Types of Hobs
A hob (known as a stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans by using electricity or flames. There are many different types of hobs. You can pick the one that best hobs uk suits your kitchen and your style.
Induction hobs have an elongated ceramic cooking surface and come with four or five zones for heating your pans. The contemporary designs that operate with a touch are sleek and stylish and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic Hobs oven can give your kitchen a modern, sleek appearance. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces can be easy to clean and can quickly be cleaned up when spills or splatters happen. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient, which can help to reduce your energy bills. Ceramic hobs can be slow when changing the temperature settings. This can be a hassle when you have to cook something that requires a quick decrease or an increase in heat.
Electric hobs consist of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. These elements can be individually controlled with rotary knobs, and then tacked up to the power level you require. You can use the Boost feature to raise the temperature of a particular area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, and even after they are turned off, they'll be hot to the touch. This could be a problem if you have children, so it's best hob to place them in a location that is away from any flammable items and out of reach of young children.
This kind of hob is able to be used on a variety of worktops, including laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It is also relatively affordable and is an excellent option if you're trying to replace your old hobs without spending a lot of money. However, like all appliances they must be properly installed and connected to the mains, so we would recommend hiring an electrician professional to ensure your new hobs are safe to use.
The downside to this kind of hob is that it's very sensitive to pan size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that matches the element exactly or fits comfortably in each of the heating zones. If the cookware isn't the same size as the element, it won't recognise it and won't be able to heat the bottom of the pan. This can lead to uneven cooking results and make the stove less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Gas on glass hobs offer modern, sleek design. They are more expensive than electric models and require professional installation. However, they heat up faster - the water in a full pot will typically boil within less than four minutes. This kind of hob is also a good choice for cooks who want to control the amount of heat being produced. Glass hobs are more susceptible to damage and require frequent cleaning as they are more likely to accumulate grease and residue.
This Bertazzoni hob is a great example of gas on glass. It has four monobloc burners that are matte black, with control knobs made of metal to create a sleek, elegant look. The wok ring is 4kW for extra versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher-proof.
This Bosch gas hob is another highly recommended model. It is a sleek piece of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design to the left of the hob has an inner flame that doubles to promote improvement in uniform heat distribution, which in turn speeds up cooking times. It also has an easy-to-read power indicator that lets you control the exact temperature of the flame. You can choose between nine pre-set settings, like high settings to sear steaks, and a low one for scrambled eggs.
Its simple yet easy-to-use controls were also loved by our test subjects who found them to be very easy to use. Some minor disadvantages include the fact that you have to physically press the controls nine times to get to the highest heating level, and that it can be difficult to see the status of the burners through the glass.
Some of the top gas on glass hobs can be found at an affordable price like this Neff model. While it's unlikely to win any design awards, it does the job well and is an ideal addition to your kitchen for just over 120 pounds.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are a great choice for modern homes. They're not only sleek and stylish, but they are also safer, faster and more energy efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most well-known electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek polished, glazed finish. They also have an easy-to-clean surface that is resistant to smudges or scratches. They're also often equipped with a power boost function that allows you to increase the temperature of your stove for a short amount of time.
Induction hobs are another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes. As opposed to traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. They are therefore more energy efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. However, they require a specific type of pan to work and are costly to install.
A gas-on-glass hob is a second option that's an excellent choice for modern homes. Similar to a standard gas hob, it has the burner underneath the glass is a flat layer. However it's shatterproof and heatproof, so it's much simpler to clean than the typical glass that is tempered. Many of these hobs also come with a 'hot surface indicator', which informs you when the hob is hot.
Gas hobs remain a preferred option for many home cooks However, they can be noisy and hard to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and take some time to warm up and cool down. Electric hobs oven, on the other hand are more efficient in energy and easier to clean.
For the highest level of modern technology, you can even find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between a variety of fuels, providing you with the flexibility you need to adapt to your lifestyle. But, it's important to keep in mind that these hobs must be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and require a 6mm cable for your kitchen. These hobs are also not suitable for those with pacemakers since the electromagnetic field could cause interference with them.
Induction hobs
Copper coils run an alternating electric current beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on the hob, the coils produce magnetic fields which directly heat the pan instead of heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from an energy standpoint since there's no heat that is wasted.
There are many models of induction stoves, starting with the basic models with a single zone labelled by rings to more advanced multi-zoned induction stoves that have up to six zones and allow for multiple pots to be cooked in one flex space. Some of these models come with a touch-slider control that looks very similar to the way you use on an iPhone. You can choose the desired temperature by moving your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Some models have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food items that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more energy efficient over the long run. They heat up faster and have a smaller area for heating which can reduce your energy costs. They also cool down faster and have a more secure design that doesn't have hot plates, making them perfect for families with children or elderly people living in the house. They do, however, generate a magnetic force that could affect certain medical devices, such as pacemakers. It is therefore important to center pans and avoid using smaller pans with larger burners.
Like all electric hobs you'll need to keep your induction hob clean, since food particles and other debris can accumulate over time. You can use a regular oven cleaner, or opt for a specialist product to keep your stove sparkling and in good order for a longer time. Make sure you don't use abrasive cleaners or pads for scouring on your induction hob as they could scratch the surface.