Types of Hob and oven and hob
Hobs and ovens are popular feature in many kitchens. They are available in many different styles. You can even mix types like domino, electric, and gas to meet your cooking requirements.
Safety features such as child and position controls could be included in the hob. They can stop children from touching the stove and stop them changing the temperature settings by accident.
Types
In the center of every kitchen, the hob is at the center of the room and plays a major part in how your food is executed. However, there are many different kinds of hobs and the one you select will depend on what your particular cooking requirements are.
Gas hobs are a classic choice and offer a fast heat-up function and instant reaction to temperature changes. Professional chefs favor them because they offer precise control. However, they're not as clean as other hobs and may require a higher degree of maintenance.
Electric hobs are flat ceramic surface that has heated elements beneath. They can be found in various sizes, with between four and six cooking zones. Each zone is equipped with its own heating element, which can be controlled separately by you. You can boil potatoes on one ring and cook sausages on a different. This type of hob can be quicker to heat than gas and offers a child-safe option as the cooking zone is only heated when you put a pan on it.
Traditional ceramic hobs are a very comfortable alternative to gas and electric and are a fashionable option. They have a smooth, hard-wearing surface which is easy to clean but aren't as responsive to temperature changes as other hobs, and may be slower to cool down.
Domino hobs are a space-saving alternative to gas and electric hobs that incorporate best ovens beneath the cooking surface. They are great for kitchens with small space. They can also be used in kitchenettes and flats. They are usually less expensive than standard hobs and are energy efficient however they are also fragile and require more maintenance than other types of cookers.
Gas
Gas hobs are cooktops with burners that can be easily integrated into kitchen countertops to create a seamless look. Gas hobs are usually powered by LPG or natural gas, but they are also powered by propane gas. They are modern and sleek design that can add a touch of sophistication to your modular kitchen.
A traditional gas stove has several burners, usually 4 but sometimes up to 6. The burners can be lit by a match or a knob. The flames can then be controlled by an array of valves that can be adjusted to regulate temperature.
Contrary to this, modern built-in gas hobs have multi-flame burners that let you control the inner and outer ring of each burner to manage your cooking. These kinds of burners allow for much quicker heat up times and are more reliable than the old-fashioned ones.
In the past, it was essential to keep a gas stove on constantly to ensure the burners were always hot and fueled. This was a security feature to avoid any mishaps like having the oven turned on when the stove was lit by a match or pilot flame. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind. They come with a built-in fire failure device that shuts off burners automatically should the pilot light fail.
Gas stoves and hobs have to be regularly inspected and cleaned as well as maintained. To achieve this, it is recommended to book a visit from a Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only to ensure that your appliance is functioning correctly, but they will also provide expert advice on how to prevent any future issues.
Electric
When it comes to designing your ideal kitchen, the countertops, fridge freezer and oven will always receive the most attention but the quality of your hob is also essential. The type of hob you choose will affect the way your kitchen works and how easy for you to clean.
Electric hobs are powered by heating elements underneath a smooth glass surface that's typically cleaned using a non-abrasive cleaning agent. The heating elements are activated when you turn on the oven and can be adjusted to various power levels using a control knob. It can take them some time to get heated up, but once they have they have a tendency to offer more reliable and consistent temperature control. They are equipped with indicators that let you know whether a particular area is hot or not.
They are available in a range of four to six sizes and can be notch-up up to various power levels. They are ideal for flat-based cookware, but not for cast iron pans, since they can get hot. Certain models (such as Belling BELCH602T) have dual-ring designs that allow you to cook sausages and boil water in the same ring. Certain models come with a Boost feature that concentrates high heat into one ring. This is useful for stirring-frying, searing meat or boiling large pots.
Induction hobs differ from normal 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 more quickly and are more energy efficient. They feature a cool to the touch surface and flashing indicators that indicate if a ring has been used or is still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramic is a material which can be transformed into useful or decorative objects. It's formed by mixing earthen elements, clay, powders and water to a specific shape, then subsequently fired in a high-temperature oven with hob, also known as a"kiln. Once it's been made it can be coated or painted with decorative materials to give it texture and color.
Ceramic hobs are a beautiful blend of form and function and can be found in any modern kitchen. Radiant heating technology is used to heat the ceramic hobs through the passage of an electric current over coiled elements that are hidden under the black glass surface. These generate heat when activated, which is transferred to your pan through an infrared system. You can adjust the intensity of the heating by adjusting the controls via knobs or buttons.
Some ceramic hobs are dual-ring designs, having one smaller and one larger cooking zone which allows you to select the ideal size for your pan. You can also find hobs equipped with booster burners that produce high-powered heat quickly perfect for searing food or bringing pans of water to the boil quickly.
Compared to other types of hobs, ceramic cooktops generally take longer to warm up and then change temperature however once they do, they're generally more energy-efficient. There are vented hobs that integrate a ventilation system into the cooktop's ceramic, making sure that steam, smoke and cooking smells don't linger within your home.
Induction
The heating elements in induction hobs consist of a series of copper wire coils beneath the surface. They produce electromagnets to heat the pans sat on them. The coils move free electrons within the base of your pot and then transfer heat uniformly and directly to your food. The surface of the hob is never hot and the cooking zones are automatically turned off when your pan is removed.
Induction hobs are typically more expensive than other hobs however they're also quicker to heat and consume 30 to 70 percent less energy than gas or ceramic hobs. Induction hobs are also less difficult to clean because only the inside of the pan heat up but not the surface.
Some manufacturers offer a special induction model with extra features, such as a pause feature, which cuts the power to your stove when you step away from it, or connect two cooking rings at the same time at the same power level for added flexibility. They are commonly referred to as FlexInduction hobs and can be more expensive than traditional models, however they're worth a look if you prefer to multitask.
Our top choice is this induction cooktop from Smeg. It has four cooking zones that are large enough that have a bridge function, as well as nine power levels, giving you a variety of options for the ambitious cook. It did well during our test, with fast heating and precise control when making pancakes. The hob has dishwasher built-in and automatic pan detection, which makes cleaning much easier. The only issue is that there are only a few compatible pans, and you cannot use it to cook with appliances with magnetic bases. This could be a problem when you have a lot of cookware that isn't compatible or some of it is suitable for induction hobs.