Types of Hobs
A hob (known as stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans using electricity or flames. There are several different types of hobs available, so you can pick one that suits your style and kitchen.
Induction hobs have an elongated ceramic cooking surface and have four or five zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs look sleek and elegant and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs provide modern and sleek design that can really enhance the overall appearance of your kitchen. 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 very quickly and are energy efficient which helps reduce your energy bills. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they can be slow to change the temperature and can be a hassle when cooking something that requires immediate reduction or increase in temperature.
Electric hobs are comprised of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be individually adjusted by rotary knobs. You can even utilize the boost feature to increase the heat of a single zone. Ceramic hobs also have a very high heat retention, so they'll remain hot to the touch after being turned off. This can be a problem for families with children, so it's advisable to only install them in a place that is well away from objects that are flammable and not within reach of young children.
This type of hob can be used on a variety of worktops such as laminate and solid hardwood as well as granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and is a great option if you want to replace your old stoves without spending a large amount of money. As with any appliance, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure the new hobs are safe to use.
A downside of this type of hob is that it's sensitive to the size of the pan and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that is exactly the same as the element or fits comfortably in each of the heating zones. If the cookware is not the same size as the element, the element won't recognise it and won't be able to heat the bottom of the pan. This could result in uneven cooking and make the stove less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Gas on glass hobs are sleek and contemporary in look. They are more expensive than electric hobs, and could require professional installation. However they heat up faster as an entire pot of water can typically boil in less than 4 minutes. This kind of stove is also a great option 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 tend to accumulate grease and Ovens residue.
This Bertazzoni hob is a great example of gas on glass. It features four monobloc burners in matt black, with control knobs made of metal to give it a chic, sophisticated look. The wok ring is 4kW for additional versatility, and the pan supports are dishwasher safe.
This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It combines a fashionable piece of toughened glass with cutting-edge cooking technology. The dual ring design to the left of the gas hob provides a double inner burner to improve heat distribution and increase the speed of cooking. It also features an excellent power level indicator that allows you to control the precise temperature of the flame. You can choose between nine preset settings, such as a high setting to sear steaks, and a low one for scrambled eggs.
Our test subjects also appreciated the controls because they were simple and easy to use. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you must press the controls nine times before reaching the maximum heating level, and that the glass can make it difficult to discern the burners' actions.
Some of the best ovens and hobs gas-on-glass hobs are available for affordable prices like this Neff model. Although it's unlikely to win any design awards but it can do the job well and can be an ideal addition to your kitchen at just PS120.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are ideal for modern homes. They're not only elegant and stylish, but they are also more efficient, safer and more efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most sought-after electric stoves. They are designed with sleek glazed finishes, and feature a surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratches. They're also often equipped with a power boost feature that allows you to increase the temperature of your stove for a brief period of time.
Induction hobs are another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes. Induction hobs heat cookware directly using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional electric plates and gas stoves. They are therefore more energy efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. However they require a particular kind of pan to work with them and are costly to install.
A gas-on-glass hob is a second option that's a great option for modern homes. Similar to a standard gas hob, it has the burner underneath an underlying layer of flat glass. The glass is heatproof and shatterproof, making it much easier to clean than tempering glass. Many of these hobs come with a "hot surface indicator" that warns you of the heat.
While gas hobs remain an option that is popular with home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and takes some time to warm up and cool down. Electric hobs, on the other hand are more efficient in energy use and easier to clean.
There are electric stoves that can be used with LPG gas. You can switch between a variety of fuels, providing you with the flexibility needed to adapt to your lifestyle. It is important to remember that these hobs will need to be installed by an approved gas safe engineer and will require a dedicated cable of 6mm for your kitchen. They're also not suitable for people who have pacemakers, since the electromagnetic field could cause interference with them.
Induction hobs
Under the glass surface of induction hobs are copper coils that run an electrical current that varies. When an induction-compatible dish is placed on a hob the coils generate magnetic fields that create heat directly inside the pan rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or a heated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs very efficient from an energy standpoint, as there's no residual heat that is wasted.
There are many different models of an induction hob that range from basic ones that have one cooking zone that is marked by rings to more advanced multi-zoned hobs that have up to six zones and allow the cooking of multiple pots at once on a flex zone. Some of these premium models come with a slider control that is similar to the iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by swiping your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Some models have preset settings for certain food types or recipes, which can save time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more energy efficient over the long term. They can heat faster and have a smaller heating area which could reduce your energy bills. They also cool faster and have a safer design with no hot plates, making them ideal for families with children or elderly people who live in the house. However, they can create magnetic fields that can affect medical devices, such as pacemakers, therefore it is essential to center your pans over the burner and avoid using small pans on large burners.
As with all electric hobs you'll need to clean your induction hob regularly, as food particles and other debris may build up over time. You can use a standard oven with hob cleaner or invest in a specialist one to keep your hob in good condition and shining for a longer time. Make sure you don't use the abrasive cleaning pads or pads to scour your induction hob as they could scratch the surface.