Types of Hobs
A hob (known as a stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans by using electricity or flames. There are many different kinds of hobs, and you can pick one that suits your style and kitchen.
Induction hobs come with flat cooking surfaces made of ceramic and come with four or five zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are elegant and fashionable, and they are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs provide a sleek and modern look which can greatly enhance the overall appearance of your kitchen. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces are easy to clean and are able to be cleaned up when spills or splatters happen. They heat up quickly and are energy-efficient which means they can cut down on your electric bill. Ceramic hobs can be slow in changing temperature settings. This can be frustrating when you are cooking something that requires a rapid decrease or an increase in the heat.
Electric hobs use an uncooked plate that is heated by electric elements under. The power of each element can be individually adjusted by rotary knobs. You can utilize the Boost feature to increase the temperature of a particular area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, and even after they are turned off, they will be hot to the touch. This can be a problem when you have children, so it's recommended to place them in a location that is well away from flammable objects and away from young children.
The benefit of this kind of hob is that it can be set up on a variety of worktops, including laminate or solid wood, as well as granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and is a great option if you want to replace your stove without spending a lot. However, like all appliances they need to be properly installed and connected to the mains power supply, so we would recommend hiring an electrician who is experienced to ensure that your new hobs are safe for use.
This type of hob is sensitive to the pan's size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that either is exactly the same as the element or fits comfortably in each of the heating zones. If the cookware doesn't match the element, it will not recognise it and will not begin to heat up the base of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent cooking results and will make the hob less energy efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs with gas are a great choice for an elegant, modern look. They can be more expensive than electric models, and could require professional installation. However they are also more efficient in heating - an entire pot of water can typically boil in less than four minutes. This type of hob also works well for cooks who wish to control the amount of heat that is produced. However, it must be observed that a glass-based hob is more prone to damage than stainless steel models and may require cleaning more often, as grease and residue build up tends to stay on the surface instead of sliding off.
This Bertazzoni hob is a great example of gas on glass. It has four monobloc burners in matt black with metal control knobs to create a sleek, elegant appearance. The wok ring is 4kW for extra 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 cutting-edge cooking technology. The dual rings on the left side of the hob features the double inner flame to promote improvement in even heat distribution which speeds up cooking times. It also has an easy-to-read power indicator that lets you control the precise temperature of the flame. You can choose from nine preset settings, such as the highest setting for sear steaks and a low one for scrambled eggs.
Our test participants also liked the controls, as they were simple and intuitive. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you have to press the controls a further nine times before reaching the maximum heating level and that the glass can make it difficult to see the burners' actions.
Some of the best gas-on-glass hobs can be found at an affordable price like this Neff model. It's not going win any design prizes but it'll perform the task and be a fantastic addition to your kitchen for just over PS120.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are perfect for modern homes. They're not only sleek and stylish, they are also faster, safer and more efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most popular electric stoves. These hobs are designed with a sleek glazed finish, and feature an easy surface to clean and resistant to scratches. They're also typically equipped with a power boost function, which allows you to increase the temperature of your stove for a short period of time.
Another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes is an induction hob. Induction hobs heat your cookware directly by using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional electric plates and gas stoves. They are therefore more energy-efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. However they require a certain type of pan to work and can be expensive to set up.
A gas on glass hob is a second option that's a great option for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it features the burner underneath an underlying layer of flat glass. However it's heat-resistant and shatterproof, which means it's much easier to clean than the typical tempered glass. Many of these hobs are equipped with an "hot surface indicator" that warns you of the temperature.
While gas hobs are still an option that is popular with home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and can take an extended time to warm up and cool down. Electric hobs, on other hand are more efficient in energy use and easy to clean.
There are even electric stoves that can be used with LPG gas. You can switch between various fuels, giving you the flexibility to adapt to your lifestyle. But, it's important to remember that these hobs must be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and require a dedicated 6mm cable for your kitchen. These hobs are not suitable for people with pacemakers since the electromagnetic field could cause interference with them.
Hobs with induction
Copper coils create an alternating electric current beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pot is placed on a stove, the coils generate magnetic fields that produce heat directly inside the pan instead of heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or a heated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from a energy standpoint, as there's no residual heat that is wasted.
There are many models of induction stoves starting with the basic models with a single zone marked by rings, to more advanced multi-zoned induction stoves with up to six zones and allow multiple pots to be cooked simultaneously within a flex area. Certain models feature an adjustable slider control similar to the iPhone. You can choose the desired temperature by swiping your finger from left to right over the power bar in the middle. Certain models can even be programmed with settings for specific recipes or food types that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs do tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs, however they are thought to be more energy efficient over the long term because they heat up quicker and have a smaller area to heat up which could help reduce your energy bills. They also cool down quicker and feature a safer design that doesn't have hot plates, which makes them perfect for families with children or elderly people living in the house. However, they do produce magnetic fields that could interfere with some medical devices such as pacemakers therefore it is essential to center your pans on the burner and avoid using small pans on large burners.
Like all electric hobs, you'll need to clean your induction hob regularly, as food particles and other debris can build up over time. You can use an oven cleaner, or you can purchase a specialist cleaner to keep your hob clean and in good shape for a longer time. You should never use the abrasive cleaning products or the scratching pads on your induction stove since they could scratch the surface.