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According to a recent survey, 14% of Which? members who'd had a cooking appliance installed in the past five years incurred unexpected installation costs, and 6% had significant installation problems.

The problems they experienced included:

Prior knowledge and planning will help you avoid unexpected issues. Read on for advice on what to consider when planning to install a new hob, oven or cooker. 

If you're in need of a built-in oven, see our best built-in oven  recommendations to help you find one.

As well as being built into kitchen units, ovens are heavy and a hassle to move. This means people often decide to leave them behind when they move.

If you’re lucky, the oven will be clean. However, before you pop in your first meal, you'll also want to be sure it’s safe to use. 

For gas ovens, ask the vendors for a gas safety certificate. If they haven't got one, or it's been more than a year since the last check, get a Gas Safe-registered engineer to carry out a safety check. You want to be absolutely sure it’s not emitting carbon monoxide. This is best done before you move in, if possible.

If an electric oven has been left behind, you should get an electrician to give it the once-over and a safety certificate before you use it.

The previous owners may have left a manual behind, but if not, it's likely you'll find it online as a free download.

Go to Trusted Traders to track down a local tradesperson endorsed by Which?