AGA City60 Electric Range

Small footprint, big mood. The AGA City60 Electric Range squeezes that iconic cast-iron, always-Instagrammable AGA vibe into a slim 60 cm (about 24″) frameperfect for galley kitchens, condos, or any space where every inch counts. But don’t let the size fool you: beneath those classic enamel doors are radiant-heat ovens and a workhorse hotplate that make weekday dinners and weekend roasts feel easyand a little bit fancy.

What the City60 Electric Actually Is

The City60 Electric is a compact, cast-iron, heat-storage cooker: two ovens plus a cast-iron hotplate under a chrome lid. The top oven toggles between a roasting mode and a baking mode; the lower oven is set up for long, gentle simmering. The hotplate has two “zones” by settingboiling and simmeringso you can sear, sauté, or hold sauces without shuffling pans across burners. In short: it’s the classic AGA way of cooking, scaled to a 60-cm slot.

Key specs at a glance

• Width: 60 cm (≈ 23 5/8″)fits a standard 24″ range opening.
• Ovens: Top oven with roasting/baking settings + lower simmering oven.
• Hotplate: Cast-iron with boiling and simmering settings (heat-up ~11 and ~8 minutes respectively).
• Heat style: Radiant heat from thick cast iron for even cooking and succulent results.
• Colors: AGA’s signature palette (think Cream, Slate, British Racing Green, and moremodel availability varies by region).

Why the City60 Cooks Differently (And Better)

Unlike a conventional electric range that blasts heat from one direction, the AGA’s cast-iron mass stores energy and then radiates it from all sides. That steady, enveloping heat means roasts brown beautifully without drying out, cookies bake evenly edge-to-edge, and braises relax into tenderness without babysitting. In day-to-day use, it feels calm, predictable, and forgivinglike cooking in a great brick oven, except it lives under your countertop.

Ovens: Roasting, Baking, and All-Day Simmering

Top Oven: Two Personalities, Zero Drama

Flip the top oven between Roasting (high, intense heat for sheet-pan dinners, prime rib, and so-crispy potatoes) and Baking (moderate, steady heat for sweets, breads, and casseroles). That dual personality makes menu planning easy: roast the chicken at high heat tonight; drop to bake for brownies tomorrowsame cavity, different job.

Lower Oven: The “Set-and-Stroll” Simmering Zone

The lower oven is the AGA secret weapon: low, consistent heat for braises, pulled pork, brothy beans, or a covered Dutch oven of steel-cut oats that you park before bed. It’s also the perfect holding cabinet when guests are late and you refuse to rush perfection.

Hotplate: Two Settings, Many Tricks

Lid up, kettle on. The cast-iron hotplate reaches boiling in roughly 11 minutes and simmering in about 8, so your pasta water and morning coffee routine won’t wait around. The whole plate is usable, so you can shuffle pans for multi-course meals without hunting for a free burner. And with the lid down, the kitchen looks tidy and the plate stays protected.

Day-to-Day Use: What Living with a City60 Feels Like

Warm-Up, Scheduling & Everyday Rhythm

Because the City60 works on the heat-storage principle, give it roughly an hour to saturate the cast iron when starting from cold. Many owners pair it with the optional programmer/timer to pre-heat automatically before dinnertime or weekend baking sessions. Once hot, it holds temperature with the serene steadiness AGA fans love.

Ventilation & Installation Notes

AGA recommends a hood above the cooker and keeping the oven vent clear. The City60 is designed to slide into a 60-cm opening; check cabinet depths (AGA recommends adjacent units max ~595 mm deep) and mind worktop thickness for a flush, happy install. Always use qualified installers and follow local codescast iron is heavy, and this is one appliance you don’t “eyeball.”

City60 vs. AGA City 24 (U.S.)

Shopping U.S. retailers, you’ll also see the AGA City 24, a 24-inch model in the same footprint with two radiant-heat ovens and a gas or dual-fuel cooktop (four sealed burners) instead of the City60’s single cast-iron hotplate. If you prefer open-flame sautéing and classic burner control, the City 24 is the U.S.-market counterpart to consider. If you love the simplicity and wipe-clean look of a lidded hotplate, the City60 Electric is your vibe.

Design & Finish: The Jewelry of Your Kitchen

Few ranges double as décor like an AGA. The City60 brings that same enamel-gloss charisma in a rainbow of finishescreamy neutrals, deep blues, rosy Blush, even British Racing Greendepending on model and region. It’s a statement piece that somehow reads classic in a farmhouse and cool in a modern loft.

Real-World Capacity in a 60-cm Body

Two “full-height” cast-iron ovens make small-kitchen cooking feel big. Roast a 12- to 14-pound turkey in the top oven, park sides in the lower, and boil gravy on the hotplate. For Tuesday nights, think sheet-pan salmon up top and a pot of rice or polenta quietly softening below. The radiant heat is forgivingpull the tray five minutes late, and dinner is still juicy.

Energy & Heat: What to Expect

Modern City60 units let you turn each zone (hotplate, top oven, lower oven) on and off independently. That makes them more schedule-friendly than traditional “always-on” AGAs. The flip side is you’ll plan for warm-up time. Many owners use the programmer so the top oven is ready when they walk in the doorset it and go live your life.

Pros & Cons (Honest Edition)

What you’ll love

• Radiant-heat magic: Even baking, succulent roasts, gentle simmering that’s hard to mess up.
• Small-space hero: Slides into a 24″ opening but cooks like a bigger range.
• Design flex: Enamel finishes that make guests ask for a tour.

A few trade-offs

• Warm-up time: You plan ahead, or you use the programmer.
• Hotplate, not burners: If you live for wok-hei, the City 24’s gas top (U.S.) might suit you better.
• Weight & install: It’s solid cast iron; hire pros and follow the clear fitment rules.

Who Is the City60 For?

Apartment dwellers craving a “forever range.” Empty-nesters downsizing without giving up cooking joy. Design-first renovators who want a focal point with daily utility. If you’ve ever felt conventional electric ranges cook harshly or unevenly, the City60’s cast-iron calm might be exactly what your kitchen needs.

Buying Tips, Model Names & Retail Reality

In U.S. showrooms and retailer sites, you’ll often find the AGA Classic 24 (City 24) with two radiant-heat ovens and a four-burner gas/dual-fuel top. The City60 Electric (with hotplate) shows up more often in AGA’s official materials and U.K./AU docs. If you’re in the U.S. and want the hotplate experience, speak to an AGA dealer about current availability and special order options; if you want burners, the City 24 is widely stocked.

Maintenance & Care

Keep vents clear, wipe condensation during early heat-ups, and season the cast-iron oven cavities lightly with vegetable oil as they “break in.” Use a hood for steam and odors, and treat the chrome-topped hotplate lid kindlyadd a chef’s pad if you want to rest pans on it while hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast does the hotplate heat?

From cold, roughly ~11 minutes to “boiling” and ~8 to “simmering.” After that, shifting between settings is quick.

Can I bake and simmer at the same time?

Yes. The City60’s top oven (set to baking mode) and lower simmering oven operate independently; add the hotplate for a saucepan, and you’ve got a three-ring culinary circus.

Is there a U.S. version with burners?

Yesthe AGA City 24 (ATC2DF) pairs two radiant-heat ovens with four sealed gas burners. It’s the closest U.S. stocked analogue if you prefer flame.

SEO Corner: Keywords You’ll Naturally Find Here

Primary: AGA City60 Electric Range, AGA 60 range, AGA City 60. Secondary/LSI: 24-inch cast-iron range, radiant heat ovens, compact electric cooker, small kitchen range, AGA City 24 dual fuel, AGA colors.

Conclusion

The AGA City60 Electric Range proves you don’t need a country estate to cook like a calm, confident pro. With two radiant-heat ovens, a versatile hotplate, and heirloom-grade enamel, it’s a style statement that earns its keep meal after meal. If you’re in the U.S., weigh City60 hotplate charm against the City 24’s burner controlboth bring the signature AGA feel to tight spaces. Either way, dinner just got more delicious (and your kitchen, more photogenic).

500-Word Experience Add-On: Living with an AGA City60

Here’s the rhythm that surprised me most about the City60: it nudges you to plan just enough to feel organized, without handcuffing spontaneity. On weeknights, I use the optional program to have the top oven at “bake” by 6:30 PM. I’ll toss broccoli and carrots with olive oil and salt, slide them in first, and then switch to “roast” for 15 minutes at the end so the edges caramelize. Meanwhile, the hotplate does double duty: boiling pasta on the “boil” setting while a small saucepan rests toward the cooler edge to keep a lemon-butter sauce glossy. By 7 PM, dinner looks plannedeven when it wasn’t.

Weekend projects are where the lower oven earns legend status. I’ll brown short ribs in a Dutch oven on the hotplate, deglaze with red wine, then move the pot to the lower simmering oven and forget about it for three hours. The meat emerges spoon-tender, and the kitchen never swings from “blast furnace” to “freezer” as with some conventional ovens cycling their elements. Radiant heat just feels…civilized.

Baking days highlight the top oven’s split personality. My focaccia loves the “bake” settingairy crumb, golden bottom. Swap to “roast” for the final few minutes and the crust blisters in a way that makes store-bought jealous. Cookies bake so evenly that rotating pans is optional; I still do it out of habit, but the edges don’t race ahead of the centers.

For guests, the City60 is stealth hospitality. I’ll finish a roast chicken in the top oven, then move it down to the simmering oven to rest while I make pan gravy on the hotplate. The lower oven acts like a warming cupboard that doesn’t dry things out, which buys time for that second glass of wine. When friends arrive early, the chrome-lidded hotplate doubles as a staging area: lid down, chef’s pad on top, hors d’oeuvres stay just warm enough without fuss.

Cleanup is quietly easy. The vitreous enamel wipes clean, the hotplate needs an occasional brush-off, and the chrome lid keeps splatter off the wall. The only “learning curve” is mental: remembering you have two full-height ovens with different temperaments. Once you internalize “top = now, bottom = later,” the City60 becomes a sous-chef that never calls in sick. If you’re in the U.S. and end up with the City 24 instead, the vibe is similarsame gentle radiant ovens, just swap the hotplate for four burners. Either way, once you’ve cooked with cast-iron radiant heat, it’s hard to go back.