Types of Hobs

A hob, also known as stovetops in North America, is a cooking device that heats pans using electric power or flames. There are a variety of hobs. You can choose the one that best ovens and hobs uk suits your kitchen and style.

Induction hobs come with a flat ceramic cooking surface and have five or four zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs look sleek and elegant and are easy to clean.

Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs have an elegant and contemporary look which can greatly enhance the overall appearance of your kitchen. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces can be easy to clean and can easily be wiped down when spills or splatters happen. They also heat up very quickly and are energy efficient and can help lower your electric bill. Ceramic hobs can be slow when changing the temperature settings. This can be a problem when you are cooking something that requires quick reduction or increase of temperature.

Electric hobs are comprised of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. The elements can be controlled individually using rotary knobs and notched up to the power level you require. You can also use the 'boost' feature in order to increase the temperature of a single area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, so even after they are turned off, Hobs Oven they'll be hot to the touch. This can be a problem for families with children, so it's advisable to only install them in a location that is well away from flammable objects and out of reach of little ones.

This type of hob can be mounted on a variety of worktops such as laminate, solid hardwood and granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and is a great alternative if you are looking to replace your stove without spending a lot. But, as with all appliances, they must be installed correctly and connected to the mains power supply, so we recommend hiring an electrician professional to ensure that your new hobs are safe for use.

The drawback of this kind of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to the size of the pan and shape. You will need to purchase cookware that matches the element exactly or is able to fit comfortably into each of the heating zones. If the cookware isn't the same size as the element, it won't recognise it and won't be able to heat the bottom of the pan. This can lead to uneven results in cooking and makes the stove less efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Gas on glass hobs are sleek and contemporary in appearance. While they can cost more than electric models and may require professional installation, they often take less time to heat up - it's not unusual for a full pan of water to come to a boil in four minutes or less. This type of hob is also a great option for cooks who like to limit the amount of heat being generated. However, it must be observed that a glass-based hob is more prone to damage than stainless steel models and may need to be cleaned more often, as grease and residue build up tends to remain instead of slipping off.

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

This Bosch gas hob is another highly recommended model. It combines a stylish piece of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left side of the gas hob provides two burners inside to improve the distribution of heat and increase the speed of cooking. It also comes with a handy power level indicator, which allows you to control the exact temperature of your flame. You can select from nine pre-defined settings including the highest setting for searing steaks and the low setting for scrambled eggs.

Its simple yet intuitive controls were also well appreciated by our testers who found them to be very easy to use. Some minor drawbacks are that you need to press the controls nine more times before reaching the maximum temperature and the glass can make it difficult to discern the burners' actions.

Some of the best hobs uk gas-on-glass hobs are available for an affordable price, such as this Neff model. It's not likely to win any design awards, but it will perform the task and be a fantastic addition to your kitchen at just above 120 dollars.

Electric hobs

Electric hobs are a great choice for modern homes. They not only offer an elegant design that fits in with the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functionality that is safer, faster and more efficient in energy use than their predecessors.

Ceramic glass hobs are among the most popular electric stoves. These hobs have sleek glazed finishes, and have a surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratches. They're also often equipped with a power boost function, which allows you to increase the heat of your hob for a short amount of time.

Another electric hob that is ideal for modern homes is an induction hob and oven. Induction hobs heat your cookware directly with electromagnetic fields unlike traditional gas and electric plates. They are therefore more energy-efficient and offer precise temperature control. They require a particular kind of pan and can be costly to install.

A gas-on-glass hob is another option that's a great choice for modern homes. It is equipped with a burner under 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 oven (More Support) are equipped with an "hot surface indicator" that warns you of the heat.

Gas hobs remain a preferred choice for many home chefs however they can be noisy and hard to clean. The flame can be difficult to control and take an extended time to heat up and cool off. Electric hobs, on other side are more energy efficient and are easier to clean.

For the highest level of modern efficiency You can also find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between a variety of fuels, giving you the flexibility you need to adapt to your lifestyle. However, it's important to remember that these hobs need to be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and require a 6mm cable in your kitchen. They are also not suitable for people with pacemakers because the electromagnetic field could cause interference with them.

Hobs with induction

Beneath the glass surface of induction hobs sit copper coils that run an electrical current that is alternating. When an induction-compatible plate is placed on the hob the coils produce magnetic fields which direct heat the pan, instead of heating the surface of the worktop or a heated plate. This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from an energy perspective because there's no leftover heat that is wasted.

There are many different models of induction hobs starting from basic models that have only one cooking zone with rings to more advanced multi-zoned induction hobs that can have up to six zones and allow the cooking of multiple pots simultaneously in one Flex zone. Some of these models have an adjustable slider control similar to the iPhone. You can choose the desired temperature by moving your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Certain models have preset settings for certain food types or recipes which can help you save time in the kitchen.

Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are also more energy efficient in the long term. They heat up faster and have a smaller heating area which can lower your energy costs. They also cool faster and have a more secure design with no hot plates, making them ideal for families with children or elderly people living in the home. They do, however, produce magnetic forces that can affect certain medical devices such as pacemakers. It is therefore crucial to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans on larger burners.

Like all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your electric hob clean since food particles and other debris can accumulate over time. You can either use a standard oven cleaner or purchase a specialist one to keep your oven in good condition and shining for a longer time. Make sure you don't use the abrasive cleaning pads or scouring pads on your induction cooker as they can scratch the surface.