Types of Hobs
A hob, also referred to as stovetop in North America, is a cooking appliance that heats pans with flames or electricity. There are many different types of hobs. You can choose the one that best suits your kitchen and your style.
Induction hobs have a flat ceramic surface and a range of four or five zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and stylish, and easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern and sleek appearance. They have a flat glass-ceramic surface that's easy to clean, meaning spills and splatters can be quickly cleaned. They are fast to heat up and are energy efficient and can lower your electricity bill. Ceramic hobs can be slow when changing the temperature settings. This can be a hassle when you are cooking something that requires a quick decrease or an increase in temperature.
Electric hobs are made up of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. They can be controlled separately with rotary knobs, and then tacked to the power level you require. You can also use the 'boost' feature to boost the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, so even after they have been turned off, they will be hot to the touch. This can be a challenge when you have children, so it's best to install them in a place that is away from objects that are flammable and out of reach of little ones.
The benefit of this kind of hob is that it can be installed on a variety of worktops such as laminate, solid wood and granite. It's also reasonably priced and is an excellent option for those looking to replace your previous hobs, but without spending a lot of money. As with all appliances, they must be installed correctly and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure the new hobs are safe to use.
This type of hob is sensitive to pan shapes and sizes. You will need to purchase cookware that either matches the element precisely or fits comfortably in each of the heating zones. If the cookware doesn't fit the element, it will not recognise it and will not begin to heat up the base of the pan. This can lead to uneven results in cooking and makes the hob less energy efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs made of gas are sleek and contemporary in appearance. Although they may be more expensive than electric models and may require professional installation, they often take less time to heat up. It's not uncommon for a complete pan of water to be boiling in four minutes or less. This kind of hob is also a great choice for cooks who want to control the amount of heat being generated. Glass hobs are more prone to damage and require more frequent cleaning since they tend to accumulate grease and sludge.
This Bertazzoni hob is an excellent example of gas on glass. It features four monobloc burners finished in matt black, with control knobs made of metal to give it a chic, sophisticated appearance. It also includes a 4kW wok ring for added versatility, plus dishwasher-proof pan supports that are easy to clean.
This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It is a sleek piece of toughened glass and modern cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left of the hob offers an inner flame that doubles to improve even heat distribution, which in turn speeds up cooking times. It also features a handy power level indicator that assists in regulating the precise temperature of your flame. You can choose between nine preset settings, such as a high setting to sear steaks and a low one for scrambled eggs.
Its simple yet intuitive controls were also well liked 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 temperature and the glass can make it difficult to discern what the burners are doing.
This Neff model is among the top gas-on-glass hobs that are available at an affordable price. It's not likely to win any design prizes, but it will perform the task and be a fantastic option for your kitchen at just over 120 pounds.
Electric hobs
There are a number of electric hobs that are ideal for modern homes. They're not just sleek and stylish, they are they are also more efficient, safer and more efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most sought-after electric stoves. They're designed with a sleek, polished, glazed finish. They also have an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges and scratches. They also come with a power booster feature that lets you increase your heat for a short 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 cookware. They are therefore more energy-efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. However they require a particular kind of pan to function and are costly to set up.
Glass hobs with gas are a great alternative for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it features the burner underneath the glass is a flat layer. This glass is heatproof and shatterproof, which makes it easier to clean than tempering glass. A lot of these hobs have an "hot surface indicator" that warns you of the heat.
While gas hobs remain a popular option for many home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and can take some time to heat up and cool off. Electric hobs, on the other hand are more efficient in energy use and are easier to clean.
To achieve the highest level of modern efficiency You can even find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between different fuels, giving you the flexibility you need to adapt to your lifestyle. It's important to keep in mind that these stoves must be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and require a specific 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. oven hob ovensandhobs are not suitable for people with pacemakers as the electromagnetic field can cause interference with them.
Induction hobs
On the glass surface of the induction hobs, there are copper coils that generate an electrical current that is alternating. When an induction-compatible dish is placed on a stove, the coils create magnetic fields that create heat directly in the pan instead of heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or an insulated plate (electric). Induction hobs are extremely efficient in terms of energy efficiency, since they don't use any heat.
There are many different models of induction hob, from basic entry level ones that have only one cooking zone with rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs that can have up to six zones and allow the cooking of multiple pots at once on a flexible zone. Some of these premium models have a touch slider control that is very similar to how you operate on an iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by sliding your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Some models have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food types that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs can be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are considered to be more energy efficient in the long run since they heat up faster and have a smaller area 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 with children or elderly people. However, they do produce a magnetic field which could affect medical devices like pacemakers so it's important to center your pans on the burner and avoid placing small pans on large burners.
As with all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your induction hob clean regularly as food and debris can accumulate over time. You can use an oven cleaner, or you can opt for a specialist product to help keep your hob sparkling and in good order for longer. Avoid using abrasive cleaning products or a scouring pad on your stove, as they can scratch the surface.