Types of Hobs
A hob, which is also known as a stovetop in North America, is a cooking device that heats pans using electric or flames. There are a variety of hobs. You can pick the one that is best suited to your kitchen and design.
Induction hobs feature a flat ceramic cooking surface and include four or five zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and fashionable, and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a sleek, modern look. They have a flat glass-ceramic surface that is easy to clean, so spills and splatters can be quickly wiped away. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient which helps lower your electric bill. Ceramic hobs aren't always fast when changing temperature settings. This can be frustrating when you have to cook something that requires quick decrease or an increase in the heat.
Electric hobs are comprised of a solid, textured surface that is heated from below by electric elements. They can be controlled separately using rotary knobs and notched up to the power level you require. You can even use the boost feature to increase the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs also have very high heat retention, which means they'll stay hot to the touch after being turned off. It's important to install ceramic hobs in a location that is far from items that could ignite and away from children's reach.
This kind of hob is able to be used on a variety of worktops such as laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It's also fairly affordable and can be a great alternative if you're looking to replace your previous hobs without spending a lot of money. But, as with all appliances, they do need to be properly installed and connected to the mains, so we recommend hiring an electrician professional to ensure that your new hobs are safe for use.
The drawback of this kind of hob is that it's very sensitive to the size of the pan and shape. You'll need cookware that is either the exact dimensions as the element or that can fit comfortably into the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware doesn't fit, then the element won't recognize it and won't begin to heat up the base of the pan. This can result in cooking that is uneven and make the hob less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs made of gas are sleek and contemporary in design. They are more expensive than electric hobs, and require professional installation. However they heat up faster and an entire pot of water will typically boil within less than four minutes. This kind of hob is also a good choice for cooks who prefer to control the amount of heat being generated. Glass hobs are more susceptible to damage and require frequent cleaning as they tend to accumulate grease and other residue.
A fantastic example of a gas-on-glass model is this Bertazzoni hob, that has four black monobloc burners, each with precise metal control knobs to create an elegant and sophisticated appearance. It also has a 4kW wok ring for additional versatility, as well as dishwasher-proof pan supports that are easy to clean.
Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob that combines an attractive slab of toughened glass with advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design at the left of the gas hob features an inner burner that doubles to increase the distribution of heat and speed up cooking. It also comes with an indicator for power that lets you control the exact temperature of the flame. You can choose from nine pre-set settings, like the highest setting for sear steaks and a low one for scrambled egg.
Our test subjects also appreciated the controls, as they were easy to use and intuitive. A few minor issues are that you have to press the controls nine more times to reach the highest heating level and that the glass can make it difficult to discern what the burners are doing.
This Neff model is one of the best gas-on-glass hobs available at an affordable price. While it's not going to win any design awards, it does the job well and is a fantastic addition to your kitchen for less than PS120.
Electric hobs
There are a variety of electric hobs that work for modern homes. They're not only elegant and stylish, but they are also more efficient, safer and more efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most well-known electric stoves. They are designed with sleek glazed finishes, and have an easy surface to clean and resistant to scratches. ovens uk equipped with a power boost feature, which allows you to increase the heat of your hob for a short period of time.
Induction hobs are a different electric hob perfect for modern homes. Induction hobs heat cookware directly using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional electric and gas plates. They are therefore more energy-efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. They require a special type of pan, and could be expensive to put in.
A gas-on-glass hob is another option that's a great option for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it features a burner beneath a layer of flat glass. However the glass is heat-resistant and shatterproof, which means it's much easier to clean than tempered glass. A lot of these hobs come with the "hot surface indicator" that alerts you to the temperature.
Although gas hobs are an option for many home cooks but they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take time to warm up and cool down and their flame can be hard to manage. On the other hand, electric hobs are more energy-efficient and simpler to clean.
There are even electric stoves that can be used with LPG gas. This allows you to switch between different fuel sources, meaning you'll have the flexibility to suit your lifestyle. However, it's important to keep in mind that these hobs must be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and will require a specific 6mm cable in your kitchen. They're not suitable for people with pacemakers as the electromagnetic field could interfere with them.
Induction hobs
Copper coils run an electric current that is alternating beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible dish is placed on a hob the coils create magnetic fields that generate heat directly inside the pan instead of heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or the heated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from a energy perspective because there's no leftover heat that is wasted.
There are a myriad of models of an induction hob starting from basic ones that have one cooking zone that is with rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs that can have up to six zones and allow you to cook multiple pots simultaneously in one flex zone. Certain models come with a touch slider control that looks very similar to how you operate on an iPhone. Simply swipe your finger over the power bar at the middle to select the desired heat level left to right boosts heat and right to left decreases it. Some models have preset settings for certain food types or recipes that can cut down time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are thought to be more efficient in the long run as they heat up much quicker and have a smaller area to heat up which could help you save on energy bills. They cool quicker and also are more secure without hot plates. This makes them a great choice for families that have children or elderly people. They do, however, generate a magnetic force that could cause interference with certain medical devices, such as pacemakers. It is therefore essential to center pans and avoid using smaller pans on larger burners.
As with all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your electric hob clean, as food and debris can accumulate over time. You can make use of a basic oven cleaning product or invest in a professional one to keep your oven in good shape and shiny for longer. You should never use the abrasive cleaning products or the scouring pad on your induction stove since they could scratch the surface.