Types of Hobs
A hob (known as stove tops in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats 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 your style.
Induction hobs come with a flat ceramic cooking surface and come with five or four zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and stylish, and easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a sleek, modern design. They feature a flat glass-ceramic surface that's easy to clean, which means spills and splatters can be quickly wiped away. They are quick to heat up and are energy-efficient and can lower your electric bill. Ceramic hobs can be slow when changing temperature settings. This can be frustrating when you have to cook something that requires a rapid reduction or an increase in heat.
Electric hobs are made up of a solid surface which is heated from below by electric elements. These elements can be individually controlled using rotary knobs and notched up to the level of power you require. You can utilize the Boost feature to raise the temperature of a particular area. Ceramic hobs also have a very high heat retention, meaning they'll remain hot to the touch even after being turned off. This can be a problem for families with children, so it's recommended to place them in a location which is far from objects that are flammable and not within reach of young children.
The advantage of this type of hob is that it can be put in on a variety worktops, such as laminate, solid wood and granite. It's also quite affordable and is a great option if you want to replace your stove without spending a large amount of money. However, like all appliances they do need to be properly installed and connected to the mains, so we suggest hiring a professional electrician to ensure that your new hobs are safe to use.
This type of hob is sensitive to the pan's size and shape. It is essential to purchase cookware that either matches the element exactly or fits comfortably in each of the heating zones. If the cookware isn't compatible the element, it will not recognise it and won't begin to heat up 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 look. While they be more expensive than electric ones and require professional installation, they typically require less time to heat up. It's not uncommon for a full pan of water to boil within four minutes or less. This kind of hob is a great choice for cooks who want to control the amount of heat that is generated. Glass hobs are more susceptible to damage and require more frequent cleaning because they tend to accumulate grease and other residue.
A fantastic example of a gas-on-glass model is this Bertazzoni hob, which has four matt black monobloc burners, each with precise metal control knobs to create an elegant and sophisticated look. It also has the wok ring that has 4kW for additional versatility, as well as pan supports that are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean.
Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob that combines the look of a sleek slab of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual rings on the left side of the hob features the double inner flame to promote improvement in uniform heat distribution, which in turn accelerates cooking time. It also features a handy power indicator that allows you to regulate the precise temperature of the flame. You can select from nine pre-set settings, like high settings to sear steaks and a low one for scrambled eggs.
The simple, yet intuitive controls were also well loved by our test subjects who found them be extremely easy to use. Some minor drawbacks are that you must press the controls nine times to reach the maximum heating level, and that the glass can make it difficult to see what the burners are doing.
This Neff model is one of the best gas-on-glass hobs that are available at a low cost. While it's unlikely to win any design awards however, it serves the purpose well and can be an excellent addition to your kitchen for less than 120 dollars.
Electric hobs
There are many electric hobs that work for modern households. Not only do they offer an elegant design that blends in with the rest of your kitchen as well, but they also offer advanced functions that are safer, quicker and more efficient in energy use than their predecessors.
One of the most well-known electric hobs is a ceramic glass hob. They're designed with a sleek, polished, glazed finish. They also have an easy-to-clean surface that is resistant to scratches or smudges. They're also typically equipped with a power boost feature, which allows you to increase the heat of your hob for a brief period of time.
Induction hobs are a different electric hob that is ideal for modern homes. Induction hobs heat cookware directly using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional electric plates and gas stoves. They are therefore more energy efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. However, they require a specific kind of pan to function and can be costly to set up.
A gas-on-glass hob is another option that is a good choice for modern homes. It has a burner underneath the glass, which is flat, similar to a standard gas stove. However it's heat-resistant and shatterproof, which means it's much simpler to clean than tempered glass. A lot of these hobs have a 'hot surface indicator', which alerts you when the hob is heated.
Gas hobs remain a popular option for many home cooks However, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can also be difficult to control and take some time to warm up and cool down. On the other hand electric hobs are efficient in terms of energy consumption and are easier to clean.
You can even find electric stoves that can be used with LPG gas. This allows you to switch between various fuel sources, so you can adjust your cooking to adapt to your lifestyle. It is important to remember, however, that these hobs will require the installation of a registered gas safe engineer. They also require a separate cable of 6mm in your kitchen. They're not suitable for people who have pacemakers, as the electromagnetic field may cause interference with them.
Induction hobs
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 create magnetic fields that heat the pan directly instead of heating a surface of the worktop or a heated plate. Induction hobs are energy efficient, as they don't squander heat.
There are many models of induction stoves, starting with the basic models with a single zone identified by rings to more advanced multi zoned induction stoves with up to six zones and allow for multiple pots to be cooked simultaneously in one flex space. Some of these premium models feature an adjustable slider control similar to the iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by swiping your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Certain models have preset settings for certain food types or recipes that can cut down time in the kitchen.
i loved this are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are more energy efficient over the long term. They can heat faster and have a smaller heating area which could reduce your energy bills. They cool faster and also are safer than traditional hobs that do not have hot plates. This makes them ideal for families with elderly or children. However, they do generate magnetic forces that can interfere with certain medical devices such as pacemakers. It is therefore important to center pans and avoid using smaller pans on bigger burners.
Like all electric hobs, you'll have to clean your induction hob frequently, since food and debris can accumulate over time. You can either employ a standard oven cleaner or invest in a professional one to keep your oven in good condition and shining for a longer time. Just be sure to never use scrubbers or scouring pads on your induction hob as they could scratch the surface.