The Internet Can't Stop Talking About AGA Ranges — So, What are They?

One of the things we love so much about the internet is that there are moments when something is posted or published and suddenly, it seems like everyone we know is talking about it. Like, remember when “covfefe” happened , and it created a Twitter joke-a-thon that lasted all night? Or the Cat Person story in The New Yorker that turned out to share creepy parallels with another writer’s life , and all of the think pieces that followed? Well, right now it seems like everyone is talking about a profile in The Times of London about Hannah Neeleman, the woman behind the popular Ballerina Farm social media accounts. Now, there’s a lot to be said about the article, but if you’re a foodie like us, something in particular probably caught your attention — the mention that Neeleman’s family cooks on an AGA range. But what is an AGA range, anyway? How is it different than a regular stove, and most importantly…how much does one cost? Asking for a friend!

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What is an AGA Cookstove?

Neeleman herself gave all of the details about the family’s impressive AGA cookstove in an Instagram post. These incredibly heavy cast iron ranges (Ballerina Farm’s weighs 1,600 pounds, and took three days to assemble) are certainly old-fashioned looking. Cast iron is known for its ability to hold heat, and this range is unique compared to modern gas and electric stoves and ovens in that it stays on all the time. Neeleman explained in her post that “Because getting her heated to cooking temp takes nearly 2 days, you don’t turn her off.”

How does an AGA Range work?

As for how the AGA range works, it’s not too complicated once you get used to things, though there’s a big learning curve. “4 separate ovens hold the constant temperatures of 140, 240, 350 and 450 F. The boiling plate is always at 600 F and the simmering plate (400 F) take care of all stove top needs,” Neeleman explains. But what about the energy costs? The range is powered by propane or natural gas, and Neeleman admits that “our propane bill is likely 4x what it would be,” but says that “having every meal taste like it was cooked in a Dutch oven makes me 10x happier.” Personally, we just use a cast iron Dutch oven when we’re craving that vibe, but if you have the money for an AGA range, by all means…

Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid

And that brings us to the thing everyone can’t seem to stop talking about: the price of an AGA range. From the pictures, it looks like Ballerina Farm uses something similar to the AGA R7 150 with Warming Plate Hotcupboard . We looked at several different retailers who sell this model, and nearly all of them list a retail price of more than $29,000. If you want to find out the exact price of the AGA range of your dreams, you can request a quote from the company.

The next time we see a picture-perfect prairie home and start wishing we could “live the simple life,” we’ll have to try to remember that in reality, getting that glossy farmhouse chic look actually costs a lot of money. In the meantime, we’ll be cooking up our homemade meals with our regular oven, and hopefully knowing that gas bill is a fraction of Ballerina Farm’s can offer some comfort.

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