Choosing the Best Hob

Choosing the best hob depends on your cooking preferences and available space. The type of worktop and location of the extractor hood are also important factors to consider when selecting the best hob.

If you select an own-brand model, a basic gas-on glass hob will cost less than PS100. They are easier to clean, and include various safety features like a red indicator which glows when they are hot.

1. Flexibility

A flexible hob will help you to achieve your goals, whether it's perfecting your pancake recipe or making a quick dinner for a midweek meal. The top hobs offer precise control of heat, and come by incorporating features such as dual wok burners and an expansive cooking area which makes them perfect for a variety of dishes. They can also be used in a variety of kitchens due to their sleek designs and easy-to-clean surfaces. A lot of them come with the option to include an extractor fan built-in which eliminates the need for separate overhead appliances and freeing space for your workspace.

Gas hobs are able to provide instant warmth, so it's not a surprise that they're a popular choice. Gas hobs require regular cleaning in order to prevent carbon build-up and fires. They also take longer to heat water than induction models.

Induction hobs heat the pans rather than the surface of the cooker, which makes them less difficult to clean. But they can also be more expensive than gas hobs, and their glossy surfaces may reveal fingerprints and scratches more easily.

Hybrid hobs blend gas and induction cooking into a single product. You can switch between both modes based on what you're cooking. They're great for people who enjoy flexing their culinary abilities but don't have the time or space for a full-on kitchen upgrade.

This electric hob is a great example of a product that offers flexibility in style and function. Its dual flex zone can be joined together to accommodate larger pans and pots and its controls feature a child lock feature which prevents children from altering the settings. And it's also designed to be connected to a smart hub, so you can control its features from your smartphone.

Smeg's induction cooktop is a high-spec model that can be connected to your WiFI network. It has many features that make cooking simpler and quicker, including automatic pan detection, PowerBoost, a timer, and a pause feature. It's also super-easy to use and has touchscreen controls that respond instantly to changes, and a sleek design that could look great in the modern kitchen.

2. Energy efficiency

The most efficient hobs consume as little energy as possible, whether you're cooking soup or bringing water up to boiling point. This means they're ideal for those who are looking to reduce their electric bills. Induction hobs are the most efficient kind, using electromagnetic fields to directly heat the pan to ensure that the glass remains cool. This makes them the most secure choice, preventing accidental burns. Gas hobs may not be as efficient, but they are cheaper to operate than electric models.

Our top choice, the Miele I-Flex 90cm induction hob, comes with plenty of flexibility because of its 'I-Flex' zone that lets you merge two cooking zones into one large space, allowing you to cook with large pans and pots. The child lock on the touch controls blocks children from turning the hob or altering settings. This is a fantastic feature for families with small children. Even though the ceramic glass has a matte surface, it's easy to clean with just a little wipe.

Another great feature of this model is its 'Pan detection' function, which automatically switches off the power to a cooking zone when you take your pan off. It's not the only one with this feature however it's a fantastic feature that makes life easier when you're cooking many meals for a family or a group of friends.

This is a smart stove that is connected to the Internet so you can control it using an app on your smartphone. It will notify you when food is ready so you don't overcook it. It took just four minutes to boil our test pan of water on this model, which is a lot for an induction cooktop. It has flexible zones that can be combined with a Stop & go' button that reduces the cooking zones to their lowest setting.

This portable induction hob has a compact design that's ideal for camping or taking to university. It's the tiniest and lightest hob we tried, yet it has all of our cooking functions and a responsive slider. It also has a built-in 'VaryCook' function, which allows you to alter the temperature by moving the pan up and down the hob's surface, which is ideal for making sauces or caramel.

3. Convenience


You should think about how the stove will fit in your kitchen, and what it will contribute to improving the efficiency of your home. This will help narrow down your options to help you select the best model for your family and home. You should also look through reviews to see what other people's opinions are about the appliance. This can aid in understanding its strengths and weakness.

Certain brands of hobs come with intelligent technology, making them the top choice for those who wish to control their cooking using their smartphones. For example Samsung's models come with electronic timers that let you to set precise cooking times and prevent overcooking. This is particularly useful for people who have hectic lives, since the timer allows you to ensure that your meals are cooked when they should be, without needing to keep an eye on them.

Gas hobs can also be an ideal option for those who want a more traditional feel. They are able to cook with a wide range of cookware sizes and styles. This includes non-flat-bottomed cookware and pans that can be difficult to place on other types of hob. Gas hobs are usually equipped with a variety of settings, so that you can adjust the temperature to fit the recipe you are cooking.

Induction hobs, which are more energy-efficient than gas models and offer faster heat-up times, are also a popular choice among those who want to modernize their kitchen. Induction hobs with built-in ovens are particularly popular because they save space by combining the oven and hob into one.

Another thing to look out for is a child lock that allows you to shut off the controls of a hob and safeguard children from accidental accidents in the kitchen. This is a particularly important feature for parents of young children, since it can aid in avoiding burns and other injuries. In addition some induction hobs come with a function that lets you link two zones together to create a larger cooking area that can be beneficial in the event that you're using large pots.

4. Safety

A high-quality hob will come with several safety features. A hot hob indicator will inform you when the surface of the hob is heated. This can prevent accidents in the cooking area. Some hobs come with locks for children to stop children from turning the hob on or altering settings. Certain hobs come with a feature that allows you combine two cooking zones into an additional zone, meaning you can cook a large pan.

This is a fantastic feature for families and will keep everyone in the kitchen safe. It operates by monitoring the temperature of the cooktop and if it senses that the pan isn't set correctly or there's an incident of fire it will shut off the burner automatically. This is a fantastic way to ensure your home is safe and it's something that you should look for when you are shopping for a new stove.

There are a number of different types of hobs that you can pick from that include electric, gas and induction. A gas hob uses an electric flame to heat your pans, while an electric hob comes with electric rings that you are able to control with the touch of one button. Induction hobs make use of a magnetic field for heating your pans. They won't work without a magnetizable pan placed on them. This is a very efficient type of hob and it cools quickly after the pan is removed.

This kind of hob can save space since it doesn't require an extractor fan. You can therefore have a more streamlined kitchen design. It is more expensive than other types of hobs but it's a great option for any family. hobs oven Links to an external site. can also be used to get rid of excessive smoke and steam from the kitchen, which will help improve the air quality in your home. This is a great choice for families as it can protect against burns and is simple to clean. There are many different options available for you to consider when choosing the right hob, so make sure you take the time to research each one prior to making your decision.