Types of Hobs

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

Induction hobs have a flat ceramic cooking surface and have five or four zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are elegant and fashionable, and they are easy to clean.

Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern and sleek appearance. They feature a flat glass-ceramic surface that is easy to clean, which means spills and splatters can be quickly wiped away. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient which helps reduce your energy bills. Ceramic hobs aren't always fast when changing temperature settings. This can be a problem when you have to cook something that requires a quick reduction or an increase in the heat.

Electric hobs are made up of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. They can be controlled individually with rotary knobs, and then tacked up to the power level you require. You can use the Boost feature to boost the temperature of a specific area. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, and even after they have been turned off, they'll be hot to the touch. It's important to install ceramic hobs in an area that is far from flammable items and out of reach of children.

This kind of hob can be used on a variety of worktops including laminate, solid hardwood and granite. It's also reasonably priced and can be a great alternative if you're looking to replace your previous hobs without spending too much money. But, as with all appliances, they need to be properly installed and connected to the mains, and we recommend hiring an electrician professional to ensure your new hobs are safe for use.

The drawback of this kind of hob is that it's sensitive to the size of the pan as well as its shape. You'll need to buy cookware that either matches the element exactly or is able to fit comfortably into each of the heating zones. If the cookware isn't the same dimensions as the element, it won't recognise it and won't be able to heat the bottom of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent results in cooking and makes the hob less energy efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Glass hobs with gas are sleek and contemporary in look. While they cost more than electric models and 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 a great choice for cooks who want to limit the amount of heat is produced. However, it should be observed that a glass-based hob is more susceptible to damage than stainless steel models and may need to be cleaned more often, as the accumulation of grease and residue tends to stay on the surface rather than slide off.

This Bertazzoni hob is a great example of gas on glass. It has four monobloc burners that are matte black, with control knobs made of metal to create a sleek, elegant finish. The wok ring has a power of 4kW to allow for more versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher-proof.

This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It combines a fashionable piece of toughened glass and modern cooking technology. The dual ring design at the left side of the gas hob features two burners inside to increase the distribution of heat and accelerate cooking. It also has a handy power indicator that lets you control the precise temperature of the flame. You can select from nine preset settings, including a high setting for searing steaks and an option for scrambled eggs.

Our test subjects also appreciated the controls because they were simple and easy to use. Some minor drawbacks are that you must press the controls a further nine times before reaching the maximum heating level and that the glass can make it difficult to see what the burners are doing.

This Neff model is among the top gas-on glass hobs that you can buy at a reasonable price. It's not likely to win any design awards however it's going to serve its purpose and be an excellent option for your kitchen at just above 120 pounds.

Electric Hobs oven

There are many electric hobs that work for modern homes. Not only do they have a sleek design that fits into the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functionality that is safer, faster and more energy-efficient than their predecessors.

Ceramic glass hobs are among the most well-known electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek glossy finish and an easy-to-clean surface that is resistant to smudges or scratches. These hobs also come with a power booster function which allows you to boost the heat for a brief time.

Induction hobs are a different electric hob perfect for modern homes. Induction hobs heat cookware directly with electromagnetic fields unlike traditional electric plates and gas stoves. This means that they are more energy efficient and offer precise temperature control. They require a specific kind of pan and can be costly to set up.

A gas-on-glass hob is a different option that is a good choice for modern homes. Similar to a conventional gas hob, it has the burner underneath a layer of flat glass. This glass is heatproof ovens and hobs uk shatterproof, making it easier to clean than tempered glass. A lot of these hobs have a "hot surface indicator" that alerts you to the temperature.

While gas hobs remain an option for many home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They can take a long time to heat up and cool down, and their flame can be difficult to manage. On the other hand electric hobs are efficient in energy use and easier to clean.

To achieve the highest level of modern technology, you can even find electric hobs that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between a variety of fuels, allowing you the flexibility to meet your needs. It's important to remember that these hobs must be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and require a 6mm cable for your kitchen. They're also not suitable for those with pacemakers, as the electromagnetic field may interfere with them.

Induction hobs

Copper coils conduct an electric current that is alternating beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on the hob, the coils generate magnetic fields that heat the pan directly instead of heating the surface of the worktop or heated plate. Induction hobs are extremely energy efficient, as they don't use any heat.

There are a myriad of models of induction hobs that range from basic ones that have only one cooking zone marked by rings to more advanced multi-zoned hobs that can have up to six zones and allow you to cook multiple pots simultaneously on one flex zone. Some of these models come with an adjustable slider control similar to the iPhone. Simply swipe your finger across the power bar located in the middle to choose the desired heat level left to right increases heat and right to left reduces it. Some models even have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food items that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.

Induction hobs can be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are believed to be more energy efficient in the long run as they heat up much quicker and have a smaller area to heat up, which can help reduce your energy bills. They cool quicker, and they have a safer design without hot plates. This makes them perfect for families that have elderly or children. However, they do produce magnetic fields that could cause interference with medical devices, such as 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 have to clean your induction hob frequently, since food particles and other debris can build up over time. You can use an oven cleaner, or you can invest in a specialist product to keep your hob clean and in good shape for a longer time. You should never use the abrasive cleaning products or the a scouring pad on your stove as they may scratch the surface.