Types of Hobs

A hob, also known as stovetop in North America, is a cooking device that heats pans using electric or flames. There are many different types of hobs. You can pick the one that best fits your kitchen and 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 elegant and are easy to clean.

Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs have a sleek and modern look which can greatly improve the overall look of your kitchen. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces are easy to clean and can easily be wiped down if spills or splatters occur. They also heat up very quickly and are energy efficient, which can help to reduce your energy bills. However, one downside of ceramic hobs is that they tend to be slow in changing temperatures which can be a problem when cooking something that requires an instant reduction or increase in temperature.

Electric hobs are made of plates that are heated by electric elements under. They can be individually controlled with rotary knobs, and then tacked up to the power level you require. You can even use the boost feature to boost the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs hold heat extremely well, so even when they've been shut off, they will still be hot to the touch. This could be a problem if you have children, so it's best to place them in a location that is well away from objects that are flammable and not within reach of children.

The benefit of this kind of hob is that it can be set up in a variety of worktops, including laminate and solid wood as well as granite. It's also reasonably priced and can be a great option for those trying to replace your old hobs without spending a lot of money. Like all appliances, they need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure your new hobs are safe to use.

The downside to this kind of hob is that it's very sensitive to the size of the pan and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that's either the exact size as the element, or that is able to fit in each of the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware doesn't fit the element, it will not recognise it and will not begin to heat up the base of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent results in cooking and makes the hob less efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Glass hobs made of gas are sleek and contemporary in appearance. They can be more expensive than electric models, and could require professional installation. However, they heat up faster and an entire pot of water can typically boil in less than four minutes. This kind of stove is also a great choice for cooks who want to control the amount of heat generated. Glass hobs are more vulnerable to damage and require frequent cleaning as they tend to build up grease and sludge.

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

Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob that combines a stylish slab of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design to the left of the gas hob features a double inner burner to increase the distribution of heat and increase the speed of cooking. It also comes with an easy-to-read power indicator that helps you to control the exact temperature of the flame. You can select from nine pre-defined settings, including the highest setting for searing steaks and an option for scrambled eggs.

Our test subjects also appreciated the controls as they were easy to use and intuitive. Some minor drawbacks are that you need to press the controls a further nine times to reach the highest temperature and the glass can make it difficult to discern what the burners are doing.

Some of the best hob gas-on-glass hobs can be found at an affordable price like this Neff model. While it's not going to be a winner of any design awards however, it serves the purpose well and can be an excellent addition to your kitchen for just over 120 dollars.

Electric hobs

Electric hobs are a great choice for modern homes. Not only do they have an elegant design that fits into the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functions that are safer, quicker and more efficient than their predecessors in terms of energy consumption.

One of the most sought-after electric hobs is a ceramic hob. These hobs are designed with 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. In contrast to traditional electric and gas plate hobs that use electromagnetic fields to directly heat 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 expensive to set up.

Glass hobs with gas are a great alternative for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it features the burner underneath an underlying layer of flat glass. The glass is heatproof and shatterproof, making it easier to clean than tempering glass. Many of these hobs also have a 'hot surface indicator' that warns you when the oven hob is hot.

Gas hobs are a popular choice for many home chefs However, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and can take an extended time to get hot and cool off. However, electric hobs are more efficient in energy use and easier to clean.

To achieve the highest level of modern technology, you can even find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between various fuels, allowing you the flexibility needed to meet your needs. However, it's important to keep in mind that these hobs need to be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and will require a 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. They're also not suitable for people who have pacemakers as the electromagnetic field may cause interference oven with hob them.

Induction hobs

Beneath the glass surface of induction hobs sit copper coils which run an electrical current that varies. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on a hob, the coils create magnetic fields that create heat directly within the pan instead of heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or the heated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from a energy perspective since there's no heat that is wasted.

There are a variety of models of induction hobs, from basic entry level ones that have a single cooking zone marked by rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs that can have up to six zones and allow the cooking of multiple pots simultaneously on one flexible zone. Some of these models feature the ability to control the temperature using a slider that's similar to the iPhone. Simply swipe your finger over the power bar located in the middle to choose the desired level of heat left to right boosts heat and right to left decreases it. Some models have pre-programmed settings for certain recipes or food types which can save you time and effort in the kitchen.

Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more energy efficient over the long run. They heat up faster and have a smaller area for heating which can reduce your energy costs. They also cool quicker and feature a safer design with no hot plates, which makes them perfect for families with young children or elderly persons living in the home. However, they do generate a magnetic force that could interfere with certain medical devices such as pacemakers. It is therefore important to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans with larger burners.

Like all electric hobs, you'll have to keep your induction hob clean as food and debris can accumulate over time. You can make use of a basic oven cleaning product or invest in a specialist one to keep your oven with hob in good shape and shiny for longer. Be sure to not use the abrasive cleaning pads or scouring pads on your induction cooker as they could scratch the surface.