Types of Hob and Oven
A hob and oven is an essential part of many kitchens, and comes in many different styles. You can also mix different kinds like domino, electric and gas to fit your cooking requirements.
A hob may also be equipped with safety features such as child and position controls. These can prevent children from touching the hob, and stop them from changing the temperature settings in error.
Types
The hob is the focal feature of any kitchen, and can have a significant impact on the outcome of your cooking. There are many kinds of hobs, and which one you pick will depend on the cooking requirements you have.
Gas hobs are the most popular choice and offer a fast heat-up function and instant reaction to temperature changes. They are a favorite option for professional chefs because they provide precise control. However, they are not as clean as other hobs and could require a higher level of maintenance.
Electric hobs are made of ceramic with a flat surface and heated elements underneath. They can be found in various sizes and have four to six cooking zones. Each zone has its own heating element which can be controlled individually by you. This allows you to boil potatoes on one ring and cooking sausages in a different. This type of hob is much easier to start heating than gas, and is the safety of children since the cooking zone becomes hot only when you place a pot on it.
Ceramic hobs are a chic and user-friendly option to electric and gas hobs. They have an extremely smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However, they are not as quick to respond to temperature changes or cool down as other hobs.
Domino hobs are an alternative to electric and gas hobs that have ovens underneath the cooking surface. They can be incorporated into smaller kitchens that have small installation space and work well in kitchenettes and flats. They are often cheaper than standard hobs and can be energy efficient, but they are also prone to breaking and require more maintenance.
Gas
Gas hobs are cooktops equipped with burners that can easily be integrated into kitchen countertops to give a seamless appearance. They are typically used with natural or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) but they can also be powered by propane gas. The sleek, modern design can bring sophistication to your kitchen space.
A traditional gas stove comes with a range of burners, usually 4 but often as many as 6. They are ignited by either the use of a match or the knob. The flames can then be controlled by the valves that can be adjusted to regulate temperature.
However, the majority of modern built-in gas hobs have multi-flame burners that allow you to regulate the outer and inner rings of each burner to manage your cooking. These burners are faster and more reliable than older models.
Traditionally, it was important to keep a gas burner lit all the time to ensure that the burners were always hot and fueled. This was a safety measure to avoid any mishaps like not turning off the oven while the stove was still lit by a match or pilot flame. Modern cookers have been designed with safety as a priority. They are equipped with a flame failure device which shuts down the burners when the pilot light fails to work.
Gas stoves and hobs must be cleaned, checked, and maintained regularly. The best hobs uk way to accomplish this is to schedule an appointment for maintenance with a licensed Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only be able to make sure your appliance is functioning properly and safely, but they will offer expert advice and guidance on how to prevent any issues in the future.
Electric
A well-designed hob is equally important when it comes to making the perfect kitchen. Worktops, refrigerators freezers and ovens are always the first things that pop up to your mind. The kind of hob you choose will affect the way your kitchen operates and how easy to clean.
Electric hobs are powered by heating elements underneath a smooth glass surface which is typically cleaned using an non-abrasive cleaner. These elements switch on when you turn on the hob and can be notched up to various power levels by turning or clicking a control knob. They can take some time to heat up but once they've done so, they tend to provide more reliable and consistent temperature control. They have built-in indicators that tell you whether a particular area is hot or not.
They are available in four to six sizes and can be notch-up to various power levels. They are great for flat-based cookware however they aren't the ideal option for cast iron pans since they can overheat. Some models come with dual-ring designs (such as the Belling BEL CH602T) that allow boiling water on one ring while you saute sausages on a different. 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 normal electric models as they use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware rather than the conventional method of gas flames. This enables them to achieve precise temperatures in a short time frame, which makes them highly energy efficient. They feature a cool to the touch surface, and flashing indicators that inform you if a ring has been used or is still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramic is an element which can be transformed into useful or decorative objects. It is made by mixing clay with earthen elements, powders, and water, and firing it in a high-temperature oven and hob known as Kiln. Once it's made it can be decorated or covered with decorative materials to add texture and color.
Ceramic hobs are a beautiful combination of form and function, sitting comfortably in any modern kitchen. They operate by using radiant heating technology, passing an electric current through coiled elements hidden beneath the black glass surface of the hob. When they are activated, they create heat, which is then transferred to the pan through an infrared system. You can adjust the intensity of the heating by using the knobs or the touch controls.
Some ceramic hobs come with dual rings, which have a smaller and a larger cooking area. This allows you to choose the appropriate size for your pan. You can also get hobs equipped with booster burners that produce high-powered heat quickly ideal for searing meat or bringing pots of water to a boil quickly.
Ceramic cooktops are more energy efficient than other kinds of hobs as they take longer to heat up and switch temperatures. You can also find vented hobs that integrate a ventilation system within the cooktop's ceramic, making sure that the cooking smells don't stay in your home.
Induction
The heating elements in the induction hobs are a set of copper wire coils that are placed beneath the surface, which generate electromagnets to heat pans sat on them. The coils move free electrons within the base of your pan and then transfer heat efficiently and directly to your food. The surface of the hob is never hot, and when you take off your pan the cooking zones are turned off automatically.
Induction hobs are generally more expensive, however they also get hotter faster and use 30 to 70% less energy than gas or other kinds. They are also easier to clean, since the surface of the hob doesn't get hot and only the contents of the pan do.
Certain manufacturers offer a specific induction model that has additional features like the ability to pause that shuts off power to your hob when you step away from it, or link up two cooking rings simultaneously at the same power level for added flexibility. These are often called FlexInduction hobs. They are more expensive than traditional induction models, but they're worth looking into if are a multi-tasker.
Our top pick is this induction cooktop from Smeg. It has four cooking zones of good size that have a bridge function, as well as nine power levels, giving you a wide range of options for ambitious cooks. In our tests, it did well with precise control and rapid heating when making pancakes. The oven also has an integrated dishwasher as well as an automatic pan detection feature to make cleaning a lot easier. The only issue is that there are only a few compatible pans and you can't use it to cook with utensils with magnetic bases. This could be a problem in the event that you have a large amount of non-compliant cookware, or just some of them are suitable for use on induction hobs and ovens.