Types of Hobs

A hob (known as a stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans using electricity or flames. There are several different types of hobs, so you can choose one that suits your style and kitchen.

Induction hobs have flat cooking surfaces made of ceramic and include five or four zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and fashionable, and are easy to clean.

Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs offer a sleek and modern look which can greatly enhance the overall appearance of your kitchen. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces can be easy to clean and are able to be wiped down if spills or splatters occur. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient, which can help to reduce your electricity bills. Ceramic hobs can be slow in changing temperature settings. This can be frustrating when you have to cook something that requires a rapid decrease or an increase in temperature.

Electric hobs utilize plates that are heated by electric elements under. The power of each element can be adjusted individually by the rotary knobs. You can also use the boost feature to increase the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs and ovens hold heat extremely well, and even after they have been turned off, they'll be hot to the touch. This can be a challenge if you have children, so it's best to only install them in an area which is far from flammable objects and away from little ones.

This kind of hob can be mounted on a variety of worktops including laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It is also relatively affordable and is an excellent option if you're trying to replace your old hobs, but without spending a lot of money. Like all appliances, they must be installed correctly and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure the new hobs are safe to use.

The downside to this kind of hob is that it's very sensitive to pan size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that's exactly the same size as the element or that can fit comfortably into the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware doesn't fit, then the element won't recognize it and will not begin to heat up the bottom of the pan. This can result in cooking that is uneven and make the stove less efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Gas on glass hobs offer modern, sleek design. While they can cost more than electric models and require professional installation, they typically take less time to heat up - it's not uncommon for a full pan of water to boil in four minutes or less. This kind of stove is also a great option for cooks who prefer to limit the amount of heat produced. Glass hobs are more susceptible to damage and require more frequent cleaning because they tend to accumulate grease and residue.

One of the best examples of a gas on glass model is this Bertazzoni hob, that has four matt black monobloc burners, each with precise metal control knobs to create an elegant and sophisticated look. It also has a 4kW wok ring for added versatility, plus pan supports that are dishwasher-safe, making them easier to keep clean.

This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It combines a fashionable piece of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left of the gas hob features two burners inside to improve the distribution of heat and accelerate cooking. It also has an easy-to-read power indicator that lets you control the exact temperature of the flame. You can choose from nine pre-defined settings, including the high setting for searing a steak and an option for scrambled eggs.

Our test subjects also appreciated the controls as they were simple and intuitive. A few minor drawbacks are that you have to physically press the controls nine times to reach the highest temperature, and that it can be difficult to see the status of the burners through the glass.

This Neff model is among the best oven gas-on-glass hobs available at an affordable price. Although it's unlikely to be a winner of any design awards but it can do the job well and is an ideal addition to your kitchen at just 120 dollars.

Electric hobs

Electric hobs are ideal for modern homes. They are not only elegant and stylish, but they are also safer, faster and more energy 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's resistant to smudges and scratches. These hobs also come with a power booster feature that allows you to increase the heat for a short duration.

Another electric hob that is perfect for modern homes is an induction hob. In contrast to traditional electric and gas plate hobs, induction Hobs Oven use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. They are therefore more energy-efficient and provide precise temperature control. They require a particular kind of pan and could be expensive to put in.

Glass hobs with gas are a different option for modern homes. Similar to a conventional gas hob, it comes with a burner beneath an underlying layer of flat glass. However, this glass is heat-resistant and shatterproof, which means it's much simpler to clean than the typical glass that is tempered. A majority of these hobs include a 'hot-surface indicator' that warns you when the hob is heated.

While gas hobs are still a popular option for many home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They can take a long time to cool down and warm down and their flame can be difficult to control. Electric hobs on the other side are more efficient in energy use and are easier to clean.

You can even find electric stoves that work with LPG gas. You can switch between a variety of fuels, providing you with the flexibility to fit your lifestyle. However, it's important to remember that these hobs must be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and require a specific 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. They're not suitable for people who have pacemakers as the electromagnetic field may cause interference with them.

Induction hobs

Copper coils create an alternating electric current under the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on the hob, the coils create magnetic fields which directly heat the pan instead of heating a surface of the worktop or a heated plate. This makes induction hobs very efficient from an energy point of view, as there's no residual heat being wasted.

There are many models of induction stoves from the basic ones with a single zone labelled by rings, to more advanced multi zoned induction stoves with up to six zones that allow multiple pots to be cooked in one flex space. Certain models come with a touch slider control that resembles to the way you use on an iPhone. Simply slide your finger across the power bar at the middle to choose the desired level of heat, left to right increases heat and right to left decreases it. Some models have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food items that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.

Induction hobs tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs, but they are considered to be more efficient in the long run because they heat up faster and use a smaller space for heating up which can help reduce your energy bills. They cool quicker and are more secure without hot plates. This makes them perfect for families that have children or elderly residents. However, they do produce a magnetic field which could interfere with some medical devices, such as pacemakers, so it is important to place your pans over the burner and avoid using small pans on large burners.

Like all electric hobs, you'll have to clean your electric hob regularly, as food particles and other debris can build up over time. You can either employ a standard oven with hob cleaning product or purchase a specialist one to keep your hob in good shape and shiny for a longer time. Make sure you don't use the abrasive cleaning pads or pads for scouring on your induction cooker as they can scratch the surface.