AGA's North American Sales
Office is in North Carolina, and believe it or not they do sell a fair number of units. Mainly to people whom like the idea of this type of range because they've seen them in Great Britian, or other northern European countries.
What people don't realise is there is a reason AGAs are so popular with those areas, it has to do with the climate (cold and damp). Ranges like these have been used to cook and heat water in Great Britian for over 100 years. They also give off and hold quite allot of heat. This is fine in Scotland or Wales, but can you imagine Texas, Atlanta or even New York during the warmer times of the year!
What some people do is work around by only firing up AGA ranges in Fall through Spring, then using another conventional range during the warmer times of the year when the AGA is shut off. Remember it takes about a day or so for a AGA range to heat up once started, and they are meant to be kept on all the time. That is why things get so hot in the kitchen,again in cold damp climates this is not a problem as it makes the kitchen area warm (favourite for cats and dogs, as well as hanging laundry). In the days before central heating a kitchen with this sort of range was the warmest room in the house.
As for cooking on a AGA, once one gets the knack of it, things are pretty easy. Unlike modern ranges, one does not adjust the temp by knobs,dials or buttons per se; but rather moves the pots/pans from various positions on or inside the range. There are plates for boiling/high heat cooking and for simering. A high heat oven and a lower heat one as well. In fact you can use the lower heat over to "simmer" as well.
Cake baking or anything that requires delicate or set temps can be a challenge, which is why home made cakes were no where nearly as common 100 years ago as today. Modern ranges with better control of heat gave the housewife more exact temp control for making delicate cakes and other baked goods, without having to constantly stand over and or move pans.
When using coal fired versions of AGAs, one reverts back to the age old dread of the fires going out. It is important to learn how to keep the fires hot and from going out. Ash also would have to be managed as well to keep the fire going at it's best. Usually once a week or maybe every two weeks, coal fired range would have to be shut down and the ash cleaned out, releaded and fires started up again. Considering it took a day or so for the range to cool enough to work on, then another day for it to come back up to temp, the family could count on at least one night of a cold dinner. Range had to be up and running before Sunday though for that night's dinner (always a major event). Also to provide hot water for baths on Saturday night.
If you want to get an idea of how bad dealing with a coal fired range can be, watch the BBC/PBS programme "1900 House", where the family, especially the mother are almost held hostage by their coal fired range.
Finally it was not uncommon to find railing built around this sort of range to keep children and other from harm as the outsides could get hot to the touch.
Launderess
www.aga-ranges.com
