Which is the Best Cooker?

Nina Lucia

Nina Lucia

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Our old two burners and oven cooker is getting really tired.
We looked at the Plastimo, Nelson , Force 10 and ENO . They are all look okay ish, but noting special for the money the are selling for. ENO ‘Le Gascogne’ looks the best but it’s over £700!
Any suggestions which make is a little bit better than this ones?
 
If you arent bothered about the cost (too much) GKN Espace. Love mine, but I also dont know whether it would fit for you. Clearly only probably worth it for some more serious on board cooking, but the oven is almost as good as a proper domestic one.
 
ip485 said:
If you arent bothered about the cost (too much) GKN Espace. Love mine, but I also dont know whether it would fit for you. Clearly only probably worth it for some more serious on board cooking, but the oven is almost as good as a proper domestic one.
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Thanks, I definitely have a look
 
Plastimo oven gets too hot at the back and not hot enough at the front. Mate's Nelson seems much better.
 
GKN look really good and I just called to find out the price, the one that we need, two burners and oven is £2400.00 , ouch!
Really great cooker but much more expensive than anything what we were looking for.
Nelson is possibly candidate, I have read few bad reviews about ENO...
Or shall I try to refurbish our old ‘Mobilife Nawa Marine’ ?
 
We've had 2 Eno's, the second one sheerly down to availability, both badly finished, some edges we're razor-sharp, the last one was a Nelson Spinflow no complaints.
 
I am on my second Force 10 and find it works very well. The first one was ancient and eventually I could not get spares for it, so bought a new one. The usual features found on other models: tuck under slide away over door, thermostatically controlled oven, heat distribution plate in oven, thermocouple burners, spark ignition. The grill is in the oven, so you lose functionality if grilling and oven use is required at the same time. All stainless, so survives well, top plate where the pots sit, lifts off after a simple lock is disengaged which makes cleaning very easy. Good fiddle rise around burners, pan fiddles work OK but there are better designs on other makes. Mine is 11 years old now and looks as good as new.

FORCE 10 - Cooking Without Compromise - Products
 
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Shamaya said:
GKN look really good and I just called to find out the price, the one that we need, two burners and oven is £2400.00 , ouch!
Really great cooker but much more expensive than anything what we were looking for.
Nelson is possibly candidate, I have read few bad reviews about ENO...
Or shall I try to refurbish our old ‘Mobilife Nawa Marine’ ?
Click to expand...


The Nelsons always draw good comments on here but last reports were that are almost impossible to get hold of now.
I have had one for nearly 20 years, there are a few very minor niggles but no problems at all.
.
 
I bought a Force10 few years ago. Build quality is a league ahead of Nelson and Plastimo (or whatever it is now). I basically live aboard during 6 months of the summer, so need a cooker that is the equivalent of a domestic one. Force 10 is not quite that (I would hesitate doing a big roast, but quite OK for a chicken) and the grill is a bit of a let down (but better than the others). I consider it worth the extra cost.
 
I'll stick the boot in for the nelson spinflo. I think mine must have been installed new just before I bought the boat (10 years ago) because it looked out-of-place new and shiny. Most of the screws went rusty within 4 years as did the fitting which holds the oven burner in place. I tried to talk to Thetford who I think used to make or distribute them (?? Their site has changed with no mention of Nelson any more) to buy a new burner but got no response form 2 or 3 emails. This thread has reminded me that I need a new cooker or at least to redouble my efforts to get replacement parts: The oven burner has a tendency to fall off in bumpy weather. There's something up with the gas flow too: It's not a regulator problem (tried 3 different ones) but both burners are very weak which I don't remember them being when it was new. Again...need to look at that.
 
A lot of this kind of choice depends on whether you want to grill anything or make decent toast.
Most cookers supplied on "!EU!" built boats are non-grill. Which I find a PITA.
We have been using a "Ridge Monkey" for toast and toastie-like concoctions for a few years as an alternative grill. It's pretty good.
Our last boat we sold with a 2 ring +oven + grill. Sorry to see it go..... Neptune 4500 - it worked very well and we use propane all the year (Scottish waters!)
 
The boat came with a three burner GKN Espace Oceanchef.

I had not heard of them, and was a lifelong Taylor’s user.

I am a complete convert. The oven is as good as the one at home. The grill will grill six slices of toast at a time, perfectly evenly. It is easy to clean. Nothing is going to corrode. The makers are friendly and helpful and all spares are available.

Yes, it is expensive, but - how often do you use the stove?
 
laika said:
I'll stick the boot in for the nelson spinflo. I think mine must have been installed new just before I bought the boat (10 years ago) because it looked out-of-place new and shiny. Most of the screws went rusty within 4 years as did the fitting which holds the oven burner in place. I tried to talk to Thetford who I think used to make or distribute them (?? Their site has changed with no mention of Nelson any more) to buy a new burner but got no response form 2 or 3 emails. This thread has reminded me that I need a new cooker or at least to redouble my efforts to get replacement parts: The oven burner has a tendency to fall off in bumpy weather. There's something up with the gas flow too: It's not a regulator problem (tried 3 different ones) but both burners are very weak which I don't remember them being when it was new. Again...need to look at that.
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This might do you for spares:

NELSON SOH1500 - Leisure Spares

Never used them mind.
 
Minchsailor said:
I bought a Force10 few years ago. Build quality is a league ahead of Nelson and Plastimo (or whatever it is now). I basically live aboard during 6 months of the summer, so need a cooker that is the equivalent of a domestic one. Force 10 is not quite that (I would hesitate doing a big roast, but quite OK for a chicken) and the grill is a bit of a let down (but better than the others). I consider it worth the extra cost.
Click to expand...
+1 for Force10. Over the years we were liveaboards, SWMBO worked though a number of different models before buying a Force 10 while we were in Canada. Never needed another cooker, or even any spares. We particularly liked the oven heat disperser, which ended that 'burnt at the back, raw at the front' experience with other makes.

While expensive in the UK, in Canada and USA 10 years ago we found the price far lower. However I believe Force10 has since been taken over by ENO so it may be different now.
 
doug748 said:
The Nelsons always draw good comments on here but last reports were that are almost impossible to get hold of now.
I have had one for nearly 20 years, there are a few very minor niggles but no problems at all.
.
Click to expand...
My Nelson is 16 years old, still looking good and working well, certainly for the money.
Having said that the best cooker I've had was a three burner Force 10 on my J44 some years ago - I was commuting to the US frequently though so the odd spare part if required was cheap to buy over there.
 
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