Types of Hobs
A hob, also known as stovetop in North America, is a cooking appliance that heats pans by using electric power or flames. There are many different types of hobs. You can choose the one that is best suited to your kitchen and your style.
Induction hobs have a flat ceramic cooking surface and include five or four 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 modern and sleek appearance. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces are simple to clean and are able to be cleaned in the event of spills or splatters. They are fast to heat up and are energy efficient and can lower your electric bill. However, one drawback of ceramic hobs is that they may be slow in changing temperatures which can be a problem when cooking food that requires an instant reduction or an increase in heat.
Electric hobs are comprised of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. These elements can be individually controlled using rotary knobs and notched to the power level you require. You can utilize the Boost feature to raise the temperature of a particular area. Ceramic hobs also have extremely high degree of heat retention, meaning they'll remain hot to the touch after being shut off. This can be a problem for families with children, so it's best to only install them in an area which is far from flammable objects and out of reach of young children.
This kind of hob is able to be mounted on a variety of worktops such as laminate, solid hardwood and granite. It's also quite affordable and can be an excellent option if you want to replace your stove without spending a lot of money. As with all appliances, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure that the new hobs are safe to use.
This kind of hob is sensitive to pan sizes and shapes. You'll need to buy cookware that's the exact size as the element, or that is able to fit in the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware doesn't match, then the element will not recognize it and won't start to heat the bottom of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent results in cooking and makes the hob less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Gas on glass hobs offer a sleek, modern aesthetic. They can be more expensive than electric models, and could require professional installation. However, they heat up faster and a full pot of water will typically boil in less than four minutes. This kind of stove is also a great option for cooks who like to limit the amount of heat generated. However, it must be not forgotten that a glass hob is more susceptible to damage than stainless steel ones and will likely need to be cleaned more often, since the build-up of grease and residue tends to stick instead of sliding off.
This Bertazzoni hob is a fantastic example of gas on glass. It comes with four monobloc burners in matt black with metal control knobs for a stylish, sophisticated look. The wok ring is 4kW to allow for more versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher-safe.
This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It is a sleek piece of toughened glass with advanced cooking technology. The dual rings on the left side of the hob offers an inner flame that doubles to ensure even heat distribution, which in turn increases cooking time. It also comes with an easy-to-read power level indicator, which assists in regulating the exact temperature of your flame. You can select from nine preset settings, such as the highest setting for sear steaks and a lower one for scrambled eggs.
The simple and intuitive controls were loved by our test subjects who found them to be very simple to use. Some minor issues are the fact that you have to physically press the controls nine times before you can reach the highest level of heating, and that it can be difficult to determine the status of the burners through the glass.
This Neff model is one of the top gas-on-glass hobs that are that are available at a low cost. It's not going to win any design prizes, but it will do the job and can be an excellent addition to your kitchen at just over 120 pounds.
Electric hobs
There are a number of electric hobs that work for modern households. They are not only sleek and stylish, they are they are also safer, faster and more efficient than their predecessors.
One of the most popular electric hobs is the ceramic glass hob. They are designed with sleek glazed finishes, and feature a surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratches. They're also typically equipped with a power boost function that allows you to increase the temperature of your stove for a short period of time.
Induction hobs are another electric hob perfect for modern homes. In contrast to traditional electric and gas plate hobs, induction hobs use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. This means that they are more energy efficient and offer precise temperature control. However they require a particular type of pan to work with them and can be costly to install.
A gas on glass hob is another option that is a good option for modern homes. It has a burner underneath an unidirectional glass layer similar to a conventional gas stove. The glass is heatproof and shatterproof, which makes it easier to clean than glass that is tempered. A lot of these hobs have a 'hot surface indicator' that warns you when the hob is hot.
Gas hobs remain a preferred choice for many home chefs however they can be noisy and hard to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and take a long time to heat up and cool off. Electric hobs, on the other hand are more efficient in energy and easier to clean.
There are even electric stoves that work with LPG gas. You can switch between various fuels, allowing you the flexibility to fit your lifestyle. But, it's important to keep in mind that these hobs need to be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and require a dedicated 6mm cable in your kitchen. They're also not suitable for people who have pacemakers, as the electromagnetic field could interfere with them.
Induction hobs
Copper coils create an alternating electric current under the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction compatible pan is placed on the hob the coils produce magnetic fields which directly heat the pan instead of heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from a energy standpoint since there's no heat being wasted.
There are a myriad of models of induction hobs, from basic entry level models that have only one cooking zone with rings to more advanced multi-zoned induction hobs with up to six zones, allowing you to cook multiple pots at once on a flex zone. Certain models come with a touch-slider control that looks very similar to the way you operate on an 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 have preset settings that are specific to recipes or food types which can help you save time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more energy efficient in the long term. They are more efficient in heating and have a smaller heating space which could reduce the cost of energy. They also cool quicker and feature a safer design with no hot plates, making them perfect for families with young children or elderly persons living in the home. However, they can create magnetic fields that can cause interference with 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 you'll need to keep your electric hob clean, as food and debris can accumulate over time. You can use a standard oven cleaner or invest in a professional one to keep your oven in good condition and here shining for longer. Avoid using the abrasive cleaning products or the a scouring pad on your stove as they may scratch the surface.