My Honest Review of the Darina G 4001 Stove: Is It Really Worth the Hype?
I'll be the first to admit it - when I was renting an apartment, I didn't have to worry about the stove that came with the place. But when it was time to buy my own, I was looking for a budget-friendly option. And let me tell you, I found it in the Darina G4001 in white. It's a gas stove that's probably the most affordable way to cook using natural gas, and it's definitely a conversation starter with that big 'W' on the English label.
The Darina G4001 package:
So, what do you get when you buy this stove? Well, it comes with a built-in oven, 4 gas burners, a hob cover, and an instruction manual. But what's missing are the hoses and faucet - you'll need to either use your old ones or buy new ones, which is an extra expense. I ended up buying a hose and a shut-off valve at the same store where I got the stove. The hose was around 1000 rubles, the cheapest one I could find in 2023, and the valve was about 450 rubles. So, you can safely add another 1500 rubles to the cost of the stove.
Manufacturer's specs:
The Darina G4001 gas stove is a white model with rotating knobs for control. It's got adjustable legs, a fixed 'low flame' setting, and a working surface with 4 gas burners of different power levels. The hob is made of enameled metal, and there's a metal shield above it. The oven has a 50L capacity and a single mode - bottom heating. It's got a gas control system and 4 pairs of metal guides that let you fit multiple trays at once. The package includes a grill and an enameled drip tray.
Brand: DARINA
Type: gas stove
Height 85 cm, depth 51 cm, width 50 cm
Control type mechanical
Cooktop type gas, number of burners 4
Surface material enameled steel
Oven type gas, oven volume 50 l
Number of oven glass doors 2
Oven door type hinged
Oven cleaning traditional
Weight, kg 31.8
Internal coating Enamel
Number of operation modes 1
Kit documentation, drip pan, grill
Dimensions, mm 500x510x850
Installation type freestanding
When I bought this stove, I had to factor in the cost of additional parts - the hoses and faucet weren't included.
How to connect a new gas stove to the gas line, replace an old one with a new one?
First, call the gas company - the number should be on your monthly invoice. They'll discuss everything with you, including whether you have the hose and valve ready, and schedule a time and date for the installation.
Our technician showed up in his work gear and work boots. I'd recommend having some slippers ready for him. He let me know that the cost of his work would be included in the invoice he'd write up, which I'd need to pay like a regular gas bill. He found a way to bypass some of the installation steps, but I was still a bit uneasy during the process.
How the stove works
I was surprised by the stove's three tiny burners - they're the smallest I've seen on any stove. There's also a medium-sized burner, and a removable grate made of two parts with big gaps between them. It's a bit slippery when you turn off the water, so I place large pots with boiling water on the farthest burners to prevent them from sliding off. In 30 minutes, it heats up a 5-6 liter pot to 100 degrees Celsius - that's way too long. It's perfect for slow cooking, stewing, or simmering, but forget about quick cooking.
How the oven works
The oven heats up the air using the large burner at the bottom, which is hidden under a big metal plate. Unfortunately, this leads to uneven heating - the bottom gets hot, while the top remains cold. Trying to cook something that's almost liquid is a nightmare - you'll end up with a burnt bottom, a raw middle, and a dry crust on the sides. The top will be white and undercooked. I'm really disappointed with this oven. It's a real pain to use, and you'll need to choose simple recipes and constantly monitor the cooking process, even going so far as to add a brick or a water-filled bowl to the oven to help with heat distribution.
What's missing from this oven, but would be nice?
I wish I knew the temperature, because you can't see the gas burners at all - it's a guessing game. And by the color of the burnt crust, you can only guess if you got it right. I wish there was a heating element on top to cook the top part of the dish evenly. And even a tiny little light would be nice, because it's pitch black in there - I'd rather poke my eye out than try to cook without one. A door handle latch would be great, because the door slams shut really fast if you're not holding onto it, and you might hurt your fingers. Plus, the glass door gets really hot.
My overall impressions of the Darina G4001 W gas stove:
The materials used to make this stove are super cheap, and that's got to affect the quality of use. The enamel started chipping off after just a month of gentle use, and the browning spot is already yellowing. You can use the oven, but since it's basically useless anyway - it just ruins your food - I'd rather just get gas burners and a separate oven with lights, convection, and music.
The Pros of Darina G4001 W Stove:
It's the most budget-friendly option on the market, coming in at around 9000 rubles as of 2023.The white, sleek, and narrow design fits perfectly into a small kitchen.It doesn't leak gas and looks safe.The Cons of Darina G4001 W Stove:
You'll need to buy a separate hose and faucet.The three tiny burners are a pain and take forever to cook even the simplest dishes.The burners often get clogged and the gas doesn't flow evenly around the circle.The oven doesn't bake, it just chars the bottom and leaves a white top on the food - it's almost impossible to cook anything above 3 cm without it getting ruined.There's no light, convection, second upper heating element, or temperature control or smooth door handle.The finish is flimsy and starts peeling off within the first few days of use - it looks great on the showroom floor, though.Price and Where to Buy?
I bought this product for 8900 rubles back in 2023, and now there are plenty of similar products on Avito. On marketplaces, it's rare to find them, but I managed to grab one from a small gas station in my neighborhood. The prices on marketplaces are just ridiculous – I've seen them asking for 14K and 38K rubles for this thing. It's definitely not worth that much.
Takeaways:
Darina G4001 definitely earns its modest 3 stars. For its budget, it gets the job done, as long as you're not expecting too much and can forgive the need to stand at the stove a bit longer. Plus, having a spare oven on the countertop nearby makes it a decent height for the gas panel. You can even stash your pots and pans inside the oven. It's essentially a pot rack with a connection to the world's blue pipe. I wouldn't recommend it, but now you can make your own conclusions.