Types of Hobs
A hob, which is also known as stovetop in North America, is a cooking appliance that heats pans with flames or electricity. There are many different kinds of hobs available, so you can pick one that fits your style and kitchen.
Induction hobs come with a flat ceramic cooking surface and have four or five zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and stylish, and easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern and sleek appearance. They have a flat glass ceramic surface that is easy to clean, so spills and splatters are quickly cleaned. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient and can help reduce your electricity bills. Ceramic hobs can be slow in changing temperature settings. This can be a hassle when you need to cook something that requires quick decrease or an increase in the heat.
Electric hobs consist of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. These elements can be individually controlled by rotary knobs and nipped to the power level you require. You can even utilize the 'boost' feature to increase the temperature of a single area. Ceramic hobs also have very high heat retention, which means they'll stay hot to the touch even after being turned off. This can be a problem when you have children, so it's advisable to install them in an area that is well away from objects that are flammable and away from young children.
The advantage of this type of hob is that it can be set up on a variety worktops, including laminate or solid wood, as well as granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and can be a great option for those looking to replace your stove 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 a professional electrician to ensure your new hobs are safe for use.
A downside of this type of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to the size of the pan as well as its shape. You'll need cookware that's either the exact size as the element, or that is able to fit in each heating zone on the hob. If the cookware isn't the same dimensions as the element, it won't recognize it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent results in cooking and makes the stove less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs with gas are a great choice for modern, sleek design. They are more expensive than electric hobs, and may require professional installations. However they are also more efficient in heating - an entire pot of water will typically boil within less than four minutes. This type of hob is also a great choice for cooks who prefer to limit the amount of heat being generated. However, it should be observed that a glass-based hob is more prone to damage than stainless steel ones and will require cleaning more frequently, as the build-up of grease and residue tends to remain rather than slide off.
A great example of a glass-on-gas model is this Bertazzoni hob, which boasts four black monobloc burners that have precise metal control knobs that create a a stylish and sophisticated finish. The wok ring has a power of 4kW for extra versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher-proof.
This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It combines a stylish piece of toughened glass with modern cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left side of the gas hob has an inner burner that doubles to improve heat distribution and speed up cooking. It also has an excellent power level indicator that helps to regulate the precise temperature of the flame. You can choose from nine pre-defined settings including the highest setting for searing steak and the low setting for scrambled eggs.
Our testers also liked the controls because they were simple and intuitive. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, ovens you have to press the controls nine more times to reach the maximum temperature and the glass can make it difficult to see what the burners are doing.
This Neff model is one of the best oven gas-on-glass hobs that you can buy at a reasonable price. While it's not going to win any design awards but it can do the job well and is an excellent addition to your kitchen for just over 120 pounds.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are perfect for modern homes. They're not just sleek and stylish, but they are also more efficient, safer and more energy efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most popular electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek polished, glazed finish. They also have an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges or scratches. They're also usually fitted with a power boost function which lets you increase the temperature of your stove for a short amount of time.
Induction hobs are a different electric hob that is ideal for modern homes. Induction hobs heat your cookware directly by using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional gas and electric plates. They are therefore more energy efficient and offer precise temperature control. However they require a particular kind of pan to work and are costly to set up.
Gas on glass hobs are another great option for modern homes. Similar to a standard gas hob, it has the burner underneath a layer of flat glass. However the glass is shatterproof and heatproof, so it's easier to clean than standard glass that is tempered. A lot of these hobs come with a 'hot surface indicator', which alerts you when the oven with hob is hot.
Although gas hobs are an option for many home cooks, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They can take a long time to cool down and warm down, and their flame can be hard to manage. In contrast, electric hobs are more energy-efficient and simpler to clean.
For the highest level of modern technology You can also find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between various fuels, giving you the flexibility to fit your lifestyle. It's important to remember that these hobs need to be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and require a dedicated 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. They're also not suitable for those with pacemakers as the electromagnetic field can cause interference with them.
Induction hobs
Copper coils create an alternating electric current under the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pot is placed on a stove, the coils create magnetic fields that create heat directly in the pan, rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or an insulated plate (electric). Induction hobs are efficient in terms of energy efficiency, since they don't squander heat.
There are a variety of models of an induction hob, from basic entry level models that have only one cooking zone with rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs that have up to six zones, allowing you to cook several pots simultaneously on one flex zone. Some of these premium models feature the ability to control the temperature using a slider that's similar to the iPhone. You can choose the desired temperature by moving your finger from left to right over the power bar in the middle. Certain models have preset settings for certain recipes or food types which can help you save time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs can be more expensive than ceramic hobs, however they are believed to be more efficient in the long run as they heat up much quicker and use a smaller space for heating up which can help reduce your energy bills. They also cool faster and have a safer design without hot plates, which makes them perfect for families with young children or elderly persons who live in the house. However, they create magnetic fields that can affect medical devices such as pacemakers so it is important to place your pans over the burner and avoid placing small pans on large burners.
Like all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your electric hob clean since food particles and other debris can accumulate over time. You can use a standard best oven cleaner, or opt for a specialist product to keep your stove clean and in good shape for a longer time. Make sure you don't use the abrasive cleaning pads or scouring pads on your induction best hob as they can scratch the surface.