Types of Hob and Oven
A hob and oven is commonplace in kitchens, and comes in a variety of styles. You can mix and match different types like domino, electric and gas to meet your cooking needs.
Safety features such as the controls for child and position can be integrated into a hob. These features will prevent children from accidentally changing the temperature setting or touching the hob.
Types
The hob is the focal feature of any kitchen, and can have a major impact on the results of your cooking. There are many different types of hob and the one you pick will be based on what your specific cooking needs are.
Gas hobs are a popular option. They are quick to heat up and react immediately to temperature changes. Professional chefs prefer them because they offer precise control. They aren't as simple to clean as other hobs and could require more care.
Electric hobs are flat ceramic surface that has heated elements underneath and can come in a variety of sizes with between four and six cooking zones. Each zone includes its own heating element which can be controlled individually by you. It is possible to boil potatoes in one ring and cook sausages on another. This type of hob can be faster to heat than gas and offers an option for children to be safe since the cooking area is only heated when you put a pan on it.
Traditional ceramic hobs are a convenient alternative to electric and gas and are a fashionable option. They have an extremely smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However, they are not as fast to respond to temperature changes or to cool down as other hobs.
The Domino hob is a space-saving option to gas and electric hobs. It incorporates ovens under the cooking surface. They are ideal for kitchens with limited space. They can also be used in kitchenettes and flats. They tend to be less expensive than conventional hobs and can be energy-efficient, but they are also susceptible to damage and require greater maintenance.
Gas
Gas hobs and ovens are cooktops equipped with burners that are easily fitted into the kitchen countertop for a seamless appearance. Gas hobs are typically powered by LPG or natural gas, however they can also be powered with propane gas. They feature a modern and sleek design that can give a sophisticated touch to your modular kitchen.
A traditional gas stove is fitted with a variety of burners. The majority of them are four, but there can be as many as six. The burners can be lit by a match or a knob. The flames are controlled by a set of valves that can be adjusted to control the temperature.
In contrast, most modern built-in gas hobs have multi-flame burners that let you regulate the outer and inner rings of each burner to precisely manage your cooking. These types of burners provide quicker heat up times and are more reliable than the traditional ones.
Traditionally, it was important to keep a gas stove on all the time to ensure the burners were always hot and fuelled. This was done to avoid accidents, like accidentally turning on an oven when the stove is still lit by the help of a match or a pilot light. Modern cookers are built with safety as a top priority. They come equipped with a flame failure device that shuts off the burners in the event that the pilot light is not working.
Gas stoves and hobs require to be regularly inspected, cleaned and maintained. The best way to accomplish this is to schedule a maintenance visit with a certified Gas Safe registered engineer. Not only will they be able check your appliance is working correctly as well, but they'll also offer expert advice and suggestions on how to avoid problems in the near future.
Electric
A quality hob is just as important in creating the perfect kitchen. Refrigerators, worktops, freezers and ovens hobs are always the first items that come to your mind. Whether you opt for a traditional, induction or gas cooker, the kind of hob you pick can affect the way your kitchen functions and how easy it is to keep clean.
Electric hobs use heating elements that are placed on a smooth glass surface that's typically cleaned with a non-abrasive cleaning agent. These elements are activated when you turn the hob on and can be notched up to a variety of power levels by turning or clicking the control knob. It can take them a little bit longer to warm up but once they've done so, they have a tendency to offer more stable and reliable temperature control. They are equipped with indicators that tell you whether a particular area is hot or not.
Typically, they come in four to six different sizes of rings which can be adjusted to various levels of power. They are ideal for cookware with a flat base, but not for cast iron pans, since they can get hot. Some models come with dual-ring designs (such as the Belling BEL CH602T) that allow you to boil water on one ring and sauté sausages on the other. Some models even come with a 'boost' feature that concentrates high-powered heat into one ring to stir fry cooking sauteing meats, searing or boiling large pots of water.
Induction hobs differ from standard electric hobs in that they utilize electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware, instead of the traditional method of gas flames. They can achieve precise temperatures quicker and are more efficient in energy use. They have a cool-to the touch surface and flashing indicators that let you know whether a ring was used or is still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramics can be used to create decorative or functional objects. It is made by mixing clay, earthen elements powders, water and other elements to the desired shape, then fired in a very high-temperature oven called a Kiln. After it's been made it is then covered with decorative or paint-like substances to add colour and texture.
Ceramic hobs are a beautiful blend of form and function that can be easily integrated into any modern kitchen. Radiant heating technology is employed to heat ceramic hobs by passing an electrical current through coiled elements that are hidden under the black glass surface. These generate heat when activated, and this is then transferred to the pan by way of an infrared system. You can adjust the intensity of this heating by controlling the controls using a knobs or a touch.
Certain ceramic hobs feature dual rings, which have one smaller and one with a larger cooking area. This lets you choose the appropriate size for your pan. You can also find hobs equipped with booster burners that produce high-powered heat in a short time ideal for searing meat or bringing pots of water to the boil quickly.
As compared to other types of hobs, ceramic cooktops typically take longer to heat up and then change temperature, but once they do they're generally more energy-efficient. You can also select vented hobs, which integrate ventilation systems with the cooktop made of ceramic. This ensures that smoke, steam and cooking smells do not stay in your home.
Induction
Induction hobs have heating elements that are composed of copper wire coils. These coils generate electromagnets which warm the pans that are placed on the top. The coils stir the free electrons in your pan's base metal, which in turn, distributes heat evenly to your food. The surface of the hob is never hot and the cooking zones automatically turn off as soon as your pan is removed.
Induction hobs are generally more expensive, but they also are more efficient in heating and consume 30 to 70% less energy than gas or other types. They are also easier to clean, as the hob surface itself isn't heated, but the contents of the pan do.
Certain manufacturers offer a specific induction model that has additional features like a pause feature, which cuts the power to your stove when you leave it, or connect two cooking rings at the same time at the same power level to provide added flexibility. These are often called FlexInduction hobs. They can be more expensive than traditional induction models, but they're worth a look if you prefer to multitask.
Our favorite is this induction hob from Smeg, which has four cooking zones that are large enough, a bridge function and nine power levels that give you plenty of choice for the ambitious cook. In our tests, it did well with precise control and quick heating when making pancakes. The oven also has dishwasher built-in and an automatic pan detection function to make cleaning even more simple. There's a small selection of compatible pans, however it cannot be used to cook using the utensils with magnetic bases. This could be a problem when you have a lot of non-compliant cookware, or just certain pieces are suitable for induction cooktops.