Types of Hob and Oven

A hob and oven is an essential part of many kitchens, and comes in a variety of styles. You can mix different types of ovens, such as electric and gas to meet your needs.

A hob could also be equipped with safety features such as child and control of the position. These are designed to prevent children from touching the hob and stop them from changing the heat settings in error.

Types

In the heart of every kitchen, the stove is at the center of the room and plays a major role in the way your food comes out. However, there are a variety of kinds of hobs, and the one you pick will depend on what your specific cooking needs are.

Gas hobs are the classic choice and offer a fast heating process and instant reaction to temperature changes. They are a favorite choice for professional chefs as they are precise in their control. They are not as easy to clean as other stoves and could require more care.

Electric hobs are flat ceramic surface with heated elements beneath. They can come in different sizes that have between four and six cooking zones. Each zone includes its own heating element which can be controlled separately by you. You can boil potatoes in one ring and cook sausages on another. This kind of hob can be quicker to heat than gas and provides a child-safe alternative as the cooking zone only becomes hot when you put a pan on it.

Traditional ceramic hobs are a very convenient alternative to electric and gas and are also a elegant choice. They have an extremely smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However they aren't as quick to react to temperature fluctuations or cool down as other hobs.

The Domino hob is a space-saving option to electric and gas hobs. It has ovens hobs underneath the cooking surface. They can be incorporated into smaller kitchens that have little space for installation and work well in kitchenettes and flats. They are usually less expensive than standard hobs and can be energy efficient, but they are also prone to breaking and require more maintenance.

Gas

Gas hobs are cooktops that have burners that can easily be integrated into kitchen countertops to give a seamless appearance. They are typically used with natural or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) however they can be powered by propane gas. The sleek, modern design could bring sophistication to your cooking space that is modular.

A traditional gas stove is equipped with a number of burners. Usually there are four burners, however it can be up to six. The flames are ignited using an igniter or by turning the knob. The flames can then be controlled by the valves that can be adjusted in the temperature.

In contrast, most modern built-in gas hobs have multi-flame burners that let you manage the outer and inner rings of each burner to control your cooking. These kinds of burners provide faster heat up times and are more reliable than traditional ones.

Traditionally, it was necessary to keep a gas burner lit continuously to ensure that the burners were constantly fueled and hot. This was a safety feature to avoid accidents like not turning off the oven even though the stove was lit by a match or the pilot flame. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind and have a built-in flame failure device that shuts down the burners automatically should the pilot light fail.

Gas stoves and hobs must be inspected, cleaned and maintained regularly. The best way to do this is to schedule an appointment with a certified Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only make sure that your appliance is functioning properly, but they will also provide expert advice on how you can prevent any future issues.

Electric

A good hob is just as important when it comes to making the perfect kitchen. Worktops, refrigerators, freezers and ovens are always the first items that come to mind. The kind of hob you select will influence the way your kitchen works and how easy it is to clean.

Electric hobs are powered by heating elements that are placed on the glass surface, which is typically cleaned with an non-abrasive cleaner. These elements are activated when you switch on the hob and can be adjusted to different power levels by turning a knob. They can take a little longer to warm up than a gas cooker, but once they have done so, they tend to offer more constant temperature control. They are equipped with indicators that tell you whether a particular area is hot or not.

Typically, these come in a range of four to six sizes that can be cranked up to different power levels. They are great for cookware that is flat, but aren't the best choice for cast iron pans since they can overheat. Certain models (such as Belling BELCH602T) have dual-ring designs which allow you to cook sausages and boil water in the same ring. Some models even come with a 'boost' feature which concentrates high-powered heat onto a single ring for stir fry cooking sauteing meat, or boiling large pots of water.

Induction hobs differ from normal electric hobs in that they utilize electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware instead of the traditional method of gas flames. They can achieve precise temperatures faster and are more energy efficient. They also have a cool to the touch surface and flashing heat indicators to inform you that the ring is either in use or is still hot.

Ceramic

Ceramics can be used to make functional or decorative objects. It is made by mixing earthen elements, clay powders, water and other elements to an exact shape, and then fired in a very high-temperature oven hob called a kiln. Once it's made it can be painted or covered with decorative materials to give it texture and colour.

Ceramic hobs are an exquisite combination of form and function that can be easily integrated into any modern kitchen. They work by using radiant heating technology, which passes an electric current through coiled components hidden beneath the black glass surface of the hob. When activated, they generate heat, which is then transferred to your pan by an infrared system. You can alter the intensity of the heating by adjusting the controls via knobs or a touch.

Certain ceramic hobs have dual-ring designs, having one smaller and a larger cooking area, allowing you to choose the most suitable size for your pan. You can also find hobs with booster burners that produce high-powered heat quickly perfect for searing food or bringing pots of water to a boil in a short time.

As compared to other types of hobs ceramic cooktops take a little longer to heat up and change temperature however, once they're done they're typically more efficient in terms of energy consumption. There are vented hobs that incorporate a ventilation system within the ceramic cooktop, ensuring smoke, steam and cooking smells don't stay within your home.

Induction

Induction hobs contain heating elements that are made up of copper wire coils. The coils create electromagnets that heat the pans placed on the top of them. The coils stir up the free electrons within the base metal of your pan which then transfer heat evenly to your food. The surface of the hob is never hot, and the cooking zones are automatically turned off as soon as your pan is removed.

Induction hobs tend to be more expensive, however they also are more efficient in heating and consume 30 to 70% less energy than gas or other kinds. Induction hobs are also simpler to clean since only the interior of the pan heat up but not the surface.

Certain manufacturers offer a specific induction model with extra features such as a pause feature that cuts off the power to your stove whenever you move away from it, or connect two cooking rings at the same time at the same power level for greater flexibility. These are often referred to as FlexInduction hobs and can be more expensive than traditional induction models but they're worth considering if you are a multi-tasker.

Our top pick is this induction hob from Smeg. It has four cooking zones that are large enough with a bridge function as well as nine power levels that give you plenty of choice for those who want to cook with a lot of passion. In our tests, it performed very well with precise control and rapid heating when making pancakes. The oven also has a built-in dishwasher and an automatic pan detection feature to make cleaning even simpler. There is a limited selection of compatible pans it isn't used to cook using appliances that have a magnetic base. It can be a problem if have a large quantity of cookware that is not compatible or some of it is compatible with induction cooktops.