Types of Hobs
A hob (known as a stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats up pans using electricity or flames. There are many different types of hobs. You can choose the one that best suits your kitchen and style.
Induction hobs come with an elongated ceramic cooking surface and have five or four 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, sleek look. They have a flat glass-ceramic surface that is easy to clean, meaning spills and splatters can be quickly cleaned. They also heat up very quickly and are energy efficient, which can help to reduce your energy bills. Ceramic hobs can be slow in changing temperature settings. This can be a problem when you need to cook something that requires a rapid decrease or an increase in the heat.
Electric hobs utilize a solid plate that is heated by electric elements beneath. The elements can be controlled separately with rotary knobs, and then tacked to the power level you require. You can utilize the Boost feature to increase the temperature of a specific zone. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, and even after they are turned off, they will still be hot to the touch. It is essential to place ceramic hobs in a location that is away from flammable items and away from children's reach.
This kind of hob can be used on a variety of worktops, including laminate, solid hardwood and granite. best oven is also relatively inexpensive and can be an excellent option for those looking to replace your stove without spending a large amount of money. As with all appliances, they must 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 extremely 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 doesn't fit the element, it will not recognize it and won't begin to heat up the bottom of the pan. This could result in uneven cooking and make the hob less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs with gas have a sleek and modern design. While they be more expensive than electric ones and require professional installation, they usually require less time to heat up. It's not uncommon for a complete pan of water to boil in four minutes or less. This type of hob is also a good choice for cooks who want to control the amount of heat being produced. Glass hobs are more susceptible to damage and require more frequent cleaning since they tend to build up grease and other residue.
This Bertazzoni hob is an excellent example of gas on glass. It comes with four monobloc burners that are matte black, with control knobs made of metal to give it a chic, sophisticated look. The wok ring has a power of 4kW for extra versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher safe.
Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob, which is a stylish slab of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual rings that are located on the left of the hob features a double inner flame to improve even heat distribution which speeds up cooking times. It also comes with an excellent power level indicator that helps to regulate the precise temperature of the flame. You can choose between nine pre-set settings, like a high setting to sear steaks and a low one for scrambled egg.
Our test participants also liked the controls because they were simple and intuitive. Some minor disadvantages include the fact that you have to physically press the controls nine times to reach the highest temperature, and that it can be difficult to determine the state of the burners through the glass.
A few of the top gas-on-glass hobs are available at an affordable price, such as this Neff model. It's not going to win any design awards however it's going to serve its purpose and be an excellent addition to your kitchen at just more than 120 pounds.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are ideal for modern homes. They're not just sleek and stylish, they are also faster, safer and more efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs are among the most popular electric stoves. They're constructed with a sleek glossy finish and an easy-to-clean surface that is resistant to smudges or scratches. They also come with a power booster function that allows you to increase your heat for a short duration.
Another electric hob that is suitable for modern homes is an induction hob. As opposed to traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs utilize electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. This means that they are more energy efficient and provide precise temperature control. However, they require a specific type of pan to work with them and can be expensive to install.
A gas-on-glass hob is a different option that's a great choice for modern homes. It features a burner beneath the glass, which is flat, like a traditional gas stove. However the glass is heatproof and shatterproof, so it's easier to clean than the typical glass that is tempered. Many of these hobs have an "hot surface indicator" that alerts you to the temperature.
Gas hobs are a popular choice for many home chefs, but they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take a while to cool down and warm down and their flames can be hard to control. Electric hobs on the other side are more efficient in energy and easier to clean.
For the highest level of modern technology You can also find electric hobs that are compatible with LPG gas. This lets you switch between various fuel sources, so you can adjust your cooking to suit your lifestyle. It is important to remember that these hobs require the installation of a registered gas safe engineer and require a dedicated cable of 6mm in your kitchen. They're also not suitable for those with pacemakers as the electromagnetic field can cause interference 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 plate is placed on the hob, the coils generate magnetic fields which direct heat the pan, rather than heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from a energy perspective because there's no leftover heat being wasted.
There are many models of induction stoves from the basic ones with a single zone identified by rings, to more advanced multi-zoned induction stoves that have up to 6 zones and allow for multiple pots to cook simultaneously on one flex area. Certain models feature an adjustable slider control similar to the iPhone. You can choose the desired temperature by sliding your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Some models even have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food types that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are thought to be more energy efficient in the long run since they heat up faster and have a smaller area to heat up which could help reduce your energy bills. They also cool down quicker and feature a safer design that doesn't have hot plates, which makes them perfect for families with young children or elderly persons living in the home. However, they create a magnetic field which could interfere with some medical devices like pacemakers therefore it is essential to center your pans over the burner and avoid using small pans on large burners.
As with all electric hobs you'll have to clean your induction hob on a regular basis, as food particles and other debris may build up over time. You can use an oven cleaner, or purchase a specialist cleaner to keep your stove sparkling and in good order for longer. Just be sure to never use abrasive cleaners or pads for scouring on your induction hob as they can scratch the surface.