Jargon Guide

We've designed this guide to help you make sense of some of the technical terms we use on this site. If this still leaves you with unanswered questions, then feel free to call our knowledgeable sales staff for assistance; 0116 242 1 365.

Cookers and Ovens

Single Oven

A single oven has one cooking cavity, which usually includes oven and grill. These can be built into the kitchen furniture at eye-level or under the worktop.

Conventional Oven

A conventional oven is hotter at the top than at the bottom. This means you can use the top for food which can be cooked quickly, and the bottom for food which needs to be cooked for longer (e.g. casseroles)

Fan Oven

A fan oven circulates the warm air all around the oven. This leads to reduced cooking times, and evenly cooked food.

Multi-function Oven

A multi-function oven has the option of fan or conventional cooking, grilling or fan grilling and gives more versatile cooking options.

Steam Oven

In a steam oven, food is saturated with steam, cooking the food gently to ensure its texture and appearance, vitamins, minerals and colour are preserved.

Built-in Double Oven

A built-in double oven has two cavities, and is built into your kitchen furniture at eye-level for convenience.

Built-under Oven

A built-under oven is built under your worktop, so that you can position the hob immediately above to save space.

Built-in Microwave

A built-in microwave is built into your kitchen furniture and requires a build-in kit.

Hobs

Solid Plate

This is the older design of hob with cast-iron plates. Modern solid plates hobs are quicker than older versions, but still relatively slow compared to today's alternatives.

Induction

An induction hob uses a strong electromagnet positioned below the ceramic cooking zone. This transfers the heat to the pan and the hob doesn't get hot. These hobs can only be used with ferrous metal bottomed pans.

Ceramic

A ceramic hob uses radiant heat from an electric heating element concealed under the glass of the hob.

Halogen

A halogen hob uses a heat source consisting of a filament surrounded by halogen vapour. This type of hob is now relatively rare.

Domino

Domino hobs are normally two ring hobs, which can be arranged together with other hobs to provide any required combination of hob types and fuel sources.

Cooker Hoods

Venting / Recirculating

Cooker hoods work best when venting smells and fumes out of the kitchen through an outside wall. A ducting kit - normally sold separately - is needed for installation. If ducting is not possible then air can be recirculated using filters.

Canopy

A canopy hood is designed to fit into the base of a wall cupboard and its controls are located on the underside. These hoods are generally only visible from below.

Chimney

A chimney hood looks like a chimney descending from the ceiling, and adds character to any kitchen.

Island

Similar to a chimney hood, an island hood is mounted to the ceiling instead of against a wall.

Integrated

An integrated cooker hood is built into your kitchen furniture and is covered by a cupboard door which matches your kitchen.

Traditional

Traditional hoods can be mounted directly to the wall or suspended beneath a reduced height wall cupboard.

Refrigeration

Built-in

This type is built into a tall cabinet in your kitchen furniture.

Built-under

These slot into a gap and aren't surrounded by a kitchen cabinet. The door then hangs on the fridge.

Energy Rating

A++ is the most energy efficient and G the least.

Dishwashers

Fully-integrated

A fully integrated dishwasher is totally covered with full height cabinet door and the controls are on the top edge.

Semi-integrated

A semi-integrated dishwasher takes a drawer line door and the control panel is visible.

Energy Rating

A is the most energy efficient and G the least.

Wash Rating

Graded on a scale from A (the best) to G.

Dry Rating

Graded on a scale from A (the best) to G.

Laundry

Vented Dryer

Hot damp air is vented from the machine to the outside through an outside wall using a ducting kit.

Condenser Dryer

Condenser dryers collect moisture which is then pumped away via the drains, or emptied by the user from a container built into the machine.

Energy Rating

A+ is the most energy efficient and G the least.

Wash Rating

Graded on a scale from A (the best) to G.

Spin Efficiency

Graded on a scale from A (the best) to G.