I am very pleased with the gas hobs and the fan oven. The warming plate is also excellent although it very quickly stopped working; the engineer advised me that it was a fault an a new part has now been fixed. I am an experienced, keen cook and do a lot of cooking and baking. In the main I use a separate multi-oven that I have as it heats up so quickly my next choice is the fan oven on the range. I have therefore only used the conventional oven on occasions. I am so disappointed with it. I baked a fruit cake on the middle a shelf at 160c for 2 hours and it came out like a cob of coal! I reported this to Customer Service and an engineer was sent out. He said that the browning element was coming on in error as the cooker had been incorrectly wired which he had corrected. I have since baked another fruit cake, only to have the same thing happen. About the same time the engineer came out to fix the hot plate and told me that he had just been to a customer with the very same complaint. He asked me what I thought was happening; I said that I felt the top, exposed elements were far too strong as the actual oven temperature was correct. He tested it and confirmed it was "spot on". He agreed with me and said that he believed that the exposed element was too powerful and was in effect grilling the food. I have discussed this with Customer Service & their only solution was to say they could replace the thermostat if the engineer came out & found it to be in order I would be charged. I do not want a new thermostat - ideally I want a new oven. Their service was not exactly friendly and helpful. She did suggest that I spoke to the person providing help regarding use of the appliances. After, various phone calls I eventually spoke to this person, who was as helpful as she could be but advised that she had not used this particular oven but felt that if I cooked on a lower shelf all would be well. I really feel that this oven''''s use is extremely limited. I have burnt roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding and I have no confidence in placing items above the middle shelf. I used in a the weekend, on the lowest setting, to warm plates & the items on the top shelf were very hot. I really believe there is a fault with the design of this cooker and all Customer Services say is that there is not a fault and that if I am not happy with the product I must go back to the retailer. I find this rather strange as he is highly unlikely to replace the product and be left with a second hand cooker. However I have done this and all the retailer has done so far is to refer me back to Customer Services who in turn have referred back again to him! I have since heard from another person who is experiencing similar problems and I wonder just how many people out there are in the same position?