Classic Style Meets Contemporary Design – Fisher & Paykel’s Classic Freestanding Range

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and, at the centre of the kitchen, Fisher & Paykel’s new Classic Freestanding Range captures the timeless presence of the traditional range, combined with contemporary design and technology.

While the form and terminology may have changed with time, a fire, hearth, stove, or range has always been the source of the kitchen’s warmth and undeniable power to draw people together. The recognition of this was at the heart of Fisher & Paykel’s decision to design the Classic Range. As Adam Moody, Chief Designer Cooking and Dishwashing (Acting) Product Development, explains “Our design team recognised that, among the customers who are looking for a freestanding range, there were those who prefer a more traditional aesthetic, something that’s a little more expressive in terms of its design and more expressive as a feature piece in the kitchen landscape generally.”

Available in four traditional colours (stainless steel, black, white and red), the Classic Freestanding Range references heritage styling in details such as the solid, well-balanced soft-close oven door, chrome-plated zinc dials, a hob rail, brass burner spreaders and caps on select models, and a classic round handle. This aesthetic harking-back to the warmth of tradition has prompted architects and designers to use the Classic Freestanding Range in both heritage and contemporary kitchens. While naturally suited to a heritage-style kitchen, in a more contemporary space, the Classic Freestanding Range injects a sense of contrast, detail and timelessness that elevates the design.

“Our design team recognised that, among the customers who are looking for a freestanding range, there were those who prefer a more traditional aesthetic.”

The traditional range evokes images of hearty Sunday roasts and Christmas dinners, and it is here that the Classic Freestanding Range exemplifies the power of combining old and new. The aesthetic speaks to the past, but this hides state-of-the-art technology designed to create exceptional performance. With a 140-litre cavity, it is one of the largest available, and twin fans ensures precision cooking for perfectly even browning. Because the range is electronically controlled, rather than a traditional mechanical control, has allowed Fisher & Paykel to optimise every step of the cooking process, leading to faster heat-up times and more accurate temperature results with less fluctuation.

Extensive testing was key throughout the product development process, with over 3,000 cupcakes and 2,000 slices of toast (a barometer of reliable performance because they brown easily, allowing the designers to identify hotspots and uneven cooking) baked during testing. Full meals, from roast meats to pizzas were also tested to identify and perfect the range’s performance across every different style of cooking, informing the pre-set functions as well as illuminated haloes and temperature dials to provide accurate feedback on progress. Even the clock is distinguished by its highly advanced design, which means if one is entertaining with multiple dishes cooking, timing functions in the clock can be cued up in advance.

The Classic Freestanding Range references heritage styling in details such as the solid, well-balanced soft-close oven door, chrome-plated zinc dials, a hob rail, brass burner spreaders and caps on select models, and a classic round handle.

With the Classic Freestanding Range, Fisher & Paykel has created a product that becomes a natural focal point of the kitchen – a testament to the ongoing relevance of the traditional in contemporary life.