Types of Hobs
A hob, also referred to as stovetop in North America, is a cooking device that heats pans using electric or flames. There are a variety of hobs. You can pick the one that best suits your kitchen and design.
Induction hobs are equipped with an elongated ceramic surface and four or five zones to heat your pans. The modern touch-operated designs look sleek and elegant and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs offer a sleek and modern look which can greatly improve the overall look of your kitchen. They have a flat glass ceramic surface that's easy to clean, which means spills and splatters can be quickly wiped away. They also heat up very quickly and are energy efficient and can help reduce your electricity bills. Ceramic hobs aren't always fast when changing temperature settings. This can be a hassle when you have to cook something that requires a rapid reduction or increase of the heat.
Electric hobs consist of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. The elements can be controlled separately using rotary knobs and notched to the power level you require. You can even utilize the boost feature to boost the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, and even after they've been shut off, they will be hot to the touch. It's important to install ceramic hobs in a location that is far from any flammable objects and out of reach of children.
The advantage of this type of hob is that it can be installed on a variety of worktops, including laminate, solid wood and granite. It's also fairly inexpensive and can be a great option if you want to replace your old stoves without spending a lot. As with any appliance, they must be installed correctly and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure that your new hobs will be safe to use.
The downside to this kind of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to pan size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that is exactly the same as the element or is able to fit comfortably into each of the heating zones. If the cookware doesn't match, then the element will not recognise it and won't start to heat up the base of the pan. This could result in uneven cooking and make the stove less efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Gas on glass hobs offer an elegant, modern look. They can be more expensive than electric hobs, and may require professional installations. However they heat up faster - the water in a full pot will typically boil in less than 4 minutes. This type of hob is also a great choice for cooks who like to control the amount of heat generated. However, it must be not forgotten that a glass hob is more prone to damage than stainless steel ones and will need to be cleaned more often, since the build-up of grease and residue tends to remain instead of sliding off.
This Bertazzoni hob is an excellent example of gas on glass. It has four monobloc burners that are matte black, with control knobs made of metal for a stylish, 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 combines a stylish slab of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left side of the hob features the double inner flame to improve uniform heat distribution, which in turn accelerates cooking time. It also has an easy-to-read power indicator that helps you to control the exact temperature of the flame. You can select from nine preset settings, including a high setting to sear steaks and a low one for scrambled eggs.
Its simple yet intuitive controls were loved by our test subjects, who found them to be very simple to use. Some minor disadvantages include the fact that you must physically press the controls nine times to get to the highest heating level and it may be difficult to discern the status of the burners through the glass.
This Neff model is one of the top gas-on glass hobs that you can buy at a reasonable price. While it's not going to be a winner of any design awards, it does the job well and can be an ideal addition to your kitchen for just over PS120.
Electric hobs
Electric hobs are perfect for modern homes. They are not only elegant and stylish, but also faster, safer and more efficient than their predecessors.
Ceramic glass hobs Oven are among the most well-known electric stoves. They are designed with a sleek glazed finish, and feature an easy surface to clean and resistant to scratches. They're also usually fitted with a power boost feature which lets you increase the heat of your cooker for a short period of time.
Induction hobs are another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes. Induction hobs heat your cookware directly with electromagnetic fields unlike traditional electric and gas plates. This means they are more energy efficient and have precise temperature control. However they require a particular type of pan to function and are costly to set up.
A gas-on-glass hob is a different option that is a good choice for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it features the burner underneath an underlying layer of flat glass. The glass is heatproof as well as shatterproof, making it much easier to clean than glass that is tempered. A lot of these hobs come with the "hot surface indicator" that warns you of the heat.
While gas hobs remain an option that is popular with 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 flames can be hard to manage. Electric hobs on the other hand, are more energy efficient and are easier to clean.
For the ultimate in modern efficiency, you can even find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between various fuels, giving you the flexibility to fit your lifestyle. It's important to keep in mind that these hobs must be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and require a specific 6mm cable for your kitchen. They're also not suitable for people who have pacemakers, since the electromagnetic field could interfere with them.
Hobs with induction
Under the glass surface of induction hobs are copper coils that generate an electrical current that varies. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on a hob, the coils generate magnetic fields that produce heat directly in the pan, rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or an insulated plate (electric). Induction hobs are very efficient in energy use, since they don't squander heat.
There are many models of induction stoves, starting with the basic models with a single zone marked by rings up to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction stoves that can have up to six zones and allow multiple pots to be cooked on one flex area. Some of these premium models come with a touch slider control that looks very similar to how you operate an 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 for certain food types or recipes which can help you save time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are also more energy efficient in the long run. They are more efficient in heating and have a smaller area for heating which can lower the cost of energy. They cool quicker and have a safer design without hot plates. This makes them a great choice for families that have elderly or children. However, they can create magnetic fields that could cause interference with medical devices like pacemakers so it is important to place your pans on the burner and avoid using small pans on large burners.
Like all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your electric hob clean since food particles and other debris can accumulate over time. You can use a standard oven cleaner, or invest in a specialist product to help keep your hob sparkling and in good order for a longer time. Make sure you don't use the abrasive cleaning pads or pads to scour your induction hob since they could scratch the surface.