Ten Hobs Ovens That Really Change Your Life

Types of Hobs

A hob, also known as a stovetop in North America, is a cooking appliance that heats pans with electric power or flames. There are many different types of hobs. You can choose the one that is best suited to your kitchen and style.

Induction hobs have flat ceramic surfaces and either four or five zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs look sleek and stylish and are easy to clean.

Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a sleek, modern design. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces can be easy to clean and can easily be cleaned if spills or splatters occur. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient and can help lower your electric bill. However, one downside of ceramic hobs is that they tend to be slow to adjust temperatures which can be a problem if you're cooking something that requires immediate reduction or an increase in heat.

Electric hobs consist of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. They can be individually controlled with rotary knobs, and then tacked up to the level of power you require. You can even use the boost feature to increase the heat of a single zone. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, so even when they have been turned off, they'll be hot to the touch. This can be a problem for families with children, so it's recommended to only install them in a location that is well away from flammable objects and not within reach of children.

This type of hob can be used on a variety of worktops, including laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and is a great option for those looking to replace your old stoves without spending a large amount of money. As with all appliances, they need to be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure that your new hobs will be safe to use.

The drawback of this kind of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to pan size and shape. It is necessary to purchase cookware that's either the exact size as the element or that will fit comfortably inside the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware isn't compatible, then the element will not recognize it and won't begin to heat up the base of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent results in cooking and makes the hob less energy efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Gas on glass hobs have a sleek and modern appearance. While they cost more than electric models and may require professional installation, they usually require less time to heat up. It's not uncommon for a full pan of water to be boiling within four minutes or less. This kind of stove is also a great option for cooks who want to limit the amount of heat being produced. Glass hobs are more vulnerable to damage and require frequent cleaning as they are more likely to accumulate grease and sludge.

One of the best examples of a gas on glass model is this Bertazzoni hob, which has four black monobloc burners with accurate metal control knobs for a an elegant ovens and hobs sophisticated appearance. It also has the wok ring that has 4kW to increase versatility, and dishwasher-proof pan supports that are easier to keep clean.

Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob, which combines the look of a sleek slab of toughened glass with advanced cooking technology. The dual rings on the left side of the hob has a double inner flame to promote improvement in uniform heat distribution, which in turn accelerates cooking time. It also comes with an indicator for power that helps you to control the precise temperature of the flame. You can select from nine pre-defined settings including the highest setting for searing a steak and an option for scrambled eggs.

The simple, yet easy-to-use controls were also appreciated by our testers who found them be very easy to use. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you need to press the controls a further nine times to reach the highest heating level, and that the glass can make it difficult to see the burners' actions.

Some of the top gas on glass hobs are available at affordable prices, such as this Neff model. It's not going to win any design awards but it'll do the job and can be an excellent option for your kitchen at just more than PS120.

Electric hobs

Electric hobs are ideal for modern homes. They're not only sleek ovens and hobs stylish, but they are also safer, faster and more efficient than their predecessors.

Ceramic glass hobs are among the most well-known electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek glossy finish and an easy-to-clean surface that is resistant to smudges or scratches. These hobs are also fitted with a power booster feature that allows you to increase the heat for a brief period of time.

Another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes is an induction hob. Unlike traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. They are therefore more energy efficient and provide precise temperature control. They require a special type of pan, and could be expensive to put in.

A gas-on-glass hob is a different option that is a good choice for modern homes. It is equipped oven with hob a burner under a flat glass layer, similar to a conventional gas stove. However it's shatterproof and heatproof, so it's much simpler to clean than standard glass that is tempered. Many of these hobs are equipped with the "hot surface indicator" that alerts you to the temperature.

Although gas hobs are an option for many home cooks, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and take a long time to heat up and cool off. However, electric hobs are more energy-efficient and simpler to clean.

There are electric stoves that work with LPG gas. This allows you to switch between different fuel sources, so you'll have the flexibility to suit your lifestyle. It's important to note that these hobs will require installation by a registered gas safe engineer and require a dedicated cable of 6mm for your kitchen. They're not suitable for those with pacemakers, since the electromagnetic field could cause interference with them.

Induction hobs

Copper coils run an alternating electric current beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on the hob, the coils create magnetic fields which direct heat the pan, rather than heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from an energy standpoint since there's no heat that is wasted.

There are a myriad of models of an induction hob, ovens from basic entry level models that have one cooking zone that is with rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs that have up to six zones and allow you to cook several pots simultaneously on one flexible zone. Some of these premium models come with a touch slider control that resembles to the way you operate an iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by moving your finger from left to right over the power bar in the middle. Certain models have preset settings that are specific to recipes or food types, which can save time in the kitchen.

Induction hobs do tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs, however they are believed to be more energy efficient in the long run as they heat up much faster and use a smaller space to heat up, which can help you save on energy bills. They also cool down quicker and feature a safer design that doesn't have hot plates, making them ideal for families with children or elderly people living in the home. However, they can create magnetic fields that can cause interference with medical devices like pacemakers therefore it is essential to center your pans over the burner and avoid placing small pans on large burners.

Like all electric hobs you'll need to keep your electric hob clean, since food particles and other debris can build up over time. You can use an oven with hob cleaner, or you can purchase a specialist cleaner to keep your hob shiny and in good condition for longer. You should never use the abrasive cleaning products or the scratching pads on your induction stove, as they can scratch the surface.