16 products from trusted UK retailers
Ceramic hob range cookers pair a smooth glass cooktop with two big electric ovens and a separate grill, so you get range cooker space without a gas supply or a new set of pans. Every model here has a 5-zone ceramic hob and comes in 90cm, 100cm or 110cm widths.
They suit families moving from an ordinary cooker, and anyone who wants the range look for less than induction costs. Choose the traditional Belling Farmhouse range cookers in cream, black or anthracite, or the modern Cookcentre in black or stainless steel. Want faster heat? See our induction range cookers.
A ceramic range cooker is the simplest way to get a full-size electric range cooker. Heating elements sit under a sheet of smooth black glass, the glass warms up and passes the heat into your pan. There are no burners to lift off and no gas to connect, and any flat-bottomed pan you already own will work.
The other big draw is price. At every width, the ceramic version of a range costs several hundred pounds less than the induction version with the same ovens. That leaves money for a matching hood or splashback, or simply keeps the whole kitchen project on budget. Most shoppers looking at a Belling ceramic range cooker want:
Under the cooktop are radiant electric elements. When you turn a dial, the element glows red, heats the ceramic surface above it and that heats the pan. Because the heat travels through the glass, a ceramic top is a little slower to warm up and cool down than induction, and it carries on cooking for a short while after you switch off. Many cooks use that to their advantage, turning a zone off a minute or two early and letting the leftover heat finish a sauce.
A dual zone is two rings in one: the inner ring for a small pan and both rings together for a large stockpot or wok. Belling's 90cm and 110cm ceramic hobs both include one. The 110cm models add a warming zone, a gentle low-heat area that keeps gravy, plates or a finished dish hot while you dish up. Belling describes the layout on its Cookcentre 110E product page.
On a Belling ceramic range cooker the cooking zones are run by rotary control dials on the front panel, which most people find easier than touch controls with wet or floury hands. The ovens have their own control dials and an electronic programmer with a timer, so you can set cooking to start and stop on its own.
This is the main choice you'll make, because the ovens behind the two hob types are usually identical. Here's how they compare on a range cooker:
| Ceramic hob | Induction hob | |
|---|---|---|
| How it heats | Elements heat the glass, the glass heats the pan | A magnetic field heats the pan directly |
| Pans | Any flat-bottomed pan | Magnetic pans only (cast iron, most stainless steel) |
| Speed | Steady, slower to heat and cool | Very fast, instant changes in heat |
| Hot surface | Glass stays hot after cooking | Glass mostly warmed by the pan |
| Price on a Belling range | The lower-cost option | Several hundred pounds more at the same width |
| Best for | Keeping your current pans and your budget | Fast boiling and precise simmering |
If your pans are aluminium, copper or glass, or you just don't want the extra cost, a ceramic range cooker is the sensible pick, and it is easy to clean too. If you love quick, precise cooking and don't mind checking your pans with a magnet, compare every model on our induction range cookers page. Which? tests both types and its hob reviews are a good independent read.
Every model in the grid above is a Belling, made in two styles at three widths. In Belling's model names the number is the width and E means a ceramic hob (Ei means induction). Prices change with the retailer daily, so these are rough bands, not exact figures.
| Model | Width | Ceramic hob | Ovens and capacity | Colours | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmhouse 90E | 90cm (896-900mm) | 5 zones inc. dual zone | Tall fanned oven, main fanned oven, separate grill (174 litres) | Cream, black, anthracite | About £1,000 to £1,100 |
| Cookcentre 90E | 90cm (896mm) | 5 zones inc. dual zone | Tall fanned oven, main fanned oven, separate grill (174 litres) | Black, stainless steel | About £1,300 to £1,400 |
| Farmhouse 100E | 100cm (996-1000mm) | 5 zones | Fanned main oven, second oven, separate grill | Cream, black, anthracite | About £1,100 to £1,200 |
| Cookcentre 100E | 100cm (996-1000mm) | 5 zones | Fanned main oven, second oven, separate grill | Black, stainless steel | About £1,200 to £1,300 |
| Farmhouse 110E | 110cm (1096mm) | 5 zones plus warming zone | Fanned main oven, conventional second oven, separate grill | Cream, black, anthracite | About £1,300 |
| Cookcentre 110E | 110cm (1096mm) | 5 zones plus warming zone | Fanned main oven, conventional second oven, separate grill | Black, stainless steel | About £1,500 to £1,600 |
All of them have AirFry in the main oven (with a tray in the box), slow cook, Easy-Clean enamel in the oven and grill cavities, an A energy rating and a 3 year parts and labour warranty. The 90cm models list 174 litres of cooking capacity in total; for the 100cm and 110cm models the figure is higher, though Belling and the retailer quote it differently, so check the product page if capacity matters most.
Check the dimensions before anything else: measure the width of the gap between your units, and allow a few millimetres either side so the cooker slides in. Check the doorways and hall too: a range is heavy and wide, and it has to get to the kitchen on delivery day.
The 90cm size fits most ordinary kitchens, often replacing a 60cm cooker plus a cupboard. Instead of two equal ovens it has a tall fanned oven of around 81 litres next to a main fanned oven, with the grill above. With both ovens fanned you can bake on every shelf. More models at this size, including induction, are on our 90cm electric range cookers page.
At 100cm you get the classic range layout: two ovens side by side under a separate grill, plus a little more width on the hob for big pans. It's a good middle ground for families who batch cook or host Sunday lunch. Compare all brands at this width on our 100cm electric range cookers page.
The 110cm size is the biggest, with a fanned main oven, a conventional second oven that's hotter at the top than the bottom (ideal for crisp roast potatoes over a joint) and the extra warming zone on the hob. Pick this ceramic range cooker if you cook for six or more or entertain often. See the rest of our 110cm electric range cookers.
Both share the same ovens, grill and hob at each width, so the choice is mostly about looks and budget.
Belling has made cookers in Britain for over a century; its history page tells the story. You'll find every model it makes, ceramic, induction and dual fuel, on our Belling range cookers page.
Belling makes every ceramic range cooker our retailer currently lists, but it isn't the only name you'll see in UK shops. If you're comparing across retailers, these are the other common brands:
Belling and Stoves are both Glen Dimplex brands, so they share many oven features; the differences are mainly styling and price.
Colour changes the price very little, usually £100 at most, so pick what suits your units. The hob itself is black glass on every model, so the cooking surface looks the same whichever finish you choose.
One of the best things about a ceramic top is how easy it is to clean: there are no pan supports or burner caps, just smooth glass.
Inside, the Easy-Clean enamel in the ovens and grill means most splashes wipe away once the cavity is cool.
Every model on this page is all-electric, so no gas supply or Gas Safe engineer is needed. A range cooker draws far more power than a normal plug socket can supply, though, so installation means hard-wiring it to its own cooker circuit, a job for a qualified electrician. Some retailers offer installation for a fee when you order, which is worth comparing with a local electrician's quote. If you're replacing a small electric cooker, ask them to check that the circuit, cable and switch can take the extra load. Electrical Safety First explains how to find a registered electrician.
When the new cooker arrives, your old one needs to go somewhere. Retailers selling electrical goods must offer a way to recycle the old appliance, as set out in the WEEE regulations guidance. If you'd rather cook on gas, see our dual fuel range cookers instead, or compare the Stoves Richmond on our Stoves range cookers page.
Independent reliability and running cost results are in the Which? range cooker reviews.
It's a wide electric cooker, 90cm to 110cm, with two ovens, a separate grill and a smooth glass ceramic hob on top. Elements under the glass heat it, and the glass heats your pans.
Induction is a little more efficient because it heats the pan directly and wastes less heat. For a typical family the difference is modest, and the ceramic model usually costs several hundred pounds less to buy.
Yes. Any pan with a flat, smooth base works, including aluminium and copper. Heavy flat bases give the most even heat across the zone.
The glass is tough, but grit, sliding cast iron cookware and abrasive cleaners can mark it. Lift pans, clean with a ceramic hob cleaner and use a scraper for burnt-on spills.
The zones get hot enough to burn, and they stay hot for a while after you switch off, so keep children away until the glass has cooled.
The 110cm Farmhouse 110E and Cookcentre 110E both have a warming zone as well as five cooking zones.
Yes. You can slide it into place and level the feet yourself, but the electrical connection to a dedicated cooker circuit should be made by a qualified electrician.
