How to Choose the Best Hob

When deciding on the best hob for your needs there are a variety of factors to consider. From price to energy efficiency. Choose the features that are the most important.

A basic ceramic electric hob costs less than PS100. However you'll have to pay more for one with many features. Gas hobs, which are also well-known and offer excellent temperature control, but are more expensive, are a different option.


1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

This Haier hob comes with four cooking zones and three "Push&Go" functions and can assist you in making quick meals. It was one of the fastest to boil water in our tests, taking only four minutes. It comes with an child lock and an pause feature, so you can stop the process quickly without having to mess with controls.

Its style is sleek and modern and is a great match for modern kitchens. It is typically made of glass (which is heatproof and shatterproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and sit flush on the worktop.

The controls were simple to use and we loved the display which shows the current power level and which zone is active. The "Boost" feature produces high-powered heat in a short time. It is ideal for stir-frying and quickly bringing pans to boil. The hot hob light and automatic shutdown are useful safety features, too.

It's not as responsive as other hobs we tested in this test. It took nine presses to reach maximum temperature, compared to six or seven for other models. It also takes longer for the pan to respond when you alter the temperature. You may have to adjust the settings several times to achieve the correct temperature.

The model measures 60 cm and comes with four cooking zones. One of it is a half-flex zone which allows two areas to easily be joined to accommodate larger pots or pans. The dual-ring design allows it to operate on both "normal" and "boost" power levels. Boost is ideal for frying and searing meat, or bringing water pans to a rapid boiling point.

It is fully connected to the hOn App and has hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 special programs that are divided into different food categories and types of cooking. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface as well as a lockable' control panel, plus it will automatically recognize the type of pan you're using and set up the right cooking mode. It's also compatible with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and has a range of safety features, like the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

When you're doing work on your kitchen or simply seeking a better alternative to gas induction hobs, they are becoming more popular. Prices have slashed dramatically over the last few years. The basic four-zone models are now sold for less that PS100. But if you want all the bells and whistles that come with induction it's worth paying more for the latest innovations.

This sleek model from Smeg comes with the most modern induction technology that makes your cooking efficient and easy. The revolutionary Auto-pot detection technology automatically detects the location of pots that have a minimum diameter of 9cm, allowing you to activate the appropriate zone without having to select it manually.

Smeg's main focus is on energy efficiency however, it doesn't overlook flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum operating temperatures of the zones. There are options to save even more energy using the Eco-Logic advance mode that reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as low as 2.4 kW.

The user-friendly interface of this stove impressed testers, with its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edges of it. The control panel's color-coded design makes it easy to determine the status of each zone. The "Flexi duo" function lets you connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are many useful functions including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.

In addition the hob also has a 'FlameSensor' which alerts you if there is any risk of a fire or food that has been burned. There are many safety features such as a residual heat sensor and an automatic shut-off if the surface becomes too hot.

It also has an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to protect it from tough stains and cooking marks. The stove is simple to install and features nine power levels and a handy 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering to large pans. There are some additional features such as control locks, as well as an emergency fuse to stop accidental pressing of buttons.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They utilize copper plates to create magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. hobs uk can reach temperatures faster than gas hobs, and can also reduce energy consumption since the cooking area only is heated when you turn on the pan. They're generally less expensive than gas and are easier to wipe clean too making them an extremely popular option.

Indesit's induction stove is packed full of features to help you develop your cooking ideas. It comes with two distinct zones that can be combined into the Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as a speedy booster zone that can quickly bring the water to a boil. Push&Go, for example, allows you to cook with perfection at the touch a button. Nine power modes, including a 'P boost setting that grants each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily set using the controls, which move along the bottom edge of the hob to track your pans.

The controls are also simple to operate and feature modern, minimalist designs that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it quickly heated up a pan once we put it on the Booster Zone, and boiled pasta water. However it took some time to cool down after it was turned off from the hob. Additionally, our testers found it difficult to determine the precise temperature on the control panel.

Alongside a Dual Zone and Push&Go, the Indesit hob comes with a bridge function that lets you combine two cooking zones to suit larger pans. It also comes with a child lock and overheating block and an auto switch-off system that stops the hob working when it's too hot. The ceramic glass is simple to clean and has no visible flames. Our testers liked the fact that it's. Unlike a traditional extractor hood vented hobs draw steam and smoke out of the pan and out of the room through an air duct that is built into the surface. Our experts believed that the duct on this hob was easy to keep clean, although it took two people to take the filter out and change it.

4. Induction Hob by GE

Consider how the stove can be able to fit into your kitchen's layout and design and what your cooking style. For example, if you often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, security features like an automatic shut-off feature and a cool to the touch surface can make an induction stove an ideal choice. Alternatively, for those who prefer speed and efficiency, an electric hob with a glass face that is wipe-clean is ideal. Gas hobs are a great alternative for those living in areas susceptible to power outages.