Types of Hobs
A hob (known as stove tops in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans with flame or electricity. There are a variety of hobs. You can pick the one that best suits your kitchen and style.
Induction hobs are equipped with flat ceramic surfaces and a range of four or five zones to heat your pans. The modern touch-operated designs look sleek and stylish and 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 quickly be cleaned if spills or splatters occur. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient which helps lower your electric bill. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they can be slow to adjust the temperature and can be a hassle when cooking something that requires immediate reduction or increase in temperature.
Electric hobs use a solid plate that is heated by electric elements beneath. The power of each element can be adjusted through rotary knobs. You can use the Boost feature to increase the temperature of a specific zone. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, and even after they are turned off, they'll be hot to the touch. It is essential to place ceramic hobs in a place that is away from items that could ignite and out of reach of children.
This kind of hob is able to be mounted on a variety of worktops, including laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It is also relatively affordable and can be a great option for those trying to replace your old hobs without spending too much money. As with all appliances, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure your new hobs are safe to use.
A downside of this type of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to pan size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that matches the element precisely or fits comfortably in each of the heating zones. If the cookware isn't the same size as the element, it won't recognise it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This could result in inconsistent cooking results and will make the stove less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs with gas are sleek and contemporary in design. They are more expensive than electric hobs, and require professional installation. However they heat up faster - an entire pot of water will typically boil in less than four minutes. This type of stove is a great choice for cooks who wish to limit the amount of heat is generated. However, it should be observed that a glass-based hob is more prone to damage than stainless steel ones and may require cleaning more often, since the build-up of grease and residue tends to stick instead of sliding off.
This Bertazzoni hob is an excellent example of gas on glass. It has four monobloc burners in matt black with metal control knobs for a stylish, sophisticated look. It also comes with the wok ring that has 4kW to increase versatility, and dishwasher-proof pan supports that are easy to clean.
This Bosch gas hob is another highly recommended model. It combines a fashionable piece of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design at the left side of the gas hob provides an inner burner that doubles to improve the distribution of heat and increase the speed of cooking. It also has an indicator for power that lets you control the exact temperature of the flame. You can select from nine pre-defined settings including the high setting for searing a steak and the low setting for scrambled eggs.
Its simple yet intuitive controls were appreciated by our testers, who found them to be very simple to use. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you must press the controls nine more times to reach the highest heating level and that the glass can make it difficult to see the burners' actions.
This Neff model is one of the top gas-on glass hobs that you can buy at a reasonable price. Although it's unlikely to be a winner of any design awards but it can do the job well and can be an excellent addition to your kitchen for less than PS120.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are perfect for modern homes. Not only do they have an elegant design that fits in with the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functionality that is safer, faster and more efficient in energy use than their predecessors.
One of the most well-known electric hobs is a ceramic hob. They're designed with a sleek, glossy finish and an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges or scratches. They're also usually fitted with a power boost feature that allows you to increase the heat of your hob for a short period of time.
Another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes is an induction hob. Induction hobs heat your cookware directly using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional gas and electric plates. They are therefore more energy efficient and provide precise temperature control. However, they require a specific kind of pan to function and are costly to install.
A gas-on-glass hob is a different option that is a good option for modern homes. Similar to a standard gas hob, it comes with an oven that is surrounded by the glass is a flat layer. However the glass is shatterproof and heatproof, so it's much simpler to clean than standard glass that is tempered. A lot of these hobs come with a 'hot surface indicator', which informs you when the oven is hot.
While gas hobs remain a popular option for many home cooks, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take time to cool down and warm down, and their flame can be hard to control. Electric hobs, on other hand are more energy efficient and are easier to clean.
For the ultimate in modern technology You can even find electric hobs compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between different fuels, giving you the flexibility you need to fit your lifestyle. However, it's important to note that these stoves must be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and will require a 6mm cable in your kitchen. These hobs are also not suitable for those who have pacemakers since the electromagnetic field could interfere with them.
Induction hobs
Copper coils run an electric current that is alternating beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on a hob, the coils create magnetic fields that generate heat directly in the pan instead of heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or an insulated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from an energy standpoint, as there's no residual heat that is wasted.
There are a variety of models of an induction hob that range from basic ones with one cooking zone that is marked by rings to more advanced multi-zoned induction hobs that have up to six zones, allowing you to cook multiple pots at once on a Flex zone. Certain models come with a slider control that is similar to the iPhone. You can choose the desired temperature by swiping your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Certain models can even be programmed with settings for specific recipes or food types that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more energy efficient in the long term. They heat up faster and have a smaller area for heating which could reduce your energy bills. They cool down faster, and they are more secure without hot plates. This makes them a great choice for families that have elderly or children. They do, however, generate magnetic forces that can affect certain medical devices, such as pacemakers. It is therefore important to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans with larger burners.
As with all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your electric hob clean because food and debris could accumulate over time. You can use a standard oven cleaner, or invest in a specialist product to help keep your hob clean and in good shape for longer. Make sure you don't use scrubbers or pads for scouring on your induction hob since they can scratch the surface.