Types of Hobs

A hob (known as stove tops in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats up pans with flame or electricity. There are several different types of hobs available, so you can choose one that suits your style and kitchen.

Induction hobs feature an elongated ceramic cooking surface and have four or five zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and stylish, and easy to clean.

Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a sleek, modern look. best oven uk -ceramic surfaces are simple to clean and can quickly be cleaned if spills or splatters occur. They are fast to heat up and are energy-efficient and can lower your electricity bill. Ceramic hobs can be slow in changing temperature settings. best oven can be a problem when you need to cook something that requires a quick decrease or an increase in temperature.

Electric hobs consist of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be adjusted individually by rotary knobs. You can even utilize the 'boost' feature to increase the temperature of a single area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, and even after they've been shut off, they'll be hot to the touch. This can be a challenge when you have children, so it's recommended to only install them in an area that is away from flammable objects and away from little ones.

This kind of hob is able to be used on a variety of worktops including laminate and solid hardwood 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 too much money. But, as with all appliances, they need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains, so we suggest hiring a professional electrician to ensure that the new hobs are safe for use.

A downside of this type of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to the size of the pan as well as its shape. It is essential to purchase cookware that either matches the element exactly or is able to fit comfortably into each of the heating zones. If the cookware isn't compatible, then the element won't recognize it and won't start to heat up the base of the pan. This could result in uneven cooking and make the hob less efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Glass hobs with gas are sleek and contemporary in design. While they can cost more than electric ones and require professional installation, they usually require less time to heat up - it's not uncommon for a full pan of water to come to a boil within four minutes or less. This kind of stove is also a great option for cooks who like to control the amount of heat generated. Glass hobs are more vulnerable to damage and require frequent cleaning as they tend to accumulate grease and sludge.

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

Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob that combines the look of a sleek slab of toughened glass with the latest cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left of the hob features a double inner flame to promote improvement in uniform heat distribution, which in turn accelerates cooking time. It also features an excellent power level indicator that allows you to control the precise temperature of your flame. You can select from nine pre-defined settings, including the high setting for searing steak and the low setting for scrambled eggs.

The simple and easy-to-use controls were also liked by our testers, who found them to be very simple to use. Some minor issues are the fact that you have to physically press the controls nine times to get to the highest level of heating and it can be difficult to see the state of the burners through the glass.

Some of the top gas-on-glass hobs can be found at affordable prices like this Neff model. It's not going to win any design prizes however it's going to perform the task and be an excellent addition to your kitchen at just more than 120 dollars.

Electric hobs

There are a variety of electric hobs that are ideal for modern homes. Best ovens UK are not only elegant and stylish, but also faster, safer, and more energy efficient than their predecessors.

Ceramic glass hobs are among the most popular electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek glossy finish and an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges or scratches. They're also typically equipped with a power boost function, which allows you to increase the temperature of your stove for a short amount of time.

Induction hobs are yet another electric hob perfect for modern homes. As opposed to traditional gas and electric plate hobs that use electromagnetic fields to directly heat cookware. This means they are more energy efficient and have precise temperature control. However they require a certain kind of pan to work and can be expensive to install.

A gas-on-glass hob is another option that is a good choice for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it features a burner beneath an underlying layer of flat glass. However the glass is heat-resistant and shatterproof, which means it's much easier to clean than standard glass that's tempered. A lot of these hobs have a 'hot surface indicator', which alerts you when the hob is hot.

Although gas hobs are an option for many home cooks, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take a while to heat up and cool down and their flames can be hard to manage. Electric hobs, on other side, are more efficient in energy and easier to clean.

You can even find electric stoves that can be used with LPG gas. This allows you to switch between different fuel sources, meaning you'll have the flexibility to fit your needs. It's important to remember that these hobs need to be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and will require a 6mm cable in your kitchen. These hobs are also not suitable for those with pacemakers since the electromagnetic field can cause interference with them.

Induction hobs

Copper coils conduct an alternating electric current under 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 within the pan rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or the heated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from a energy point of view because there's no leftover heat that is wasted.

There are a myriad of models of induction hob that range from basic ones with one cooking zone that is with rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs with up to six zones and allow the cooking of multiple pots at once on a flex zone. Certain models come with a touch slider control that resembles to the way you operate an iPhone. Simply slide 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 decreases it. Certain models have preset settings for specific food types or recipes which can help you save time in the kitchen.

Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are also more efficient in the long run. They heat up faster and have a smaller heating space which can lower your energy bills. They cool down faster and also have a safer design without hot plates. This makes them perfect for families with children or elderly people. They do, however, generate a magnetic force that could cause interference with certain medical devices such as pacemakers. It is therefore important to center pans and avoid using smaller pans on bigger burners.


As with all electric hobs you will have to clean your electric hob on a regular basis, as food particles and other debris may build up over time. You can use an oven cleaner, or opt for a specialist product to keep your hob clean and in good shape for longer. Avoid using the abrasive cleaning products or the a scouring pad on your stove since they could scratch the surface.