Types of Hobs

A hob, which is also known as a stovetop in North America, is a cooking device that heats pans with electric power or flames. There are a variety of hobs available, so you can choose one that suits your style and kitchen.

Induction hobs come with flat cooking surfaces made of ceramic and have five or four zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs look sleek and elegant and are easy to clean.

Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern, sleek look. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces can be easy to clean and can easily be cleaned up if spills or splatters occur. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient which helps reduce your energy bills. Ceramic hobs can be slow in changing the temperature settings. This can be frustrating when you are cooking something that requires quick decrease or an increase in the heat.

Electric hobs are made up of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be adjusted by rotary knobs. You can even utilize the boost feature to increase the temperature of a single area. Ceramic hobs also have a very high rate of heat retention, meaning they'll remain hot to the touch after being shut off. It's important to install ceramic hobs in a location that is safe from items that could ignite and away from children's reach.

The benefit of this type of hob is that it can be set up on a variety of worktops such as laminate and solid wood as well as granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and is a great option if you want to replace your old stoves without spending a lot. Like any appliance, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure your new hobs will be safe to use.

A downside of this type of hob and oven is that it's extremely sensitive to pan size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that's either the exact same dimensions as the element or that is able to fit in each heating zone on the hob. If the cookware isn't compatible the element, it won't recognize it and will not begin to heat the bottom of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent results in cooking and makes the stove less efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Gas on glass hobs have a sleek and modern appearance. While they can be more expensive than electric models and may require professional installation, they typically require less time to heat up - it's not uncommon for a full pan of water to come to a boil in four minutes or less. This type of stove works well for cooks who need to control how much heat is generated. Glass hobs are more vulnerable to damage and require more frequent cleaning since they tend to build up grease and sludge.

This Bertazzoni hob is a great example of gas on glass. It features four monobloc burners that are matte black, with control knobs made of metal for a stylish, sophisticated finish. It also comes with a 4kW wok ring for additional versatility, as well as dishwasher-proof pan supports that are easy to clean.

Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob, which combines the look of a sleek slab of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design at the left side of the gas hob provides an inner burner that doubles to increase the distribution of heat and increase the speed of cooking. It also comes with a handy power indicator that lets you control the exact temperature of the flame. You can choose between nine preset settings, such as the highest setting for sear steaks and a lower one for scrambled egg.

Its simple yet easy-to-use controls were also loved by our test subjects, who found them to be extremely easy to use. A few minor issues are that you must press the controls nine more times to reach the maximum heating level, and that the glass can make it difficult to discern the burners' actions.

This Neff model is among the top gas-on glass hobs that you can buy at a reasonable price. Although it's unlikely to win any design awards however, it serves the purpose well and can be a fantastic addition to your kitchen for just over 120 pounds.

Electric hobs

Electric hobs are perfect for modern homes. Not only do they offer a sleek design that fits in with the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functions that are safer, faster and more energy-efficient than their predecessors.

One of the most sought-after electric hobs is the ceramic glass hob. They're designed with a sleek, polished, glazed finish. They also have an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges or scratches. These hobs are also fitted with a power booster function that lets you increase the heat for a brief period of time.

Another electric hob that is suitable for modern homes is an induction hob. Induction hobs heat cookware directly by using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional gas and electric plates. They are therefore more energy-efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. However they require a particular kind of pan to work and are costly to install.

A gas-on-glass hob is another option that is a good choice for modern homes. It has a burner underneath the glass, which is flat, similar to a standard gas stove. However the glass is heat-resistant and shatterproof, which means it's much simpler to clean than glass that is tempered. A majority of these hobs include a 'hot-surface indicator', which informs you when the best oven uk is hot.

Gas hobs remain a preferred choice for many home chefs However, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They can take a long time to cool down and warm down and their flame can be hard to control. Electric hobs, on other side, are more energy efficient and easy to clean.

There are even electric stoves that are compatible LPG gas. You can switch between different fuels, allowing you the flexibility needed to adapt to your lifestyle. But, it's important to note that these hobs must be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and will require a 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. These hobs are also not suitable for those who have pacemakers since the electromagnetic field could interfere with them.

Hobs with induction

On the glass surface of induction hobs are copper coils which run an electrical current that is alternating. When an induction-compatible pot is placed on a stove, the coils produce magnetic fields that create heat directly in the pan, rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or a heated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs very efficient from a energy point of view, as there's no residual heat being wasted.

There are a myriad of models of induction stoves starting with the basic models with a single zone labelled by rings up to more advanced multi zoned induction stoves that have up to 6 zones that allow multiple pots to be cooked within a flex area. Some of these premium models come with a touch slider control that looks very similar to how you operate on an iPhone. Simply swipe your finger across the power bar in the middle to choose the desired heat level, left to right increases the heat and right to left reduces 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 tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are thought to be more efficient over the long term because they heat up faster and have a smaller area to heat up, which can help reduce your energy bills. They cool down faster and also are more secure without hot plates. This makes them a great choice for families that have children or elderly people. However, they create a magnetic field which could cause interference with medical devices such as pacemakers therefore it is essential to center your pans over the burner and avoid using small pans on large burners.

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