Is Hobs Oven The Greatest Thing There Ever Was?
Types of Hobs
A hob (known as a stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats up pans by using electricity or flames. There are a variety of hobs available, so you can choose one that is best suited to your preferences and kitchen.
Induction hobs feature a flat ceramic cooking surface and include four or five zones to heat your pans. The contemporary designs that operate with a touch are sleek and elegant and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs provide modern and sleek design that can really enhance the overall appearance of your kitchen. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces are easy to clean and can easily be cleaned if spills or splatters occur. They also heat up very quickly and are energy efficient which helps reduce your electricity bills. However, one downside of ceramic hobs is that they can be slow to adjust temperature settings and can be a hassle when cooking food that requires a quick reduction or an increase in heat.
Electric hobs are made up of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be adjusted by rotating knobs. You can even utilize the 'boost' feature in order to increase the heat of a single area. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, so even when they have been turned off, they will still 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 any flammable items and not within reach of little ones.
This kind of hob is able to be mounted on a variety of worktops such as laminate and solid hardwood as well as granite. It is also relatively inexpensive and can be an excellent option if you want to replace your stove without spending a large amount of money. As with all appliances, they need to 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 sensitive to the size of the pan as well as its shape. You will need to purchase cookware that either matches the element precisely or fits comfortably in all of the heating zones. If oven hob doesn't match the element, it will not recognize it and will not begin to heat the base of the pan. This could result in 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. While they can be more expensive than electric ones and require professional installation, they usually take 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 ideal for cooks who wish to control the amount of heat that is generated. However, it must be not forgotten that a glass hob can be more vulnerable to damage than stainless steel ones and will need to be cleaned more often, as the accumulation of grease and residue tends to stick rather than slide off.
A great 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 dishwasher-proof pan supports that are easier to keep clean.
Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob that combines a stylish slab of toughened glass with advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design on the left side of the hob offers a double inner flame to improve even heat distribution which speeds up cooking times. It also features a handy power indicator that lets you control the precise 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.
Our test subjects also appreciated the controls because they were simple and intuitive. Some minor drawbacks are that you must press the controls a further nine times before reaching the maximum temperature and the glass can make it difficult to discern the burners' actions.
Some of the top gas on glass hobs are available for an affordable price, such as this Neff model. While it's not going to be a winner of any design awards but it can do the job well and can be an excellent addition to your kitchen at just 120 pounds.
Electric hobs
There are a variety of electric hobs that are ideal for modern households. They're not just sleek and stylish, but they are also safer, faster and more energy efficient than their predecessors.
One of the most popular electric hobs is a ceramic hob. These hobs are designed with an elegant glazed finish and have a surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratches. They're also typically equipped with a power boost feature which lets you increase the heat of your hob for a short period of time.
Another electric hob that is ideal for modern homes is an induction hob. In contrast to traditional electric and gas plate hobs, induction hobs use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. They are therefore more energy efficient and offer precise temperature control. They require a special kind of pan and can be costly to install.
Glass hobs with gas are another great option for modern homes. Similar to a standard gas hob, it features the burner underneath a layer of flat glass. However the glass is heatproof and shatterproof, so it's easier to clean than glass that's tempered. oven and hob of these hobs are equipped with a "hot surface indicator" that warns you of the heat.
Although gas hobs are an option that is popular with home cooks but they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take time to warm up and cool down and their flames can be difficult to control. Electric hobs, on the other hand are more efficient in energy and are easier to clean.
You can even find electric stoves that work with LPG gas. You can switch between different fuels, giving you the flexibility you need to fit your lifestyle. But, it's important to remember that these hobs need to be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and require a 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. They are also not suitable for people with pacemakers as the electromagnetic field could interfere with them.
Hobs with induction
Copper coils create an alternating electric current beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on the hob the coils produce magnetic fields that heat the pan directly instead of heating the surface of the worktop or heated plate. Induction hobs are efficient in terms of energy efficiency, since they don't waste any heat.
There are a myriad of models of induction stoves, from the basic entry-level ones with a single zone identified by rings up to more advanced multi zoned induction stoves that have up to six zones and allow for multiple pots to be cooked in one flex space. Some of these models have a touch slider control that is very similar to the way you operate an iPhone. Simply slide your finger across the power bar located in the middle to select the desired temperature, left to right increases the heat and right to left decreases it. Certain models have preset settings that are specific to food types or recipes that can cut down time in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are more energy efficient over the long term. They are more efficient in heating and have a smaller area for heating which can lower your energy bills. They cool faster, and they are safer than traditional hobs that do not have hot plates. This makes them a great choice for families that have children or elderly people. However, they do produce magnetic fields that can interfere with some medical devices such as 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 have to keep your induction hob clean since food particles and other debris can accumulate over time. You can either make use of a basic oven cleaner or invest in a specialist one to keep your oven in good condition and shiny for a longer time. Make sure you don't use the abrasive cleaning pads or pads to scour your induction cooker as they can scratch the surface.