Types of Hob and Oven
A hob and oven with hob is a common part of most kitchens, and comes in a variety of designs. You can also mix different kinds like domino, electric and gas to fit your cooking requirements.
A best hob could also have safety features, such as child and position controls. They can stop children from touching the stove and stop them changing the temperature settings accidentally.
Types
In the center of every kitchen, the stove is the main focus and plays a major part in how your cooking is executed. There are a number of different types of hob and the one you choose will depend on what your particular cooking needs are.
Gas hobs provide a classic option. They are quick to heat up and react instantly to temperature changes. They are a preferred choice for chefs who are professional as they offer precise control. They aren't as simple as other hobs to clean and could require more care.
Electric best hobs uk have a flat ceramic surface and heated elements underneath. They are available in different sizes and with four to six cooking zones. Each zone is equipped with a distinct heating element which you can regulate individually. This allows you to boil potatoes on one ring whilst making sausages in another. This type of hob is quicker to start heating than gas, and it offers an alternative that is safer for children as the cooking zone becomes hot only when you put an oven on it.
Ceramic hobs are a chic and user-friendly alternative to electric and gas hobs. They have an extremely smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However they aren't as quick 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 combines ovens beneath the cooking surface. They can be incorporated into smaller kitchens with little space for installation and are suitable for kitchenettes and flats. They are often cheaper than standard hobs and are energy efficient but can be fragile and require more maintenance than other types of cooker.
Gas
Gas hobs are cooktops equipped with burners that can be easily integrated into kitchen countertops to create a seamless look. They are usually powered by natural or liquid petroleum gas (LPG) but can also be powered by propane gas. They have a sleek and modern design that can bring a touch of class to your modular kitchen.
A traditional gas stove has various burners, typically 4 but sometimes as many as 6. The burners can be ignited with a match or knob. The flames are then controlled by a series of valves which can be adjusted to set the temperature.
Modern built-in gas stoves however, have burners with multiple flames. This allows you to control both the outer and the inner ring for each burner so that you can precisely control your cooking. These types of burners provide faster heating times and are more reliable than older models.
Traditionally, it was important to keep a gas stove on continuously to ensure that the burners are always hot and fuelled. This was to avoid accidents, like not turning on the oven when the stove was still lit with an igniter or a match. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind. They include a built-in flame safety device that shuts down the burners immediately should the pilot light fail.
Gas stoves and hobs need to be regularly checked and cleaned, as well as maintained. To do this, you should arrange a visit with a Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only be able to ensure that your appliance is functioning properly, but they can also provide expert advice and guidance on how to avoid issues in the future.
Electric
When it comes time to design your perfect kitchen the countertops, fridge freezer and oven will always get the most attention, however a quality hob is also essential. If you choose a traditional, induction or gas cooker, the type of hob you select can affect how your kitchen functions and how easy it is to clean.
Electric hobs have heating elements that are placed on a smooth glass surface which is typically cleaned using a non-abrasive cleaning agent. These elements are activated when you turn on the hob and can be notched up to a variety of power levels by turning or pressing the control knob. They may take longer to heat up than gas cookers, but once they have done so, they are able to provide more consistent temperature control. They also have built-in indicators to let you know when a space is active or hot from cooking.
Typically, they come in four to six different sizes of rings that can be cranked up to various levels of power. These are great for flat-based cookware, but not for cast iron pans as they can overheat. Some models (such as Belling BELCH602T) come with dual rings that let you cook sausages and boil water in the same ring. Some models even include a boost function that concentrates high-powered heat into a single ring for stir fry cooking sauteing meats, searing or boiling large pots of water.
Induction hobs differ from normal electric models because they employ 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 space of time and makes them extremely energy efficient. They have 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 a material that can be made into decorative or practical objects. It is formed by mixing clay, earthen elements powders and water into an exact shape, and then fired in a high-temperature oven known as a kiln. Once made it is then covered with paint-like or decorative materials to add colour and texture.
Ceramic hobs are an exquisite blend of function and form, sitting comfortably in any modern kitchen. They operate using radiant heating technology that passes an electric current through the coiled elements hidden beneath the black glass surface of the hob. They generate heat when activated. This is transferred to your pan through an infrared system. You can adjust the level of heating using the knobs or touch controls.
Some ceramic hobs are dual ring designs, with one smaller and one larger cooking zone which allows you to select the most suitable size for your pan. You can also purchase hobs that have boosters that create high-powered heat quickly. This is ideal to cook food in or bring pans to boil fast.
Ceramic cooktops are more energy efficient than other kinds of hobs as they take longer to heat up and change temperatures. You can also find vented hobs that integrate an air-conditioning system inside the cooktop's ceramic, making sure that the cooking smells don't stay in your home.
Induction
Induction hobs have heating elements made up of copper wire coils. The coils create electromagnets that make the pans hot on top of 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 as soon as you remove your pan the cooking zones switch off automatically.
Induction hobs tend to be more expensive than other types however, they're also more efficient to heat and consume 30 to 70% less energy than ceramic or gas hobs. They're also easier to clean, as the hob surface itself isn't heated, but the contents of your pan do.
Some manufacturers offer a special induction model that comes with additional features, such as a pause function that shuts off the power to your stove when you step away from it, or link up two cooking rings simultaneously at the same power level for additional flexibility. They are commonly called FlexInduction hobs. They can be more expensive than traditional models, however they're worth a look if you prefer to multitask.
Our favorite is this induction hob made by Smeg, with four cooking zones of good size, a bridge function and nine power levels, giving you a variety of options for those who want to cook with a lot of passion. In our tests, it performed very well with precise control and quick heating when making pancakes. The oven comes with dishwasher built-in, as well as automatic pan detection to make cleaning much easier. There's a limited range of compatible pans, and it can't be used to cook with the utensils with a magnetic base. This could be a problem if you have a lot of non-compliant cookware, or just some of them are suitable for induction hobs.