AGA Signature: the eR7 by a different name

If you've been researching an AGA and have been confused to come across what seems to be the same cooker under two different names, let us settle any confusion: the AGA range cooker series formerly known as the AGA eR7 and AGA eR7i is now the AGA Signature. The cooker is exactly the same – that same steady cast-iron cooking, the same level of flexibility and control. Only the name has changed.

Edwards & Godding has been a family business since 1790, and one of AGA's five original distributors since 1932. For three generations, our family has lived and worked with these cookers, cooking on them in our own homes, installing and servicing them for our customers across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and the Home Counties.

AGA recently renamed its collections to be clearer and more descriptive. The new names – Classic, Signature, Compact and Mini – take the place of the old model codes, such as AGA R7, eR7, eR3 and AGA 60. You can read about each of the collections in our guide to the AGA collection names. In this article, we'll explore what makes the AGA Signature so distinctive, and how it compares with the other cookers in the AGA range.

What is the AGA Signature (formerly the AGA eR7)?

The AGA Signature is a cast-iron cooker with the unmistakable presence of a traditional AGA – the solid cast iron and deep, glossy enamel that anchor the room, the radiant heat that cooks so gently and evenly, and the familiar warmth that draws everyone to the kitchen.

What sets this collection apart is enhanced flexibility and control. A state-of-the-art touch screen gives you full digital control of the ovens and hotplates, each working independently. Leave the cast iron on all the time, set it to slumber for a steady background warmth, or programme the ovens to come on just when you want them. The hotplates heat up in eight to ten minutes, and you can switch each oven and hotplate off when you're not using it, keeping energy use to a minimum.

The Signature comes in a range of sizes, from the three-oven AGA Signature 100-3 up to the seven-oven AGA Signature 210-7, so there's a model to suit most kitchens. The five-oven AGA Signature 150-5 is on display in both our showrooms. Every size is available in two forms: the standard AGA Signature, with the traditional twin cast-iron hotplates, or the AGA Signature Induction (previously the eR7i), which has an induction hob. Inside, the standard Signature's ovens are all cast iron, while the Signature Induction has a conventional electric oven among its cast-iron ones. For the full specification – oven sizes, dimensions, configurations and colours – see our AGA Signature page.

The five-oven AGA Signature Induction is the cooker we chose for our own home. We've had ours (known when we bought it as the AGA eR7 150-5i) for five years now, and can't imagine being without it. You can read about how we use it throughout the seasons, from winter warmth to summer cooking, in our recent article, Our year with an AGA.

AGA Signature vs AGA eR7: what's changed?

Nothing has changed. The Signature is simply the new name for the eR7.

AGA Signature vs AGA Classic

The AGA Signature and AGA Classic are both cast-iron AGAs that cook in exactly the same way, and both can be left on like a traditional AGA or turned down to a slumber setting. The real difference is in how you control them.

The AGA Classic – formerly the R7 – is the closest expression of the original AGA: designed to be always on, ready whenever you need it, with control that's simple and considered. Four temperature settings, including an eco-mode, suit different ways of cooking. If you love the traditional, always-ready AGA and want uncomplicated control, the Classic is for you.

The AGA Signature gives you more flexibility and more control. A state-of-the-art touch screen lets you programme the ovens to switch on and off to a schedule that fits your week – on for the morning, off while you're out, on again for dinner. If that flexibility appeals, the Signature is the one for you.

AGA Signature vs AGA Compact

The AGA Compact – previously the eR3 – differs from the Signature in that it is shallower from front to back, so it sits flush within standard-depth kitchen units rather than projecting into the room – a neat fit if a full-depth AGA would stick out too far. 

If your kitchen can take the depth, the AGA Signature gives you the fullest AGA; if not, the Compact is designed for exactly that situation, and the smaller AGA Mini – previously the AGA 60 – at just 60cm wide, suits the most compact kitchens of all. 

Where the AGA Signature fits in the new range naming

If you're matching the new names against the old, here's the whole picture in one place.

You can explore the full AGA range here. If you're weighing up the cost, our guide to how much an AGA costs covers prices across the range, while our guide to running costs sets out what a modern electric model costs through the year.

What this means if you've been researching the eR7

If you've been researching the eR7, everything you've found still stands. Every review and every owner's account applies just as well to the Signature, because it's the same cooker. The cooker you were drawn to is exactly as it was, ready when you are – it simply goes by a new name.

Talk to an AGA specialist

We're a family business, and one of AGA's five original distributors. For three generations, our family has lived with AGA cookers, installed them and looked after them. Our advice is based on decades of hands-on experience, including in our own kitchens.

Get in touch or book an appointment to visit us at one of our showrooms in Woodstock, Oxfordshire or Reading, Berkshire. We'll help you find the right cooker for your home and lifestyle.