How to Choose the best hob (visit the next document)
There are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing the Best place to buy oven and hob hob, from the price to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.
A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as little as PS100 however, you'll have to pay more for a model with a lot of features. Gas hobs oven are also a popular choice, and offer great temperature control, however they are pricier.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob has four cooking zones, three "Push&Go" functions, and will help you prepare quick meals. It was also among the quickest tested to boil water, which took just under four minutes. It's child-safe and comes with a pause function, so you can quickly stop the process without having to fiddle around with controls.
Its style is sleek and contemporary it blends seamlessly with contemporary kitchens. It's usually made from glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and comes with controls that are on top of the worktop to allow for ease of use.
The controls are intuitive to operate and we loved the clear display that tells the current power setting and which of the five zones are in use. The 'Boost' feature produces high-powered heat for a brief period of time. It is perfect for stir-frying or bringing pans of water to a boil fast. The hot hob light and automatic shutdown are useful safety features, too.
However it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs we tested. It took nine presses to reach maximum temperature, as opposed to seven or six for other models. It takes a bit longer for the pan to respond to changes in temperature. It is possible to adjust the settings a few times before you get the proper temperature.
The model measures 60 cm and comes with four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pots or pans. The dual-ring design allows it to be operated at both "normal" and "boost" power levels. The Boost is ideal for cooking meat, searing it or quickly bringing water to a rapid boiling.
It is fully connected through the hOn App and has hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 different programmes divided into different food categories and types of preparation. It features a multislider controls panel with a 'lockable interface' that detects the type pan you are using to set the correct cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn sets and comes with a variety of security features, including the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
If you're working in your kitchen or looking for an alternative to gas, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have slashed in the last few years, with the simplest four-zone models costing less than PS100. If you want all the bells and whistles that include induction it's worth paying more for the most up-to-date technology.
This sleek model from Smeg comes with the most modern induction technology that makes your cooking energy efficient and convenient. The innovative Auto-pot detection system automatically recognises the position of pots with minimum diameters of 9 cm, allowing you to select the correct zone without needing to select it manually.
Smeg's focus on energy saving doesn't overlook flexibility either The hob is built to reduce power consumption by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones according to your cooking preferences. There are other options to save energy by using the Eco-Logic advance mode that reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as low as 2.4 4 kW.
The user-friendly interface of this hob impressed testers, thanks to its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan along the edge of it. The control panel's color-coded layout makes it easy to identify the status of each zone. The "Flexi duo" function allows you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are a variety of useful functions, including four cooking presets that automatically cook (melting boiling, slow cooking and keeping warm) and a Power Boost for quick results.
The hob also has an alarm system that will notify you in the event of a burnt-on meal or the possibility of a fire. There are many safety features, including a residual heat sensor as well as an automatic shut-off when the surface is too hot.
It also resists hard stains ovens and hobs comes with an anti-smudge coating called CleanProtect. The stove is simple to set up and features nine power levels, as well as the handy FlexiDuo feature that allows catering for large pans. There are several bonus features such as lockable controls, and a safety fuse to prevent accidental button pressing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They utilize copper plates to generate a magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. This means that they can heat up much quicker than conventional gas hobs. They also conserve energy since the cooking zone only heats up when you turn on the pan. They are generally less expensive to operate than gas and they are also easier to clean.
Indesit's induction hob uk is full of features that will allow you to develop your cooking ideas. It comes with two distinct zones which can be combined into the Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as an instant booster zone to quickly bring boiling water to. A range of automatic functions such as Push&Go let you achieve perfectly cooked dishes by pressing the button. And nine power modes that include a 'P boost' setting that gives each zone maximum power for five minutes, can be easily selected with the controls, which are positioned along the bottom edge of the hob to follow your pans.
The controls are also easy to use and have an elegant, minimalist design that is perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it quickly heated up a pan once we put it on the Booster Zone, and pasta water that was boiling. However, it took a long time to cool down once we turned off the hob and our test participants were unable to determine the precise temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also features a bridge function, which allows you to connect two cooking zones to make larger pans. It comes with a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic switch-off feature that stops the hob from working if it gets too hot. Ceramic glass is easy to clean and there are no visible flames. Our testers liked the fact that there was no visible flame. Ventilated hobs in contrast to traditional extractors draw steam and smoke from the pan and out of the room via a duct located on the surface. The duct on this hob was easy to clean, however it required two people in order to take the filter out.
4. GE Induction Hob
Consider how the stove can be able to fit into your kitchen's layout and design and what your cooking style is. For instance, if frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as an automatic shut-off feature and a cool to the touch surface can make an induction cooker an ideal choice. For those who value speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass front on an electric hob is the ideal option. If you live in areas susceptible to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs during power cuts may make the difference in favor of a gas model.