Types of Hob and Oven
Hobs and ovens are common feature in most kitchens. They can be found in many different designs. You can mix different types of ovens, such as electric and gas to meet your needs.
Safety features such as child and position controls can be included in the hob. These features will prevent children from accidentally altering the heat setting or touching the hob.
Types
The hob is the focal feature of any kitchen, and has a huge impact on the outcome of your cooking. There are a variety of hobs, and which one you pick will depend on the needs of your kitchen.
Gas hobs provide a classic option. They are quick to heat up and react immediately to temperature fluctuations. They are a favorite choice for chefs who are professional as they are precise in their control. They aren't as easy to clean as other stoves and may require more maintenance.
Electric hobs feature a flat ceramic surface and heated elements underneath. They can be found in various sizes and have up to six cooking zones. Each zone includes its own heating element that can be controlled by you. This lets you boil potatoes on one ring while cooking sausages in another. This type of hob is much easier to warm up than gas, and is the safety of children since the cooking area gets hot only when you put an oven on it.
Traditional ceramic hobs are a very user-friendly alternative to gas and electric and are also a elegant choice. They have a smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However they aren't as quick to respond to temperature fluctuations or cool down as other hobs.
Domino hobs are an alternative to gas and electric hobs that have ovens underneath the cooking surface. They can be fitted into smaller kitchens that have limited installation space and are ideal for kitchenettes and apartments. They are usually less expensive than standard hobs and can be very energy-efficient but can be fragile and require more maintenance than other types of cookers.
Gas
Gas hobs are cooktops that have burners that are easily integrated into kitchen countertops to give a seamless appearance. They are typically used with natural or the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) but can also be powered by propane gas. The modern, sleek design can bring sophistication to your kitchen space.
A traditional gas stove has several burners, typically 4 but often as many as 6. The burners can be lit by a match or a knob. The flames are then controlled by a series of valves which can be adjusted to set the temperature.
However, the majority of modern gas hobs that have built-in gas burners feature multi-flame burners that allow you to control the inner and outer rings of each burner to precisely manage your cooking. These kinds of burners offer faster heat up times and are more reliable than traditional ones.
Traditionally, it was important to keep a gas stove lit constantly to ensure that the burners are always hot and fueled. This was to avoid accidents, such as accidentally turning on an oven when the stove was still lit with a match or pilot light. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind and come with a built-in fire failure device that shuts down the burners automatically if the pilot light fail.
Gas stoves and hobs must be cleaned, checked and maintained regularly. The best ovens method to do this is to schedule an appointment for maintenance with a licensed Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only to ensure that your appliance functions properly, but will also offer expert advice on how to avoid any future problems.
Electric
When it comes to creating your perfect kitchen the countertops, fridge freezer and ovens will always get the most attention, but a good hob is equally important. Whether you opt for a conventional, induction, or gas cooker the type of hob you select can impact how your kitchen operates and how easy it is to clean.
Electric hobs use heating elements that are placed on a smooth glass surface that's typically wiped down with a non-abrasive cleaner. These elements are activated when you turn the hob on and can be adjusted to a variety of power levels by turning or adjusting the control knob. They can take a little longer to warm up than a gas cooker, but once they do they tend to offer better, regular temperature control. They come with built-in indicators that let you know whether a particular area is hot or not.
Typically, they are available in four to six different sizes that can be notched up to different power levels. They are great for flat-based cookware but aren't the best hobs option for cast-iron pans because they can get hot. Some models have dual-ring designs (such as the Belling BEL CH602T) that allow you to boil water on one ring while you saute sausages on another. Some models even come with a 'boost' feature that concentrates the power of high-powered heat into a single ring for stir fry cooking sauteing meats, searing or boiling large pots of water.
Induction hobs differ from standard electric models because they employ electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware instead of the traditional method of gas flames. This enables them to achieve precise temperatures in a short time frame, which makes them extremely energy efficient. They also have a cool-to touch surface and flashing heat indicators that signal that the ring is being used or is still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramics can be used to create functional or decorative objects. It is formed by mixing clay, earthen elements powders, water and other elements to the desired shape, then fired in a high-temperature oven called the Kiln. Once made, it can be covered with paint-like or decorative materials to add color and texture.
Ceramic hobs are a beautiful blend of function and form that can be easily integrated into any modern kitchen. They operate using radiant heating technology, which passes an electric current through the coiled elements hidden beneath the black glass surface of the hob. When activated, they generate heat, which is then transferred to the pan by an infrared system. You can alter the intensity of the heating by using the knobs or touch controls.
Some ceramic hobs come with two rings, each with one smaller and one with a larger cooking zone. This lets you select the right size for your pan. You can also find hobs with booster burners which produce high-powered heat in a short time ideal for searing meat or bringing pans of boiling water to a boil quickly.
Ceramic cooktops are more efficient in energy than other types of hobs as they take longer to heat up and change temperatures. There are vented cooktops that incorporate an air-conditioning system inside the cooktop's ceramic, making sure that the cooking smells don't linger in your home.
Induction
The heating elements of induction hobs consist of a series of copper wire coils that are placed beneath the surface. They produce electromagnets to heat the pans sitting on them. The coils stir up the free electrons in your pan's base metal, which then transfer heat evenly to your food. The surface of the stove is never hot and the cooking zones are automatically turned off when your pan is removed.
Induction hobs are typically more expensive, but they also get hotter faster and use 30-70% lower energy than gas or other types. They are also easier to clean because the surface of the hob isn't hot, and only the contents of your pan do.
Some manufacturers provide an induction model with extra features, such as the pause feature that cuts off the power to the stove when you leave or connect two cooking rings with the same power to provide greater flexibility. These are often called FlexInduction hobs. They can be more expensive than traditional models, however they're worth looking into if are a multi-tasker.
This induction hob is our top choice. It comes with four cooking zones as well as a Bridge function and nine power settings, offering you a variety of options for those who are ambitious cooks. It was a great performer in our tests with fast heating and accurate control when making pancakes. The hob also has an integrated dishwasher as well as an automatic pan detection feature to make cleaning simpler. The only issue is that there are only a few compatible pans, and you cannot use it to cook using the utensils that have magnetic bases. This can be a problem if have a large quantity of cookware that is not compatible or only some of it is compatible with induction cooktops.