Types of Hobs

A hob, also known as stovetops in North America, is a cooking appliance that heats pans by using electric power or flames. There are many different types of hobs. You can pick the one that is best suited to your kitchen and design.

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

Ceramic hobs

Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a sleek, modern look. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces are easy to clean and are able to be cleaned up when spills or splatters happen. They are fast to heat up and are energy efficient and can lower your electricity bill. However, one downside of ceramic hobs is that they may be slow in changing the temperature which can be a problem when cooking food that requires a quick reduction or an increase in heat.

Electric hobs utilize a solid plate that is heated by electric elements beneath. The power of each element can be adjusted individually through rotating knobs. You can use the Boost feature to raise the temperature of a certain zone. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, so even when they've been shut off, they will still be hot to the touch. It is essential to place ceramic hobs in a location that is safe from any flammable objects and out of reach of children.

This type of hob can be used on a variety of worktops including laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It is also relatively affordable and can be a great option if you're looking to replace your previous hobs without spending too much money. As with all appliances, they must be properly installed and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure the new hobs are safe to use.

This kind of hob is sensitive to the pan's size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that's either exactly the same size as the element, or that is able to fit in each heating zone on the hob. If the cookware is not the same size as the element, the element won't recognise it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent cooking results and make the hob less efficient.

Gas on glass hobs

Glass hobs with gas are a great choice for a sleek, modern aesthetic. They can be more expensive than electric models and require professional installation. However they heat up faster as a full pot of water can often boil in less than four minutes. This kind of hob is also a great option for cooks who like to limit the amount of heat produced. Glass hobs are more susceptible to damage and require more frequent cleaning since 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 finish. The wok ring has a power of 4kW to allow for more versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher-safe.

This Bosch gas hob is another highly recommended model. It combines a stylish piece of toughened glass and cutting-edge cooking technology. The dual ring design to the left of the gas hob features a double inner burner to improve the distribution of heat and increase the speed of cooking. It also comes with an indicator for power that helps you to control the precise temperature of the flame. You can choose between nine preset settings, including the highest setting for sear steaks and a lower one for scrambled egg.

Our testers also liked the controls because they were simple and easy to use. A few minor issues are that you have to press the controls nine more times before reaching the maximum heating level and that the glass can make it difficult to discern the burners' actions.

Some of the best gas on glass hobs are available at an affordable price, such as this Neff model. Although it's unlikely to be a winner of any design awards, it does the job well and can be a fantastic addition to your kitchen for less than 120 pounds.

Electric hobs

There are a variety of electric hobs that work for modern homes. They're not only sleek and stylish, but they are also more efficient, safer, and more energy efficient than their predecessors.

One of the most sought-after electric hobs is a ceramic glass hob. They're made with a sleek, polished, glazed finish. They also have an easy-to-clean surface that's resistant to smudges or scratches. They're also typically equipped with a power boost function that allows you to increase the temperature of your stove for a brief period of time.

Another electric hob that is suitable for modern homes is an induction hob. Induction hobs heat your cookware directly by using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional electric and gas plates. This means they are more energy-efficient and have precise temperature control. However, they require a specific kind of pan to work and can be costly to set up.

Hobs Oven made of glass that are gas-powered are a different option for modern homes. Similar to a standard gas hob, it comes with the burner underneath a layer of flat glass. The glass is heatproof and shatterproof, which makes it easier to clean than tempering glass. A majority of these hobs come with a 'hot surface indicator', which alerts you when the oven is hot.

Gas hobs remain a preferred option for many home cooks, but they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take time to cool down and warm down and their flame can be hard to control. On the other hand electric hobs are efficient in energy use and easier to clean.

For the ultimate in modern technology, you can even find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between various fuels, providing you with the flexibility needed to meet your needs. However, it's important to keep in mind that these stoves must be installed by a registered gas safe engineer and require a dedicated 6mm cable for your kitchen. These hobs are not suitable for those with pacemakers because the electromagnetic field can interfere with them.

Hobs with induction

Copper coils conduct an electric current that is alternating beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on a hob the coils generate magnetic fields that create heat directly within the pan, rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or a heated plate (electric). This makes induction hobs very efficient from a energy point of view because there's no leftover heat that is wasted.

There are many different models of induction hobs starting from basic ones that have only one cooking zone marked by rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs with up to six zones and allow the cooking of multiple pots simultaneously on one flexible zone. Some of these models have a touch slider control that looks very similar to how you operate on an iPhone. Simply slide your finger across the power bar in the middle to select the desired level of heat left to right increases heat and right to left decreases it. Some models even have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food types which can save you time and effort in the kitchen.

Induction hobs do tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs, but they are thought to be more efficient over the long term since they heat up quicker and have a smaller area for heating up which can help you save on energy bills. They also cool down faster and have a safer design that doesn't have hot plates, which makes them ideal for families with young children or elderly persons living in the home. However, they do produce magnetic fields that can cause interference with medical devices such as pacemakers so it's important to center your pans over the burner and avoid placing small pans on large burners.

As with all electric hobs you will need to clean your induction hob frequently, since food and debris can accumulate over time. You can use an oven cleaner, or you can purchase a specialist cleaner to help keep your hob clean and in good shape for a longer time. Be sure to not use the abrasive cleaning pads or pads to scour your induction hob since they can scratch the surface.