Types of Hobs
A hob (known as stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats up pans using electricity or flames. There are a variety of hobs, and you can choose one that fits your style and kitchen.
Induction hobs come with an elongated ceramic cooking surface and have five or four zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs look sleek and elegant and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern, sleek appearance. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces are easy to clean and can quickly be cleaned up if spills or splatters occur. They also heat up very quickly and are energy efficient and can help lower your electric bill. However, one downside of ceramic hobs is that they may be slow in changing temperatures which can be a problem when cooking something that requires immediate reduction or increase in temperature.
Electric hobs are made up of a solid, textured surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be adjusted via the rotary knobs. You can even use the boost feature to increase the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs hold heat extremely well, so even after they've been shut off, they will be hot to the touch. This can be a problem if you have children, so it's best to place them in an area that is away from objects that are flammable and away from young children.
The advantage of this type of hob is that it can be set up in a variety of worktops, such as laminate and solid wood as well as granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and can be an excellent option for those looking to replace your stove without spending a large amount of money. However, just like any other appliance, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains power supply, so we suggest hiring an electrician who is experienced to ensure that your new hobs are safe for use.
This type of hob is sensitive to pan shapes and sizes. You'll need to buy cookware that is either exactly the same size as the element or that is able to fit in each of the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware is not the same size as the element, it won't recognise it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent cooking results and will make the hob less energy efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs with gas are a great choice for a sleek, modern aesthetic. They are more expensive than electric models and require professional installation. However they are also more efficient in heating and a full pot of water can often boil within less than four minutes. This type of stove works well for cooks who need to limit the amount of heat is produced. However, it must be noted that a glass hob is more prone to damage than stainless steel ones and may need to be cleaned more often, since grease and residue build up tends to stay on the surface instead of slipping off.
This Bertazzoni hob is a fantastic example of gas on glass. It comes with four monobloc burners that are matte black with metal control knobs to create a sleek, elegant look. It also includes the wok ring that has 4kW to increase versatility, and pan supports that are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean.
This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It is a sleek piece of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design to the left of the gas hob has an inner burner that doubles to improve heat distribution and speed up cooking. It also comes with an easy-to-read power level indicator, which allows you to control the precise temperature of your flame. You can choose from nine preset settings, such as a high setting to sear steaks, and a low one for scrambled egg.
The simple and intuitive controls were also well liked by our testers who found them be very simple to use. A few minor drawbacks are the fact that you need to physically press the controls nine times to reach the highest level of heating and it may be difficult to see the state of the burners through the glass.
This Neff model is among the best gas-on-glass hobs that you can buy at a reasonable price. Although it's unlikely to be a winner of any design awards, it does the job well and can be a fantastic addition to your kitchen for less than 120 dollars.
Electric hobs
There are a variety of electric hobs that are perfect for modern households. Not only do they have a sleek design that fits into the rest of your kitchen as well, but they also offer modern technology that is safer, more efficient and efficient in energy use than their predecessors.
One of the most well-known electric hobs is a ceramic hob. These hobs have a sleek glazed finish, and have an exterior that is easy to clean and resistant to scratches. These hobs are also fitted with a power booster feature that allows you to increase the heat for a short duration.
Induction hobs are a different electric hob that is ideal for modern homes. As opposed to traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. 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 install.
A gas on glass hob is another option that's a great option for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it comes with a burner beneath an underlying layer of flat glass. However, this glass is heatproof and shatterproof, so it's much easier to clean than standard glass that is tempered. A lot of these hobs come with a 'hot surface indicator', which informs you when the hob is heated.
Gas hobs remain a preferred choice for a lot of home cooks However, they can be noisy and hard to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and take a long time to warm up and cool down. In contrast, electric hobs are more efficient in energy use and easier to clean.
There are even electric stoves that can be used with LPG gas. This allows you to switch between different fuel sources, meaning you can adjust your cooking to suit your lifestyle. But, it's important to remember that these hobs must be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and require a dedicated 6mm cable in your kitchen. They're not suitable for people with pacemakers, as the electromagnetic field may 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 a stove, the coils create magnetic fields that create heat directly within the pan instead of heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or a heated plate (electric). Induction hobs are extremely efficient from an energy standpoint since there's no heat that is wasted.
There are a variety of models of induction hob that range from basic ones with one cooking zone that is with rings to more advanced multi-zoned hobs that can have up to six zones, allowing the cooking of multiple pots at once on a flex zone. Certain models have a touch slider control that resembles to how you operate on an iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by sliding your finger from left to right over the power bar in the middle. Some models even have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food items that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs do tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs, however they are thought to be more efficient in the long run as they heat up much faster and have a smaller surface for heating up which can help reduce your energy bills. They also cool down faster and have a more secure design with no hot plates, which makes them ideal for families with children or elderly people living in the home. They do, however, generate a magnetic force that could cause interference with certain medical devices, such as pacemakers. It is therefore important to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans on bigger burners.
Like all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your electric hob clean because food and debris could build up over time. You can use an oven cleaner, or opt for a specialist product to keep your stove clean and in good shape for a longer time. Make sure you don't use abrasive cleaners or pads to scour your induction cooker as they could scratch the surface.