Types of Hobs
A hob, which is also known as a stovetop in North America, is a cooking device that heats pans by using flames or electricity. There are a variety of hobs. You can pick the one that is best suited to your kitchen and style.
Induction hobs have flat cooking surfaces made of ceramic and come with four or five zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are elegant and fashionable, and they 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 electricity bills. Ceramic hobs can be slow when changing temperature settings. This can be a problem when you have to cook something that requires a rapid decrease or an increase in heat.
Electric hobs are comprised of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be individually adjusted by rotating knobs. You can even utilize the 'boost' feature to increase the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, so even when they've been shut off, they will still be hot to the touch. hob uk is important to put ceramic hobs in an area that is away from items that could ignite and away from children's reach.
The advantage of this type of hob is that it can be installed on a variety of worktops such as laminate and solid wood 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. As with all appliances, they need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure that your new hobs are safe to use.
A downside of this type of hob is that it's very sensitive to pan size and shape. You will need to purchase cookware that either matches the element exactly or fits comfortably in each of the heating zones. If the cookware isn't the same size as the element, the element will not recognize it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This can cause uneven cooking and make the hob less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs made of gas have a sleek and modern appearance. Although they may cost more than electric models and may require professional installation, they often take less time to heat up. It's not unusual for a full pan of water to be boiling within four minutes or less. This type of hob also works well for cooks who need to limit the amount of heat is produced. Glass hobs are more prone to damage and require frequent cleaning as they tend to build up grease and sludge.
A great example of a glass-on-gas model is this Bertazzoni hob, that has four matt black monobloc burners with accurate metal control knobs that create a an elegant and sophisticated look. The wok ring is 4kW for extra versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher safe.
This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It combines a fashionable piece of toughened glass with advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left of the gas hob features a double inner burner to increase heat distribution and speed up cooking. It also has an excellent power level indicator, which assists in regulating the exact temperature of your flame. You can choose from nine pre-set settings, like the highest setting for sear steaks and a low one for scrambled egg.
The simple and intuitive controls were also well loved by our test subjects, who found them to be very simple to use. A few minor issues 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 among the best gas-on-glass hobs available at an affordable price. While it's not going to be a winner of any design awards, it does the job well and is an ideal addition to your kitchen for less than PS120.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are a great choice for modern homes. Not only do they offer a sleek design that fits into the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functionality that is safer, quicker and more efficient in energy use than their predecessors.
One of the most sought-after electric hobs is the ceramic glass hob. They are designed with an elegant glazed finish and feature an easy surface to clean and resistant to scratches. They also come with a power booster feature that allows you to increase the heat for a short period of time.
Induction hobs are a different electric hob perfect for modern homes. Unlike traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. This means they are more energy efficient and offer precise temperature control. They require a special type of pan, and can be costly to set up.
Glass hobs with gas are a different option for modern homes. It has a burner underneath an unidirectional glass layer similar to a conventional gas stove. However the glass is shatterproof and heatproof, so it's much easier to clean than tempered glass. Many of these hobs are equipped with the "hot surface indicator" which alerts you to the temperature.
While gas hobs are still a popular option for many home cooks but 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 difficult to control. Electric hobs, on the other hand, are more efficient in energy use and easy to clean.
To achieve the highest level of modern technology You can also find electric hobs compatible with LPG gas. This allows you to switch between various fuel sources, so you'll be able to adapt to your lifestyle. best ovens and hobs to keep in mind that these stoves must be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and will require a specific 6mm cable for your kitchen. These hobs are not suitable for those who have pacemakers as the electromagnetic field can interfere with them.
Hobs with induction
Under the glass surface of the induction hobs, there are copper coils that generate an alternating electrical current. When an induction compatible pan is placed on the hob, the coils create magnetic fields which direct heat the pan, rather than heating a surface of the worktop or a heated plate. Induction hobs are extremely efficient from an energy point of view because there's no leftover heat being wasted.
There are a myriad of models of induction stoves, from the basic ones with a single zone labelled by rings to more advanced multi-zoned induction stoves that can have up to six zones and allow for multiple pots to be cooked simultaneously within a flex area. Some of these premium models have a touch slider control that resembles to how you operate on an iPhone. Simply swipe your finger across the power bar located in the middle to select the desired level of heat left to right boosts heat and right to left reduces it. Some models even have pre-programmed settings for certain recipes or food types which can save you time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are more efficient in the long term. They heat up faster and have a smaller heating space which can lower the cost of energy. They also cool down faster and have a safer design with no hot plates, which makes them ideal for families with young children or elderly persons who live in the house. However, they do produce a magnetic force that could cause interference with certain medical devices like pacemakers. It is therefore important to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans on larger burners.
As with all electric hobs you'll have to clean your electric hob frequently, since food and debris can accumulate over time. You can make use of a basic oven cleaner or purchase a specialist one to keep your stove in good condition and shiny for longer. You should never use abrasive cleaning products or scratching pads on your induction stove since they could scratch the surface.