Types of Hobs
A hob (known as stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats up pans by using electricity or flames. There are many different types of hobs. You can choose the one that is best suited to your kitchen and style.
Induction hobs are equipped with a flat ceramic surface and four or five zones to heat your pans. The contemporary designs that operate with a touch are elegant and chic and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs have a sleek and modern look that can enhance the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. They have a flat glass-ceramic surface that is easy to clean, which means spills and splatters can be quickly wiped away. They heat up quickly and are energy efficient, which can reduce your electric bill. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they may be slow in changing temperature settings and can be a hassle if you're cooking something that requires an instant reduction or increase in temperature.
Electric hobs are made up of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be adjusted by the rotary knobs. You can also use the boost feature to increase the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs also have extremely high degree of heat retention, which means they'll stay hot to the touch even after being shut off. It is important to put ceramic hobs in a location that is away from flammable items and away from children's reach.
The benefit of this type of hob is that it can be put in on a variety worktops, including laminate, solid wood and granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and can be a great alternative if you are looking to replace your old stoves without spending a lot of money. Like all appliances, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure that your new hobs are safe to use.
The drawback of this kind of hob is that it's very sensitive to the size of the pan as well as its shape. You'll need cookware that is either the exact size as the element, or that is able to fit in each of the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware isn't the same size as the element, the element won't recognize it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This can cause uneven cooking and make the stove less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Gas on glass hobs are sleek and contemporary in design. While they be more expensive than electric models and may require professional installation, they often require less time to heat up. It's not unusual for a full pan of water to come to a boil within four minutes or less. This kind of hob is also a good choice for cooks who like to limit the amount of heat being produced. Glass hobs are more prone to damage and require more frequent cleaning because they tend to accumulate grease and sludge.
This Bertazzoni hob is a fantastic example of gas on glass. It comes with four monobloc burners finished in matt black, with control knobs made of metal to create a sleek, elegant appearance. The wok ring has a power of 4kW for additional 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 and cutting-edge cooking technology. The dual rings on the left of the hob has a double inner flame to ensure even heat distribution and speeds up cooking times. It also has a handy power level indicator, which helps to regulate the exact temperature of the flame. You can select from nine pre-set settings, like the highest setting for sear steaks, and a low one for scrambled egg.
Its simple yet intuitive controls were loved by our test subjects, who found them to be very easy to use. A few minor drawbacks include the fact that you must physically press the controls nine times to reach the highest temperature, and that it can be difficult to determine the status of the burners through the glass.
This Neff model is among the top gas-on glass hobs available at an affordable price. It's not likely to win any design awards but it'll perform the task and be a great addition to your kitchen at just over 120 pounds.
Electric hobs
There are a variety of electric hobs that work for modern households. Not only do they offer an elegant design that fits into the rest of your kitchen and are also equipped with modern technology that is safer, more efficient and efficient in energy use than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most well-known electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek glazed finish and feature an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges and scratches. They're also usually fitted with a power boost function which lets you increase the heat of your hob for a brief period of time.
Another electric hob that is ideal for modern homes is an induction hob. Unlike traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. They are therefore more energy efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. However they require a particular type of pan to function and can be costly to set up.
A gas on glass hob is a different option that's an excellent option for modern homes. It has a burner underneath an unidirectional glass layer similar to a standard gas stove. However it's shatterproof and heatproof, so it's easier to clean than glass that's tempered. Many of these hobs also have a 'hot surface indicator', which informs you when the hob is heated.
Although gas hobs are a popular option for many home cooks, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take time to warm up and cool down and their flame can be difficult to manage. On the other hand, electric hobs are more efficient in energy use and easier to clean.
For the ultimate in modern efficiency You can also find electric hobs compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between different fuels, providing you with the flexibility you need to meet your needs. It is important to remember, however, that these stoves will require installation by an approved gas safe engineer. They also require a separate cable of 6mm in your kitchen. They are also not suitable for those with pacemakers because the electromagnetic field may interfere with them.
Induction hobs
Copper coils conduct an alternating electric current beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on a hob, the coils produce magnetic fields that generate heat directly inside the pan rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or a heated plate (electric). Induction Hobs oven are efficient in terms of energy efficiency, since they don't squander heat.
There are a variety of models of induction hob that range from basic ones with only one cooking zone with rings to more advanced multi-zoned induction hobs with up to six zones and allow the cooking of multiple pots simultaneously on one flex zone. Some of these models come with an adjustable slider control similar to the iPhone. You can choose the desired temperature by swiping your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Some models have preset settings that are specific to food types or recipes that can cut down time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more efficient in the long run. They can heat faster and have a smaller heating space which could reduce your energy costs. They also cool faster and have a more secure design with no hot plates, making them ideal for families with children or elderly people who live in the house. However, they do produce magnetic fields that could interfere with some medical devices such as pacemakers therefore it is essential to center your pans on the burner and avoid using small pans on large burners.
As with all electric hobs you will need to clean your induction hob regularly, as food particles and other debris can build up over time. You can make use of a basic oven cleaning product or invest in a specialist one to keep your hob in good shape and shiny for longer. You should never use the abrasive cleaning products or the scratching pads on your induction stove, as they can scratch the surface.