprised at the variety of choice Aga offers, from fuel type to functionality to programmability. An Aga can be a great companion for even the most environmentally conscious lifestyles. There are Agas powered by electricity, diesel, natural or propane gas, or oil. There are Agas which store cheap off-peak electricity to use at peak times. Programmable Agas, (AIMS - the Aga Intelligent Management System) can be turned up and down in the day and slumber at night. Alsofrom Aga Rangemaster, the company's Rayburn cookers run on wood, coal, peat, natural or propanegas or commercial kerosene - depending on the model chosen. The Rayburn also offers the capability to heat water and provide central heating to the home.
There is even an Aga ready that can be quickly converted to run on bio-fuels, if and when these fuels become commercially available. Aga is dedicated to raising home energy efficiency and lowering running costs. Agas are famed for the ongoing gentle background warmth they provide. This warmth is why so many people have grown up loving their Aga like a member of the family. But the benefit of this warmth goes far beyond cosiness. If used in a considered way, an Aga home can operate as economically as a standard domestic home, and in some cases more economically.
While individual preferences vary, the majority of Aga owners say that they don't need radiators in the kitchen when there's an operating Aga in the house. The programmable Aga radiates up to 1.5kWh into a kitchen when at full cooking temperature, and around 1kWh when in slumber mode. This is comparable to a standard wet system household radiator which radiates around 1kWh per hour into a room. The consistent warmth of the Aga is considered more effective than on/off wet radiator systems in keeping a space warm.
Warming the kitchen is only the beginning. There are many ways in which owners can potentially link the Aga's warmth into natural air flows in the home. Some owners have linked their Aga up to a heat recovery system to make use of the residual heat. This means the Aga has scope to be central to new home energy management systems. Additionally, Agas are inherently multi-functional, which also saves energy costs from other appliances. For example, an Aga toasts bread in a distinctively delicious way, therefore, eliminating the need for a toaster. The Aga is useful when it comes to pressing small items such as tea towels and napkins, air drying clothes, making grilled sandwiches and of course boiling the kettle. Some imaginative owners have taken this energy further in a myriad of ways, from sprouting seeds incubating newborn pets and farm animals.
Aga is 100% dedicated to a more sustainable future
When it comes to R&D for now and the future, absolutely everything that Aga undertakes is about seeking to improve energy efficiency, and environmental sensitivity. We're working enthusiastically with academic research institutions to explore future technologies. Developments in micro-generated electricity need a greater natural link in the home. Aga's capability to store overnight electricity for use in the day is an important asset which has led the company to working enthusiastically with solar,wind, heat pump and boiler companies to investigate how to make their products even more economic in the home.
Every Aga is made from 70% recycled materials such as gearboxes, guttering, old machinery parts, drain covers and much more. Every Aga is recyclable. That's just plain good for the environment. The lifespan of an Aga is at least 3 times longer than a conventional cooker, with countless models passed
Did you know? Over 30 years, an Aga owner can save as much as £5000 by not having to buy or replace electric appliances such as kettles, toasters and tumble driers.
Did you know? The Aga is a natural heat storage device. This, in combination with its ability to collect off peak electricity for later use creates an even deeper potential for savings and a more environmentally friendly way of life, and makes the Aga the biggest domestic battery one can buy!
Aga is a proudly British company. Manufacturing is done entirely here in the UK, which helps minimise its carbon footprint.
The myths and the facts
Did you know? The 30-amp Aga charges up overnight with off-peak electricity, which itself is around half the cost of daytime electricity, which can mean savings of up to 40% against other fuel types.
Myth: An Aga is on all the time
Fact: Almost 60% of Agas sold today are programmable. The Aga intelligent management system (AIMS) enables you to programme your Aga to suit your lifestyle. So whether you're out at work all day, only home at the weekend, or you have a houseful of kids, dogs and friends all day, the programmable Aga will bring your Aga up to temperature for precisely when you need it, and slumber or switch off altogether when you don't.
Myth: An Aga is expensive to run
Fact: An Aga home need not cost any more to run than a conventional cooker home. The Aga radiates up to 1½ kilowatts per hour (kWh) into a kitchen when up to full cooking temperature and up to 1 kWh in slumber mode. A medium sized household radiator in a wet system emits around 1kWh per hour into a room. Larger radiators may emit over 2 kWh into a room. In most kitchens with an Aga running, radiators are not normally needed and will turn themselves off if they have thermostatic valves fitted - even in the depths of winter. The Aga therefore provides a straight energy saving on central heating costs. The gentle warmth of the Aga provides an efficient way of heating a room by using the useful energy from the Aga - similar to the warmth provided by underfloor heating systems.
Of course, the better insulated a home and the more that draughts are reduced in the home, the more the Aga reduces the dependence on radiators to keep a house warm - acting as a cooking and heating heart to the home. It's amazing how far through the home an Aga's background warmth can spread in
A well insulated home.
- The 2-oven 13amp Aga uses weekly around 220 kilowatts (kW) of electricity;
- The 3-oven Aga 240 kW
- The 4-oven Aga 270 kW.
- This can typically be reduced further by using the AIMS feature, to 165, 190 and 200 kW respectively.
The Aga owner can expect to use no more kWhs than a standard home owner with radiators or underfloor heating and using other everyday kitchen energy consuming products. With electric underfloor heating instead of radiators, this could easily be over £30.00. The economics of an Aga Home show that it does not need to use more energy than the standard domestic home or cost more to run. The multi-functional nature of the Aga operating at the heart of the home, meets contemporary needs. A further advantage of the Aga is its natural relationship as a heat storage product to renewables and to off-peak electricity. This makes the Aga an exciting product for the future as well as an icon with a remarkable history.
Think Green - how to ensure efficient energy usage with Aga
√ Always close the lids when not using the hotplates
√ Use the warmth of the Aga overnight to dry damp clothes
√ Use Aga cookware - its designed to ensure performance is maximised
√ Use the warmth of the simmering plate lid to save on ironing
√ Buy fresh local produce to cook on your Aga , support local business and reduce your carbon footprint
