Our ElectricKit Advanced User Guide

This guide is intended for our own customers who have had our ElectricKit Advanced system installed.


Welcome to life with an ‘ElectricKit Converted’ Aga Cooker!


Your engineer would have talked through the system before they left site, but sometimes it’s handy to have things written down to reference them, so we’ve put this guide together. If you still have any questions after reading through all the information, just get in touch - we're happy to help!


The 'Burn Off' Period


For the initial burn off, we recommend the below settings. Control panel diagram and instructions on how to set the temperature are inside the manufacturer’s user guide.


Top RH oven set to 220/240c.

Bottom RH oven set to 180/200c.

If you have a 4 oven model, set your hotcupboard section to 120c.

Hotplates at number 6 for one hour with the lids open (to burn off the oil).

After an hour, turn them to number 4 and close the lids.


Leave the Aga Cooker at these temps for at least 4-8 hrs (preferably overnight). This will allow any sealants used and coatings to burn off. Once smells and any smoke dissipates, you can start using your cooker.


Quick Start Points

  • Wipe up any condensation as soon as possible. During the burn off period, you might see some condensation drip from the front return edge of the top plate, down the enamel front plate. This should be wiped away asap. If left, those drips could stain your enamel permanently. It's only a concern during the initial heat up period.

  • Your solid hotplates will turn a brown colour when the oil is burning off. After about an hour, the oil should be burnt off, so you can reduce the temperature and close the lid to leave the cooker to complete the rest of the burn-off.

  • The manufacturers require an insulating rope under the hotplates to prevent any excessive temperatures conducting through and tripping the overheat stat prematurely. This means that your hotplates may sit slightly proud of the enamel top plate, when compared to a ‘traditional’ AGA cast iron hotplate.
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  • There may be some sealants used during the installation, which will need time to cure. It's best to avoid cleaning or fiddling with the AGA for the first few hours at least, to let things set and cure.


The Control Panel

Once you've used the control panel for a few weeks, it'll become second nature.


The screen can seem intimidating but it's easy when you know how!


The Main Controls:

  • The two circular zones at the top are your two hotplates.
  • The square zones are your ovens.
  • Top number is your current temperature, the bottom is the target temp.
  • The current temp may fluctuate until the cast iron is fully saturated with heat, but use them as 'guides' rather than exact temperatures (which aren't possible in an AGA due to the way it cooks!)
  • The power buttons have different colours - red is off, green is on and amber is rest.


Settings:

  • To change the temperature of the hotplates, tap on one and use the plus/minus buttons to set.
  • To change the temperature of the ovens, tap on the oven you want, then enter your target temp using the key pad. Tap on 'set' to save.
  • When the REST or 24/7 TIMER is illuminated, it's ON. You can set a rest temperature 

Hotplates

  • Each hotplate can be controlled independently from the respective sections in the control panel. Hotplate usage won’t affect oven temperatures, and they are both capable of reaching 370c which is hotter temperatures than traditional models. Setting number 4 is comparable to traditional Aga simmering temperatures, with number 6 being traditional boiling temperatures and number 8 will give you a fierce 370c!

  • The induction hob will “blink” when receiving power, so a constant flashing of the power button is normal. When it’s turned on, a fan will start and will continue for a while after it’s turned off. If you see an E0 error, check that your pan is compatible with induction.

  • We recommend limiting your hotplate temperature to "4" when the lids are closed. This helps to keep a safe temperature for preventing scorching but also reduces your energy consumption. If your hotplates are left at boiling temperature continuously, your hotplate might​ get hotter than normal and trip the overheat switch inside.

  • If your solid hotplates are left above boiling temperatures (number 6), they will automatically turn down to number 6 after a few hours.

  • If you have two solid hotplates, your left hand hotplate has a slightly more powerful element inside, so you’ll find it may heat up quicker. Your left hand hotplate will have some heat in it if the ovens are on (due to the hot air rising up from the ovens).

  • If you want to cook directly on the solid hotplate, we recommend using Bake-O-Glide to prevent any sticking and mess. Keep the temperature at a simmering setting – boiling temp is too hot for the Bake-O-Glide.

The Ovens

  • Your oven elements are staggered. Two for the top oven (one small element above the oven, one big main oven element below the top oven), and one for the bottom oven (below the bottom oven). 4 Oven models have another element controlling the whole left-hand section of the cooker (unless you’ve upgraded to the high-temp hotcupboard).


  • The bottom oven will always run around 30-35% cooler than the top oven temperature. This is due to the main element placement. Most users have their top oven at 180c, which will give you rough simmering temperatures (120c) in the bottom oven. If your top oven is at 220c, your bottom oven will always be around 140/150c. The bottom oven temperature can be boosted to a higher temperature using the bottom oven setting on the control panel.


  • Your ideal “grilling position” is in the bottom oven. Due to the large oven element sitting in-between the RH ovens, you can grill or brown dishes using the top of the bottom oven (closest to the big element). Grilling may be possible at the top of the top oven but it may take a while as that element is smaller. To grill, once your top oven is on and set to a high temperature, you can place your tray on the top runners of the bottom oven, and leave the top oven door slightly ajar. This will force the element to kick into life and “grill”.


  • The solid cast iron ovens work well when they’re saturated with heat, so you can utilise your ‘rest’ settings to lower the cooker into a lower slumber temperature (eg, 100c), when not in use - so there’s always some heat in the ovens). It’ll reduce heat up times and give you better temperature regulation in the oven, but you can always turn it off and on from cold if preferred.


  • The floor of the top oven will be hotter than you might be used to. This is due to the big oven element underneath. It’s perfect for chucking bread on the oven floor to make quick toast, but if you’re cooking quiches or following traditional recipes that use the floor of the oven, be aware that it can burn quickly. You can use your grill shelf to raise trays off the floor of the oven if needed.


  • The temperature may be +/-10c. Aga Cookers use radiant heat to cook, so the most accurate place for a temperature reading is in the dead centre of the oven. The temperature displays are measured inside the oven, by the thermocouples at the front and back of the oven. Your oven temperature can also be slightly affected by hotplate or other ovens conducting heat through.


You can use this table as a guide, to find out what rough temperature will conduct through to the bottom oven, when using the top oven.


The temperatures are approximate.


Again, you can boost the bottom oven temperatures using the bottom oven zone on the touchscreen panel.

Cleaning Your Aga Cooker:

Cleaning the Hotplates:


Any burnt-on crumbs on your solid metal hotplates can be cleaned with some fine steel to ensure good pan-to-hotplate contact. You can your pans to have a thick solid base and not 'rock' on the hotplate. If you're finding slow heat up times or "low temperatures", check your pan bases are level and machined flat.


The hotplates have a thick steel plate which may get slightly scratched/stained over time. Induction/ceramic hobs can be wiped down with a warm damp cloth after use, and toughened dirt can be cleaned using glass cleaners. Some people prefer to use a silicone mat on the induction hob to prevent any scratches from pans.


Cleaning the Ovens:


The ovens are original cast iron, so you can use fine steel wool to clean any surface rust and hoover it out when cool. Most spills/food will carbonise when left in the oven for long periods, then you can sweep it out.


Cleaning your Enamel:


The vitreous enamel surfaces should be wiped down with a warm damp cloth after each use. Officially, you should only use approved enamel cleaners (preferably bought direct from AGA Rangemaster), but personally, we use diluted fairy liquid in a spray bottle on our own aga at home. We've found that most 'enamel cleaners' leave streaks and require 'buffing' after cleaning - life's too short for that!!


For tougher grease build up over time, you might need a 'glass scraper' (widely available online). Wet the surface then hold the scraper at a 45 degree angle and scrape the grease off without lifting the scraper. Make sure you change the blade regularly to prevent any scratching.