Types of Hobs
A hob, which is also known as a stovetop in North America, is a cooking appliance that heats pans with flames or electricity. There are a variety of hobs, and you can choose one that is best suited to your preferences and kitchen.
Induction hobs come with an elongated ceramic cooking surface and have 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 and sleek look. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces can be easy to clean and can quickly be wiped down when spills or splatters happen. They heat up quickly and are energy efficient, which can reduce your electricity bill. However, one downside of ceramic hobs is that they may be slow to adjust the temperature, which can be frustrating if you're cooking something that requires a quick reduction or an increase in heat.
Electric hobs use an uncooked plate that is heated by electric elements beneath. The power of each element can be adjusted through the rotary knobs. You can use the Boost feature to boost the temperature of a certain zone. Ceramic hobs hold heat extremely well, and even after they have been turned off, they'll be hot to the touch. This can be a challenge when you have children, so it's best to only install them in an area which is far from flammable objects and away from young children.
The benefit of this kind of hob is that it can be set up in a variety of worktops, such as laminate or solid wood, as well as granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and can be a great alternative if you are looking to replace your old stoves without spending a lot. As with any appliance, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure the new hobs are safe to use.
This kind of hob is sensitive to the pan's size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that's the exact size as the element or that will fit comfortably inside each of the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware isn't compatible the element, it won't recognize it and won't begin to heat the bottom of the pan. This could result in inconsistent results in cooking and makes the hob less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Gas on glass hobs offer a sleek, modern aesthetic. While they can be more expensive than electric models and may require professional installation, they often require less time to heat up - it's not unusual for a full pan of water to boil in four minutes or less. This kind of hob is a great choice for cooks who need to control the amount of heat that is generated. However, it must be noted that a glass hob can be more vulnerable to damage than stainless steel models and will require cleaning more frequently, as the accumulation of grease and residue tends to stick instead of sliding off.
This Bertazzoni hob is a great example of gas on glass. It comes with four monobloc burners in matt black with metal control knobs to create a sleek, elegant finish. It also includes an oblong wok ring with 4kW for added versatility, plus pan supports that are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean.
Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob, which is the look of a sleek slab of toughened glass with advanced cooking technology. The dual rings on the left of the hob features a double inner flame to ensure even heat distribution and speeds up cooking times. It also features an excellent power level indicator, which assists in regulating the exact temperature of your flame. You can select from nine preset settings, such as a high setting to sear steaks, and a low one for scrambled egg.
The simple and easy-to-use controls were also liked by our testers, who found them to be extremely easy to use. Some minor issues are the fact that you have to physically press the controls nine times to reach the highest temperature and it may be difficult to discern the state of the burners through the glass.
Some of the top gas on glass hobs can be found at affordable prices, such as this Neff model. It's not likely to win any design prizes, but it will do the job and can be an excellent addition to your kitchen at just above 120 dollars.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are ideal for modern homes. They're not just sleek and stylish, they are they are also safer, faster and more efficient than their predecessors.
One of the most popular electric hobs is a ceramic hob. They're designed with a sleek, polished, glazed finish. They also have an easy-to-clean surface that's resistant to smudges or scratches. They're also usually fitted with a power boost feature which lets you increase the heat of your cooker for a short amount of time.
Induction hobs are a different electric hob that is perfect for modern homes. Unlike traditional gas and electric plate hobs that use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. This means they are more energy efficient and have precise temperature control. They require a special kind of pan and can be costly to install.
Hobs made of glass that are gas-powered are a different option for modern homes. It features a burner beneath an unidirectional glass layer similar to a standard gas stove. However the glass is heatproof and shatterproof, so it's much simpler to clean than the typical tempered glass. A lot of these hobs have the "hot surface indicator" which alerts you to the heat.
While gas hobs remain a popular option for many home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take a while to cool down and warm down and their flame can be hard to manage. Electric hobs on the other hand, are more energy efficient and easier to clean.
There are electric stoves that are compatible LPG gas. This allows you to switch between different fuel sources, meaning you'll be able to suit your lifestyle. But, it's important to remember that these hobs need to be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and will require a specific 6mm cable for your kitchen. These hobs are not suitable for those who have pacemakers since the electromagnetic field may cause interference with them.
Induction hobs
On the glass surface of induction hobs sit copper coils which run an electrical current that varies. When an induction-compatible pot is placed on a stove, the coils create magnetic fields that generate heat directly in the pan rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or a heated plate (electric). Induction hobs are extremely efficient in energy use, since they don't waste any heat.
There are a myriad of models of induction hob, from basic entry level models that have only one cooking zone marked by rings to more advanced multi-zoned read more induction hobs that can have up to six zones, allowing you to cook several pots simultaneously on one Flex zone. Certain models come with a touch-slider control that looks very similar to how you operate on an iPhone. Simply slide your finger across the power bar located in the middle to select the desired heat level, left to right increases heat and right to left decreases it. Some models have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food items that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are also more energy efficient over the long run. They can heat faster and have a smaller heating area which can lower your energy costs. They also cool quicker and feature a safer design without hot plates, making them ideal for families with young children or elderly persons living in the home. They do, however, generate a magnetic force that could affect certain medical devices like pacemakers. It is therefore crucial to center pans and avoid using smaller pans with larger burners.
As with all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your induction hob clean, since food particles and other debris can accumulate over time. You can use a standard oven cleaner or purchase a specialist one to keep your hob in good condition and shiny for a longer time. You should never use any abrasive cleaning product or a scouring pad on your stove, as they can scratch the surface.