Agas in the USA

Our Great American Adventures

Our little Dorset based company has seen big things over the years. We have expanded our reach to offer refurbishments and installations abroad, and to our great surprise and excitement, we have increasingly answered calls from across the pond in America.

Starting with the adventure of a lifetime in Texas, 2022, we have since found ourselves in New York, Arizona, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, California, Oregon, Seattle, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado and Washington State. Along the way, we have met fantastic people, been hosted by wonderful clients, and have seen and experienced more than we could have dreamed of. We are always willing to root through our diaries and tackle the logistics, so if you are in America and in need of a sprinkling of Aga pixie dust, get in touch; we may just be able to help you.

In the meantime, take a look at some of our American projects already under our belt:

September 2022: Texas

Our first adventure in the US took us to Rice, Texas. Our client, Tristine, had purchased her Aga privately in the US, then struggled to find anyone to install it without an exceptionally high outlay. The opportunity for a trip to her Texas home was one too good to miss. Steve was welcomed with open arms by Tristine, George and their teenage son Iver, and spent an incredible week or so on their ranch, immersing himself in the Texan lifestyle. An incredible evening was had at the Rodeo (we now know what Steve will be doing for a career in his next life!) and in eye opening visits to the local area.

Our second stop of the trip took us just half an hour away to Sulphur Springs. Our clients Lindsey & Keith had designed their kitchen and colour scheme around the Aga they had purchased over a year previously but could not find anyone willing or qualified to install.

This was a stunning property & ranch overlooking a lake. Lindsey and Keith were great hosts and we were glad to be able to help them with their difficult situation- previous trades had made a dubious start & there were significant flue issues to first be resolved. Of course, this being Texas things were a little out of the norm- Steve made the delightful discovery that two snakes were hiding in the flue, and they had to be carefully removed before work could proceed.

September 2023: Delaware, Pennsylvania and Washington DC

Our second American trip took us first to Bethany Beach, Delaware, where we gave the ‘Bangs and Brows’ treatment to a 3 oven Total Control in a beach house on stilts. We replaced the Aga top plate with a gleaming newly enamelled version, exchanged the chrome domes for enamelled and replaced door liners and seals. Our wonderful clients offered out their golf course home to Steve & Simon for the night before some free time dipping into Ocean City, Maryland for some supplies.

Next stop was Pennsylvania, where Steve and Simon settled in to a 2 night stay with our very welcoming hosts in their Lord of the Rings themed wonderland guest house. The 4 oven gas Aga was converted to the highly controllable eControl Series X. Then, we received a last minute call for some servicing assistance whilst in the region, so conversion successfully completed, Steve and Simon travelled to nearby Wilmington.

Job number 4, in Bethesda, Washington DC, started very pleasingly with Steve and Simon being treated to an evening at a traditional Cuban restaurant, and then it was down to business. Our hosts’ 2 oven Aga (plus integral module) had been running on gas and a more flexible economical option was sought. The Aga was fully stripped down and rebuilt with eControl. Alas, while the Aga work went smoothly, the local wildlife had other ideas, and an infected spider bite sent Steve off on a visit to the Emergency department!

November 2023: New York and Arizona

Our next US trip was eventful, to say the least! First on the list was Long Island, New York. Working with the exceptional Morgan Harrison Home, we transformed a 6 oven Aga for their Long Island client.

Classic Aga cream has always been said to ‘go with anything,’ but in a fresher, modern palette, this is frequently not the case. Our client had selected Evening Dove by Benjamin Moore for some of their kitchen units and so we enamelled the new Aga front and lids in this same shade as part of our colour matching service.

The chance to visit New York city in the run up to Thanksgiving was something we could not pass up, and Steve and Nat had a fantastic time exploring what the city had to offer.

Next up, a flight to Prescott, Arizona, and what an incredible place it was. When we first got the call to install an Aga there we were a little bemused - an Aga in a land of desert?! - but we soon discovered that at over 5000 feet elevation, the climate of Prescott is decidedly cooler than fiery Phoenix. Safe to say, the swimming trunks stayed safely packed away!

Our brilliant clients selected a 3 oven traditional gas Aga with integral dual fuel module for year round flexibility. We fully reconditioned the Aga, with the chosen exterior being a glossy sage vitreous enamel with chrome fittings.

With all the planning in the world, sometimes external factors collude to make things that much more difficult. Unfortunately, this leg of the trip gave us our first experience of US courier issues, and as a result we had to stay a little longer than planned. But this being Arizona, we could think of worse places to be marooned! With considerable thanks to the generosity of our hosts for some incredible memories made, including an unforgettable experience dune buggying in the desert!

Spring 2024: The West Coast

Spring 2024 saw an epic 10 day, 1500 miles road trip across the West Coast of America. 2 repacks, 1 rebuild, 1 top plate refurbishment, several services, 2 Electrickit conversions and an Electrickit build made this this an extremely busy and memorable trip.

First up was a repack, service and upgrade of an Aga in National city, just 20 minutes from the Mexican border. Effective insulation is vitally important for the efficient running of an Aga and it is wise to have your service engineer check the insulation at intervals. New insulation, door and lid liners, hinges, oven tunnels and ropes were added. Then for an exciting refresh, a replacement gas valve cover was sprayed yellow to match the colour of the Aga and all the fittings changed to copper.

Day 2 and fully in the swing of the stunning sunny Californian coast, Steve and Nat headed to our next booking, a repack and service on a 4 oven gas Aga. A beautiful Aga, a beautiful home and wonderful hosts.

Next, an overnight stay in beautiful Pismo Beach with some time to recover from the long haul journey, before a further drive north to surfy Santa Cruz, where they stumbled upon the resident seal lion colony. The team puts in some incredibly long hours on these trips and some significant road miles but we certainly like to make sure they can at least enjoy the views whilst doing so!

Next up, Santa Cruz and a last minute service booking. Remarkably, we were contacted just ahead of departure from the UK by a potential customer, precisely en route! A quick shift of hotels and timings and we were able to attend. Some minor parts were needed, along with an insulation top up and a full and thorough service. All completed and back on the road to San Francisco Bay for an Electrickit conversion, and then to north Redding for a 4 oven gas service.

Steve and Nat then continued north into Bend, Oregon. This was a truly phenomenal stretch - snow capped mountains, lakes and forests; giant American trains running alongside for endless miles; a vastness that is just incomprehensible to us little island Brits!

Tasked with undertaking a cosmetic upgrade in the form of our "Bangs and Brows" package, the engineers arrived to a significant smell of gas in the property. Setting to work first on the immediate issue of the workings of the Aga, gas leaks were found on the pilot adjuster screw, bypass screw, internal mechanism of the valve and the gas cock. Rarely have we seen a more dangerous scenario - an Aga releasing gas into the room in 4 separate locations. The customer in question was horrified to discover that the Aga had been leaking and was completely unaware. In this case, they simply could not access local help. We replaced the gas valve and gas cock, along with a new burner bar and associated works and thoroughly serviced, before attending to the pre-booked top plate and lids replacement to bring the Aga back to its glowing former self.

Next up, a brief diversion to Albany, namesake of Steve and Ali's (RR directors) son. When your name is a little unusual, personalised keepsakes are hard to get hold of, so wardrobe fully stocked with “Albany, Oregon” merchandise, it was time to get back to work.

Our customer had lost confidence in their installer who had fitted the Aga late last year. On investigation, it became clear that there were a litany of issues. Both hot plates were very low and out of level in all directions - in fact the adjuster bolts in the bottom over were upside down, rendering it impossible to adjust the heights! The flue shroud was not fixed but loose and crooked. The hot cupboard vent had been purposefully blocked with wool and the hot cupboard internal vent had been taped over with silver tape! All in all, it was one of the worst installations Steve has come across in his 22 years of building and maintaining Agas. We were very happy to help return the Aga to its best.

Nearing the end of our journey, we hit our last Oregon stop: Cannon Beach.

We meet some truly special people in the course of our work and our next customer, Joe, was no exception. Owning an Aga was a long held dream for Joe’s late wife, whom he had sadly lost. Nearly 2 decades ago, they had tried to make that happen in purchasing a reconditioned gas Aga Standard from the UK. They had never managed to get it installed and it was in the hope of realising this long held dream, his wife’s last wish, that Joe reached out to us.

Having forged a new life with a new partner, it was time to make that dream come true. Converting to Electrickit - more appropriate for the part time use of the property - we installed the Aga in their beach side home.

Joe is one of those truly special beings that you stumble upon in life once in a while and who truly leave their mark. The absolute consummate host, Steve and Nat spent 2 days in his company, with drinks in the ‘Brew & Screw’ (a bar / DIY shop!), BBQs and tales of a life well lived. They were truly sad to leave & departed with a real experience to treasure, knowing that Joe can now make those Aga memories he has wished for for so long.

Wrapping up a fantastic trip, we finished with a 3rd Electrickit conversion, this time on Bainbridge Island, Seattle. What a pleasure and a privilege to see so many incredible places and meet so many wonderful people.

Summer 2024: State Hopping

Although most of our trips are arranged to focus on a particular area, sometimes our enquiries from the US can be quite far flung. This made for an interesting tour on this occasion.

We flew into Seattle, taking a connecting flight to Dallas and then onto Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our customer had moved into a property with a gas Aga that was not working. A US based engineer had stated that a whole new burner was required. We quickly and remotely diagnosed that this was not necessary and instead were able to change just the sit valve, burner bar and thermocouple to bring the Aga back to safe working order.

Job wrapped up, there was just time to check out the turtles in the customers pond and to head out to Choteau, an Amish community nearby with a beautiful cheese shop, ice creams and produce.

All wrapped up in Tulsa and we hit the road for a 640-mile journey to Santa Fe, New Mexico. This leg of the trip was a bucket list moment as we cruised down the historic Route 66 to Amarillo. A must-stop was The Big Texan Steakhouse, famous from Man vs. Food and its legendary 72oz steak challenge.

We arrived at a beautiful property on the outskirts of Santa Fe (population just 89,000) typical of the local architecture, with flat roofs and smooth terracotta render. A stunning city, with every building built within strict aesthetic rules.

We fitted a 3 oven Electrickit for this long time Aga owner who had been without an Aga following a recent property move. This was the ideal solution in an at times very hot climate and with limited venting options.

With a day free ahead of travelling onwards and lots of helpful and welcomed advice from our customer, Steve and Andrew ventured into the city square and surrounding craft markets.

From Santa Fe, we drove for 4 1/2 hours, to Monument, home of the US Air Force Academy and just north of Colorado Springs.

Here we repaired a TC5 (5 oven Total Control), replacing the faulty hot cupboard switch and replacing the lid liners and cords, before fully servicing.

Another amazing location - high on the hills and surrounded by pine trees and just 10 minutes from our next job!

Some time ago, we were contacted by a potential client in Colorado who was at their wits’ end. Their balanced flue gas Aga simply would not stay lit and despite numerous visits from a local engineer, they were no closer to finding a solution.

The burner arrangement was a complete mess, potentially unsafe and simply no longer fit for purpose and so we arranged to ship and fit a refurbished MK1 Aga conversion burner assembly.

Our customer had kindly offered to accommodate Steve and Andrew and took very good care of them, taking them out for dinner at their favourite local restaurant. Steve opted for their recommendation - a delicious elk steak.

The following morning, Steve and Andrew began work on the Aga, completely stripping it down and replacing all ropes, gaskets and seals, improving the insulation, checking for fault points throughout and fitting the upgraded burner. Finally a replacement thermostat was fitted to the dual fuel module.

After rebuilding the Aga, Steve and Andrew headed to our host’s holiday lodge, in a local ski resort called Breckenridge. Here they went sightseeing around the local area, to a local lake and to The Garden of the Gods- famous for its red peaks and rock formations.

Back at the main house the following evening, they were invited to a golf club bbq. A bit apprehensive to begin with, they arrived to find a golf club full of very well oiled members. They were soon part of the entertainment as word got around that two English people were there and they certainly weren’t short of people to talk to- mostly about ‘soccer!’ To culminate their visit, they were then invited to experience the crawfish boil, a very southern tradition.

In Seattle, we returned to a previous customer to fit new lid liners and seals and a WiFi timer, repaired an Aga 6:4 - replacing the top oven thermostat and timer clock - and finally, on beautiful Bainbridge Island, fitted one of our fully reconditioned 13Amp Agas - a simple & reliable ‘always on’ model. That brought to an end our fortnight of incredible experiences which will never be forgotten.

To enquire about any future trips, please don’t hesitate to contact us. With all our US shipments, we arrange the whole process from start to finish, shipped fully insured and customs paid. We do not subcontract; all work is undertaken by our own engineers, so you will get a bespoke and personalised service with direct dialogue with our engineers and with us back in our Dorset office throughout.