Types of Hobs
A hob, which is also known as stovetops in North America, is a cooking appliance that heats pans with flames or electricity. There are many different types of hobs. You can pick the one that best suits your kitchen and your style.
Induction hobs feature an elongated ceramic cooking surface and include five or four zones to heat your pans. The modern touch-operated designs look sleek and stylish and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs have modern and sleek design that can enhance the overall appearance of your kitchen. They feature a flat glass-ceramic surface that's easy to clean, which means spills and splatters can be quickly cleaned. They also heat up very quickly and are energy efficient which helps lower your electric bill. However, one downside of ceramic hobs is that they may be slow to change the temperature which can be a problem when cooking something that requires an instant reduction or increase in heat.
Electric hobs use an uncooked plate that is heated by electric elements under. The elements can be controlled separately by rotary knobs and nipped up to the power level you require. You can even utilize the boost feature to boost the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, so even when they are turned off, they'll be hot to the touch. This could be a problem when you have children, so it's recommended to only install them in an area that is away from any flammable items and not within reach of little ones.
The benefit of this type of hob is that it can be installed in a variety of worktops, including laminate or solid wood, as well as granite. It is also relatively affordable and can be a great alternative if you're looking to replace your previous hobs without spending too much money. As with all appliances, they need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure that your new hobs are safe to use.
This type of hob is sensitive to the pan's size and shape. You'll need cookware that is either exactly the same size as the element or that can fit comfortably into the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware isn't the same dimensions as the element, the element won't recognise it and won't be able to heat the bottom of the pan. This can result in cooking that is uneven and make the stove less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs with gas are a great choice for an elegant, oven hob modern look. They can be more expensive than electric models, Best Hobs Uk and could require professional installation. However they heat up faster as an entire pot of water will typically boil within less than four minutes. This kind of hob is also a great choice for cooks who want to regulate the amount of heat generated. Glass hobs are more vulnerable to damage and require frequent cleaning as they are more likely to accumulate grease and other residue.
One of the best examples of a gas-on-glass model is this Bertazzoni hob, which boasts four matt black monobloc burners, each with precise metal control knobs for a an elegant and sophisticated look. The wok ring is 4kW to allow for more versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher-proof.
This Bosch gas hob is another highly recommended model. It combines a stylish piece of toughened glass with advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left side of the gas hob features an inner burner that doubles to improve heat distribution and accelerate cooking. It also comes with a handy power indicator that lets you control the precise temperature of the flame. You can select from nine preset settings, Best Ovens including the highest setting for searing a steak and a low setting for scrambled eggs.
Our test subjects also appreciated the controls as they were simple and easy to use. A few minor issues are that you have to press the controls nine times before reaching the maximum heating level and that the glass can make it difficult to see what the burners are doing.
This Neff model is one of the top gas-on-glass hobs that are that are available at a low cost. While it's not going to win any design awards but it can do the job well and can be a fantastic addition to your kitchen at just 120 dollars.
Electric hobs
There are a variety of electric hobs that are perfect for modern homes. Not only do they offer an elegant design that blends in with the rest of your kitchen as well, but they also offer advanced functions that are safer, more efficient and efficient in energy use than their predecessors.
One of the most popular electric hobs is a ceramic hob. These hobs are designed with an elegant glazed finish and feature a surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratches. They also come with a power booster function that lets you increase the heat for a brief period of time.
Another electric hob that is suitable for modern homes is an induction hob. Induction hobs heat cookware directly by using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional gas and electric plates. This means they are more energy-efficient and provide precise temperature control. They require a specific type of pan and can be costly to install.
A gas on glass hob is a different option that's a great choice for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it features the burner underneath an underlying layer of flat glass. However, this glass is heat-resistant and shatterproof, which means it's much easier to clean than standard tempered glass. A lot of these hobs come with an "hot surface indicator" that warns you of the heat.
Although gas hobs are an option that is popular with home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take a while to warm up and cool down and their flames can be difficult to manage. In contrast, electric hobs are more efficient in terms of energy consumption and are easier to clean.
For the ultimate in modern technology, you can even find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. This lets you switch between different fuel sources, meaning you can adjust your cooking to suit your lifestyle. But, it's important to note that these stoves must be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and require a specific 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. They're also not suitable for people who have pacemakers as the electromagnetic field can cause interference with them.
Induction hobs
Beneath the glass surface of the induction hobs, there are copper coils which run an alternating electrical current. When an induction-compatible plate is placed on the hob the coils create magnetic fields which direct heat the pan, rather than heating a surface of the worktop or a heated plate. Induction hobs are efficient in terms of energy efficiency, since they don't waste any heat.
There are many models of induction stoves, from the basic entry-level ones with a single zone identified by rings up to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction stoves that can have up to 6 zones and allow for multiple pots to be cooked within a flex area. Some of these models have a touch slider control that looks very similar to how you operate an iPhone. Simply swipe your finger over the power bar in the middle to select the desired temperature, left to right increases the heat and right to left decreases it. Some models even have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food types that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are considered to be more efficient over the long term as they heat up much quicker and Best Hob use a smaller space for heating up which can help reduce your energy bills. They cool quicker, and they are more secure without hot plates. This makes them perfect for families that have elderly or children. However, they can create magnetic fields that can affect medical devices, such as pacemakers, so it's important to center your pans over the burner and avoid placing small pans on large burners.
Like all electric hobs oven, you'll have to keep your induction hob clean, because food and debris could build up over time. You can use a regular oven with hob cleaner, or you can purchase a specialist cleaner to help keep your hob sparkling and in good order for longer. It is not recommended to use any abrasive cleaning product or scouring pad on your induction stove as they may scratch the surface.