Types of Hobs
A hob, which is also known as stovetop in North America, is a cooking device that heats pans with electric or flames. There are a variety of hobs. You can pick the one that best suits your kitchen and your style.
Induction hobs come with flat cooking surfaces made of ceramic and come with five or four zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and stylish, and easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs offer modern and sleek design which can greatly enhance the overall appearance of your kitchen. They have a flat glass-ceramic surface that is easy to clean, which means spills and splatters are quickly wiped away. They are quick to heat up and are energy efficient which means they can cut down on your electricity bill. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they tend to be slow to adjust the temperature, which can be frustrating when cooking food that requires immediate reduction or increase in heat.
Electric hobs are made up of a solid, textured surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The elements can be individually controlled with rotary knobs, and then tacked up to the power level you require. You can even use the 'boost' feature in order to increase the heat of a single zone. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, so even when they are turned off, they will be hot to the touch. It's important to install ceramic hobs in a location that is safe from items that could ignite and out of reach of children.
This type of hob can be mounted on a variety of worktops such as laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It's also reasonably priced and can be a great alternative if you're trying to replace your old hobs without spending too much money. As with all appliances, they need to be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure that your new hobs will be safe to use.
A downside of this type of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to the size of the pan and shape. You'll need cookware that is either the exact size as the element, or that is able to fit in the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware isn't the same size as the element, it won't recognize it and won't heat the bottom of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent cooking results and will make the hob less energy efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs made of gas have a sleek and modern design. While they be more expensive than electric models and may require professional installation, they usually take less time to heat up - it's not uncommon for a full pan of water to be boiling in four minutes or less. This type of hob also is a great choice for cooks who need to control how much heat is produced. However, it must be noted that a glass hob is more prone to damage than stainless steel ones and will require cleaning more often, as grease and residue build up tends to remain rather than slide off.
This Bertazzoni hob is a great example of gas on glass. It comes with four monobloc burners finished in matt black, with control knobs made of metal for a stylish, sophisticated appearance. It also has a 4kW wok ring for added versatility, plus pan supports that are dishwasher-safe and easier to keep clean.
This Bosch gas hob is another highly recommended model. It combines a fashionable piece of toughened glass and cutting-edge cooking technology. The dual rings that are located on the left side of the hob offers an inner flame that doubles to improve even heat distribution and accelerates cooking time. It also comes with a handy power indicator that allows you to regulate the precise temperature of the flame. You can choose from nine pre-defined settings, including the highest setting for searing a steak and the low setting for scrambled eggs.
Our test subjects also appreciated the controls, as they were simple and intuitive. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you must press the controls nine more times to reach the maximum heating level, and that the glass can make it difficult to see the burners' actions.
A few of the top gas-on-glass hobs are available at affordable prices, such as this Neff model. It's not going win any design prizes, but it will perform the task and be an excellent addition to your kitchen at just over PS120.
Electric hobs
There are many electric hobs that are ideal for modern households. They're not only elegant and stylish, but they are also more efficient, safer, and more energy efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most well-known electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek glazed finish and feature an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges or scratches. These hobs also come with a power booster function which allows you to boost your heat for a short duration.
Induction hobs are yet another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes. As opposed to traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs utilize electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. This means they are more energy efficient and provide precise temperature control. However they require a certain type of pan to work 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 the glass, which is flat, similar to a conventional gas stove. The glass is heatproof as well as shatterproof, which makes it easier to clean than tempering glass. Many of these hobs have a "hot surface indicator" which alerts you to the temperature.
Gas hobs remain a popular choice for many home chefs However, they can be noisy and hard to clean. They also take a while to warm up and cool down and their flame can be difficult to control. Electric hobs, on other hand, are more efficient in energy use and easier to clean.
For the highest level of modern efficiency You can also find electric hobs compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between different fuels, giving you the flexibility needed to adapt to your lifestyle. However, it's important to remember that these hobs need to be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and require a specific 6mm cable for your kitchen. These hobs are not suitable for those who have pacemakers because the electromagnetic field may interfere with them.
Induction hobs
Under the glass surface of induction hobs sit copper coils which run an alternating electrical current. When an induction-compatible plate is placed on the hob, the coils create magnetic fields that directly heat the pan rather than heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from a energy perspective because there's no leftover heat that is wasted.
There are many models of induction stoves from the basic ones with a single zone identified by rings to more advanced multi zoned induction stoves with up to six zones and allow for multiple pots to be cooked in one flex space. Some of these models have a touch slider control that is very similar to how you operate an iPhone. Simply slide ovens hobs across the power bar located in the middle to choose the desired level of heat left to right increases the heat and right to left reduces it. Certain models have preset settings for specific recipes or food types, which can save time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more energy efficient over the long term. They heat up faster and have a smaller heating area which can lower your energy bills. They cool quicker and also are more secure without hot plates. This makes them perfect for families with children or elderly residents. However, they do create magnetic forces that can interfere with certain medical devices such as pacemakers. It is therefore essential to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans on bigger burners.
Like all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your induction hob clean since food particles and other debris can accumulate over time. You can either make use of a basic oven cleaning product or purchase a specialist one to keep your oven in good shape and shiny for longer. Just be sure to never use scrubbers or scouring pads on your induction hob since they could scratch the surface.