Types of Hobs
A hob (known as stove tops in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats up pans using electricity or flames. There are several different types of hobs available, so you can pick one that fits your style and kitchen.
Induction hobs come with an elongated ceramic cooking surface and include five or four zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs look sleek and stylish ovens and hobs are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern, sleek look. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces can be easy to clean and can easily be cleaned up when spills or splatters happen. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient, which can help to reduce your energy bills. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they tend to be slow to change temperature settings which can be a problem when cooking food that requires immediate reduction or increase in heat.
Electric hobs are made of an uncooked plate that is heated by electric elements underneath. The power of each element can be adjusted through rotating knobs. You can use the Boost feature to raise the temperature of a certain zone. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, so even after they've been shut off, they will still be hot to the touch. It is essential to place ceramic hobs in an area that is far from any flammable objects and out of reach of children.
The benefit of this type of hob is that it can be set up on a variety of worktops, including laminate, solid wood and granite. It's also quite affordable and is a great alternative if you are looking to replace your old stoves without spending a large amount of money. But, as with all appliances, they do need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains, so we recommend hiring a professional electrician to ensure that your new hobs are safe for use.
This kind of hob is sensitive to pan sizes and shapes. You'll need to buy cookware that is either exactly the same dimensions as the element or that will fit comfortably inside each of the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware doesn't match, then the element will not recognize it and won't start to heat the bottom of the pan. This can lead to uneven cooking results and make the hob less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs made of gas are sleek and contemporary in look. They can be more expensive than electric hobs, and require professional installation. However they are also more efficient in heating as a full pot of water can typically boil within less than four minutes. This type of hob is also a great choice for cooks who want to limit the amount of heat being produced. However, it must be noted that a glass hob uk is more prone to damage than stainless steel models and may require cleaning more often, as the accumulation of grease and residue tends to stick instead of sliding off.
A great example of a glass-on-gas model is this Bertazzoni hob, which boasts four black monobloc burners, each with precise metal control knobs to create an elegant and sophisticated appearance. It also comes with an oblong wok ring with 4kW for added versatility, plus pan supports that are dishwasher-safe and easier to keep clean.
This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It is a sleek piece of toughened glass and modern cooking technology. The dual ring design to the left side of the gas hob has an inner burner that doubles to improve the distribution of heat and increase the speed of cooking. It also features an indicator for power that lets you control the exact 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.
The simple and easy-to-use controls were also loved by our test subjects who found them to be very easy to use. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you need to press the controls nine more times before reaching the maximum heating level, and that the glass can make it difficult to discern the burners' actions.
This Neff model is among the best ovens and hobs uk gas-on-glass hobs that are available at a low cost. It's not going win any design prizes however it's going to perform the task and be an excellent addition to your kitchen for just more than PS120.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are ideal for modern homes. Not only do they offer an elegant design that fits in with the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functionality that is safer, faster and more energy-efficient than their predecessors.
One of the most sought-after electric hobs is the ceramic glass hob. They're designed with a sleek, glazed finish and feature an easy-to-clean surface that's resistant to scratches or smudges. These hobs also come with a power booster function that lets you increase the heat for a short time.
Induction hobs are another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes. Induction hobs oven heat cookware directly with electromagnetic fields unlike traditional gas and electric plates. This means they are more energy efficient and have precise temperature control. They require a particular type of pan and can be costly to set up.
A gas-on-glass hob is a second option that's a great choice for modern homes. It has a burner underneath the glass, which is flat, similar to a conventional gas stove. However it's heatproof and shatterproof, so it's much simpler to clean than the typical tempered glass. Many of these hobs have a "hot surface indicator" which alerts you to the temperature.
While gas hobs are still an option that is popular with home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They can take a long time to heat up and cool down, and their flame can be difficult to control. Electric hobs, on the other side are more efficient in energy use and easier to clean.
For the highest level of modern efficiency You can even find electric hobs compatible with LPG gas. This lets you switch between various fuel sources, so you'll be able to adapt to your lifestyle. It's important to note, however, that these stoves will require the installation of a registered gas safe engineer. They also require an appropriate cable of 6mm for your kitchen. These hobs are also not suitable for those who have pacemakers because the electromagnetic field can interfere with them.
Induction hobs
On the glass surface of the induction hobs, there are copper coils that generate an electrical current that is alternating. When an induction-compatible plate is placed on the hob, the coils create magnetic fields that directly heat the pan instead of heating the surface of the worktop or heated plate. Induction hobs are extremely efficient from an energy standpoint because there's no leftover heat being wasted.
There are a myriad of models of induction hobs that range from basic ones that have a single cooking zone marked by rings to more advanced multi-zoned hobs that have up to six zones, allowing you to cook several pots at once on a Flex zone. Some of these premium models come with a slider control that is similar to the iPhone. Simply swipe your finger over the power bar at the middle to choose the desired temperature left to right boosts heat and right to left decreases it. Certain models have preset settings that are specific to food types or recipes that can cut down time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs and ovens. However they are more efficient in the long run. They heat up faster and have a smaller heating space which can lower your energy costs. They also cool faster and have a safer design that doesn't have hot plates, which makes them perfect for families with young children or elderly persons who live in the house. They do, however, create magnetic forces that can affect certain medical devices such as pacemakers. It is therefore crucial to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans on larger burners.
Like all electric hobs, you will have to clean your electric hob on a regular basis, as food particles and other debris may build up over time. You can either make use of a basic oven cleaner or purchase a specialist one to keep your stove in good condition and shining for longer. Make sure you don't use the abrasive cleaning pads or pads for scouring on your induction cooker as they can scratch the surface.