Types of Hobs

A hob, also known as stovetop in North America, is a cooking appliance that heats pans with electric power or flames. There are many different types of hobs. You can choose the one that best fits your kitchen and design.

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


Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern and sleek design. They feature a flat glass-ceramic surface that is easy to clean, which means spills and splatters are quickly cleaned. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient which helps reduce your electricity bills. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they tend to be slow to adjust temperature settings and can be a hassle when cooking food that requires a quick reduction or an increase in heat.

Electric hobs consist of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be individually adjusted by rotary knobs. You can even utilize the 'boost' feature to boost the heat of a single zone. Ceramic hobs also have extremely high degree of heat retention, meaning they'll remain hot to the touch even after being turned off. It is important to put ceramic hobs in a place that is away from any flammable objects and away from children's reach.

The advantage of this type of hob is that it can be set up on a variety of worktops such as laminate or solid wood, as well as granite. best oven uk 's also fairly affordable and is a great option for those trying to replace your old hobs, but without spending a lot of money. However, just like any other appliance, they need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains, so we suggest hiring a professional electrician to ensure your new hobs are safe to use.

A downside of this type of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to pan size and shape. You'll need cookware that's the exact same size as the element, or that will fit comfortably inside the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware isn't the same dimensions as the element, the element will not recognize it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This can result in cooking that is uneven and make the stove less efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Gas on glass hobs offer an elegant, modern look. They can be more expensive than electric hobs, and require professional installation. However they are also more efficient in heating - the water in a full pot will typically boil within less than four minutes. This kind of hob is also a great option for cooks who want to control the amount of heat generated. Glass hobs are more vulnerable to damage and require more frequent cleaning because they are more likely to accumulate grease and other residue.

A great example of a gas-on-glass model is this Bertazzoni hob, which boasts four black monobloc burners, each with precise metal control knobs for a a stylish and sophisticated finish. It also has an oblong wok ring with 4kW to increase versatility, and pan supports that are dishwasher-safe, making them easy to clean.

Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob that 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 has two burners inside to increase the distribution of heat and accelerate cooking. It also features an easy-to-read power level indicator, which assists in regulating the precise temperature of the flame. Recommended Reading can select from nine pre-defined settings, including the high setting for searing steaks and an option for scrambled eggs.

Our test participants also liked the controls, as they were easy to use and intuitive. Some minor drawbacks are that you need to press the controls nine times before reaching the maximum heating level, and that the glass can make it difficult to discern what the burners are doing.

This Neff model is one of the top gas-on glass hobs that you can buy at a reasonable price. It's not going win any design awards but it'll perform the task and be an excellent addition to your kitchen for just more than 120 pounds.

Electric hobs

There are many electric hobs that work for modern households. They not only offer an elegant design that fits into the rest of your kitchen as well, but they also offer advanced functionality that is safer, faster and more efficient than their predecessors in terms of energy consumption.

Ceramic glass hobs are among the most popular electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek glazed finish and feature an easy-to-clean surface that is resistant to scratches or smudges. They're also usually fitted with a power boost feature, which allows you to increase the heat of your cooker for a short amount of time.

Another electric hob that is ideal for modern homes is an induction hob. Induction hobs heat cookware directly using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional electric and gas plates. This means that they are more energy efficient and offer precise temperature control. They require a specific type of pan, and can be costly to set up.

Glass hobs with gas are a great alternative for modern homes. Similar to a conventional gas hob, it comes with the burner underneath an underlying layer of flat glass. However the glass is shatterproof and heatproof, so it's much easier to clean than glass that's tempered. Many of these hobs have an "hot surface indicator" that alerts you to the temperature.

Gas hobs remain a preferred option for many home cooks However, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and takes an extended time to heat up and cool off. Electric hobs on the other side are more energy efficient and easy to clean.

There are electric stoves that are compatible LPG gas. You can switch between a variety of fuels, allowing you the flexibility to fit your lifestyle. It's important to keep in mind that these hobs need to be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and require a 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. They're not suitable for people who have pacemakers, since the electromagnetic field could interfere with them.

Hobs with induction

Under the glass surface of induction hobs are copper coils that run an electrical current that is alternating. When an induction-compatible dish is placed on a hob, the coils create magnetic fields that create heat directly in the pan instead of heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or the heated plate (electric). Induction hobs are efficient in energy use, since they don't waste any heat.

There are a variety of models of an induction hob starting from basic ones with a single cooking zone with rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs that can have up to six zones, allowing you to cook several pots simultaneously on one flex zone. Some of these models come with the ability to control the temperature using a slider that's similar to the iPhone. You can choose the desired temperature by moving your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Some models have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food items that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.

Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more efficient in the long term. They can heat faster and have a smaller area for heating which can reduce the cost of energy. They also cool down faster and have a more secure design that doesn't have hot plates, making them ideal for families with children or older people who live in the house. However, they can create a magnetic field which could cause interference with medical devices, such as pacemakers, so it is important to place your pans on the burner and avoid using small pans on large burners.

As with all electric hobs, you'll have to keep your induction hob clean, since food particles and other debris can build up over time. You can use a regular oven cleaner, or invest in a specialist product to help keep your hob sparkling and in good order for a longer time. Just be sure to never use abrasive cleaners or pads for scouring on your induction hob as they could scratch the surface.