Types of Hobs

A hob (known as a stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans with flame or electricity. There are many different types of hobs. You can pick the one that best hob fits your kitchen and your style.

Induction hobs are equipped with a flat ceramic surface and 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 are easy to clean and can easily be cleaned if spills or splatters occur. They heat up quickly and are energy efficient which means they can cut down on your electricity bill. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they can be slow in changing temperature settings and can be a hassle if you're cooking something that requires a quick reduction or increase in heat.

Electric hobs use a solid plate that is heated by electric elements under. The power of each element can be adjusted individually through rotating knobs. You can also use the boost feature to increase the heat of a single zone. Ceramic hobs hold heat extremely well, so even after they are turned off, they will be hot to the touch. This could be a problem if you have children, so it's best ovens uk to only install them in an area that is well away from any flammable items and away from young children.

This kind of hob is able to be installed on a variety worktops including laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It's also reasonably priced and is an excellent option for those looking to replace your old hobs without spending a lot of money. However, just like any other appliance, they do need to be properly installed and connected to the mains power supply, so we suggest hiring a professional electrician to ensure that the new hobs are safe for use.

The drawback of this kind of hob is that it's sensitive to the size of the pan and shape. You'll need cookware that is either the exact size as the element, or that will fit comfortably inside each of the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware is not the same dimensions as the element, the element won't recognise it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This could result in uneven cooking and make the stove less efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Glass hobs made of gas are sleek and contemporary in design. They can be more expensive than electric models and require professional installation. However they heat up faster - a full pot of water can typically boil within less than four minutes. This kind of hob is a great choice for cooks who want to limit the amount of heat is produced. However, it must be not forgotten that a glass hob is more susceptible to damage than stainless steel ones and may need to be cleaned more frequently, as the build-up of grease Ovens And Hobs Uk residue tends to stick rather than slide off.

A fantastic example of a glass-on-gas model is this Bertazzoni hob, which has four matt black monobloc burners that have precise metal control knobs for a an elegant and sophisticated appearance. The wok ring is 4kW for additional versatility, and the pan supports are dishwasher-safe.

This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It combines a fashionable piece of toughened glass with cutting-edge cooking technology. The dual ring design at the left of the gas hob has two burners inside to improve the distribution of heat and increase the speed of cooking. It also has an excellent power level indicator that allows you to control the exact temperature of your flame. You can select from nine preset settings, including the high setting for searing steaks and a low setting for scrambled eggs.

Our test subjects also appreciated the controls as they were easy to use and intuitive. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you have to press the controls a further nine times to reach the maximum heating level and that the glass can make it difficult to discern the burners' actions.

A few of the top gas-on-glass hobs are available at an affordable price like this Neff model. While it's unlikely to be a winner of any design awards, it does the job well and is a fantastic addition to your kitchen at just PS120.

Electric hobs

There are a number of electric hobs that are ideal for modern households. They're not only sleek and stylish, they are they are also safer, faster and more efficient than their predecessors.

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

Induction hobs are another 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 offer precise temperature control. However they require a certain type of pan to work with them and can be costly to set up.

A gas on glass hob is a second option that's an excellent option for modern homes. It has a burner underneath a flat glass layer, similar to a standard gas stove. However it's heatproof and shatterproof, so it's easier to clean than standard tempered glass. A majority of these hobs include a 'hot-surface indicator', which informs you when the oven is hot.

Gas hobs remain a popular option for many home cooks however they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can be difficult to control and take an extended time to get hot and cool off. Electric hobs on the other hand, are more efficient in energy use and easier to clean.

You can even find electric stoves that work with LPG gas. This lets you switch between different fuel sources, so you'll be able to adapt to your lifestyle. It is important to remember that these hobs require installation by an accredited gas safe engineer. They also require an appropriate cable of 6mm for your kitchen. These hobs are not suitable for those who have pacemakers because 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 is alternating. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on the hob the coils produce magnetic fields which direct heat the pan, rather than heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. Induction hobs are extremely efficient from a energy standpoint because there's no leftover heat that is wasted.

There are a myriad of models of induction stoves, starting with the basic models with a single zone labelled by rings, to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction stoves that can have up to 6 zones that allow multiple pots to cook simultaneously on one flex area. Certain models come with a touch slider control that resembles to the way you operate on an iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by swiping your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Some models have preset settings that are specific to food types or recipes which can help you save time in the kitchen.

Induction hobs tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are thought to be more efficient in the long run since they heat up faster and have a smaller area to heat up which could help you save on energy bills. They cool down faster and are more secure without hot plates. This makes them ideal for families that have children or elderly people. However, they do produce a magnetic force that could interfere with certain medical devices, such as pacemakers. It is therefore crucial to center pans and avoid using smaller pans on bigger burners.

As with all electric hobs, you'll have to keep your induction hob clean regularly as food and debris can build up over time. You can either make use of a basic oven hob cleaning product or invest in a specialist one to keep your hob in good condition and shiny for a longer time. Make sure you don't use scrubbers or pads for scouring on your induction cooker as they can scratch the surface.