Types of Hobs
A hob (known as stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans with flame or electricity. There are a variety of hobs. You can choose the one that is best hob uk suited to your kitchen and design.
Induction hobs have flat ceramic surfaces and four or five zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and fashionable, and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern, sleek design. They feature a flat glass-ceramic surface that is easy to clean, so spills and splatters can be quickly cleaned. They are quick to heat up and are energy efficient and can lower your electricity bill. Ceramic hobs can be slow in changing the temperature settings. This can be a hassle when you have to cook something that requires a quick decrease or an increase in temperature.
Electric hobs are comprised of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The elements can be controlled individually using rotary knobs and notched up to the power level you require. You can use the Boost feature to boost the temperature of a certain area. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, so even after they've been shut off, they will be hot to the touch. This could be a problem if you have children, so it's advisable to place them in a place that is well away from any flammable items and out of reach of children.
The advantage of this type of hob is that it can be put in in a variety of worktops, such as laminate and solid wood as well as granite. It's also quite affordable and can be a great alternative if you are looking to replace your stove without spending a lot. As with any appliance, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure that the new hobs are safe to use.
This kind of hob is sensitive to the pan's size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that is exactly the same as the element or is able to fit comfortably into each of the heating zones. If the cookware is not the same dimensions as the element, it won't recognise it and won't heat the bottom of the pan. This can cause uneven cooking and make the stove less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Gas-powered glass hobs have an elegant, modern look. They can be more expensive than electric hobs, and require professional installation. However they heat up faster as an entire pot of water can often boil in less than 4 minutes. This kind of hob is ideal for cooks who want to limit the amount of heat is generated. Glass hobs are more susceptible to damage and require frequent cleaning as they are more likely to accumulate grease and other residue.
This Bertazzoni hob is an excellent example of gas on glass. It has four monobloc burners in matt black with metal control knobs for a stylish, sophisticated finish. It also includes a 4kW wok ring for added versatility, plus pan supports that are dishwasher-safe, making them easier to keep clean.
Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob, which combines an attractive slab of toughened glass with the latest cooking technology. The dual ring design to the left of the best hob has the double inner flame to improve uniform heat distribution and accelerates cooking time. It also has an easy-to-read power level indicator that allows you to control the precise temperature of your flame. You can choose from nine pre-defined settings including the high setting for searing a steak and the low setting for scrambled eggs.
Our test subjects also appreciated the controls as they were easy to use and intuitive. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you need to press the controls a further nine times to reach the highest temperature and the glass can make it difficult to see what the burners are doing.
Some of the best hob uk gas-on-glass hobs can be found at affordable prices, such as this Neff model. It's not going to win any design prizes however it's going to serve its purpose and be an excellent addition to your kitchen at just over 120 pounds.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are a great choice for modern homes. They are not only sleek and stylish, but they are also more efficient, safer and more efficient than their predecessors.
One of the most sought-after electric hobs is the ceramic glass hob. They're made with a sleek, glossy finish and an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges and scratches. They're also usually fitted with a power boost feature that allows you to increase the heat of your hob for a brief period of time.
Another electric hob that is suitable for modern homes is an induction hob. As opposed to traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs utilize electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. This means they are more energy efficient and offer precise temperature control. However they require a particular type of pan to work and are costly to install.
Hobs made of glass that are gas-powered are a great alternative for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, ovens; Discover More Here, it comes with a burner beneath an underlying layer of flat glass. However it's shatterproof and heatproof, so it's much easier to clean than standard glass that is tempered. A lot of these hobs have the "hot surface indicator" that warns you of the temperature.
Although gas hobs are a popular option for many home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take a while to cool down and warm down, and their flame can be hard to manage. Electric hobs, on the other side are more efficient in energy use and are easier to clean.
There are electric stoves that can be used with LPG gas. This lets you switch between different fuel sources, so you can adjust your cooking to fit your needs. It is important to note that these hobs need to be installed by an approved gas safe engineer. They also require a dedicated cable of 6mm to be installed in your kitchen. They're also not suitable for people who have pacemakers, since the electromagnetic field may cause interference with them.
Induction hobs
Under the glass surface of induction hobs are copper coils that generate an electrical current that varies. When an induction-compatible dish is placed on a hob the coils produce magnetic fields that create heat directly inside the pan rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or the heated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from an energy point of view since there's no heat being wasted.
There are a myriad of models of induction stoves, from the basic entry-level ones with a single zone marked by rings to more advanced multi-zoned induction stoves with up to six zones and allow multiple pots to be cooked within a flex area. Some of these models have a slider control that is similar to the iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by swiping your finger from left to right over the power bar in the middle. Some models have preset settings that are specific to recipes or food types which can help you save time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs do tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are considered to be more energy efficient over the long term as they heat up much faster and use a smaller space for heating up which can help reduce your energy bills. They also cool faster and have a more secure design with no hot plates, making them ideal for families with children or older people living in the home. They do, however, generate an electric force that could interfere with certain medical devices such as pacemakers. It is therefore crucial to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans on bigger burners.
As with all electric hobs, you'll have to keep your induction hob clean regularly since food particles and other debris can accumulate over time. You can use a standard oven cleaner or purchase a specialist one to keep your oven in good condition and shiny for a longer time. It is not recommended to use the abrasive cleaning products or the scratching pads on your induction stove, as they can scratch the surface.