How to Choose the Best Hob
There are many factors to take into consideration when selecting the best hob, from price to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding which features are essential is vital.
A basic electric ceramic stove could cost as low as PS100 However, you'll need to spend more for a model with a lot of features. Gas hobs, which are popular and provide excellent temperature control, but are expensive, are another option.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
With four cooking zones and three 'Push&Go' functions this cooker from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was one of the fastest to boil water in our tests, taking only four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features an pause feature, meaning you can quickly stop the process without having to faff around with controls.
Its design is sleek and contemporary it blends seamlessly with modern kitchens. It's usually made from glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and features control buttons that sit in the same place as the worktop for easy use.
The controls are easy to operate and we loved the clear display which tells the current power setting and which of the five zones is active. The "Boost" feature produces powerful heat in a short time. It is perfect for stir-frying and quickly bringing pans to boil. Safety features like the light on the hot hob or automatic shutdown are also beneficial.
However, it's not as responsive to touch as other hobs tested in this test. We found it took nine presses of the control to attain the highest temperature as opposed to seven or six on other models. It also takes longer for the pan to react when you alter the temperature. You may need to adjust the settings a few times to get the right heat.
This 60 cm model includes four cooking zones, including a half-flex zone where two zones can be joined together to accommodate larger pots and pans. It has a dual-ring design that is able to operate on both normal as well as 'boost' power levels. It is great for cooking meat while searing it or bringing water to a rapid boil.
It's fully connected via the hOn app and comes with 100's of recipes, with cooking instructions and 30 different programs that are divided into various food categories and preparation types. It comes with a multislider control panel that has a lockable interface' that can identify the type pan you are using to set the correct cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and has a range of security features, including a lockable control panel and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
If you're working in your kitchen, or looking for an alternative to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped over the past few years, with the simplest four-zone models available for less than PS100. However, if you're looking for all the bells and whistles that include induction it's worth paying more for the latest innovations.
This slick-looking model from Smeg comes with the most modern induction technology to make your cooking efficient and easy. The revolutionary Auto-pot detection technology automatically recognises the position of pots that have a minimum diameter of 9cm, allowing you to select the correct zone without needing to select it manually.
Smeg's emphasis on energy efficiency doesn't overlook flexibility either This hob is designed to conserve power by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones to suit your cooking needs. There are also best oven uk to save even more energy using the Eco-Logic advance mode, which reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as little as 2.4 kW.
ovens uk were awed by the hob's user-friendly design with easy-to-use controls that move along the edge of the hob to follow the pan. The control panel's color-coded layout allows you to easily identify the status of each zone. The "Flexi Duo" feature lets you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are plenty of useful functions, including four cooking presets that automatically cook (melting boiling, slow cooking and keeping warm) and a Power Boost to get results that are quick and efficient.
In addition the hob comes with a 'FlameSensor' that warns you of any risk of burning or burning food. There are a variety of safety features like a residual heat sensor and an automatic shut-off when the surface becomes too hot.
It also resists tough stains, and has a CleanProtect protective coating. The hob comes with nine power levels and an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to allow for large pans, and is easy to put in. There are also a variety of bonus features, such as control locks and an emergency fuse in the event of accidental button pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They utilize copper plates to generate a magnetic force when a pot or pan is placed on them. They can heat up much quicker than gas hobs, and they also consume less energy since the cooking zone is only hot when you turn on your pan. They are generally less expensive to run than gas, and they are also easier to clean.
The induction hob made by Indesit is packed with features that allow you to create your own ideas in the kitchen. It has two separate zones which can be combined into a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as an instant booster zone to quickly bring water to a boil. A range of automatic functions like Push&Go allow you to create perfectly cooked meals with the click of one button. Nine power modes that include a 'P boost setting that gives each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily selected with the controls, which move across the bottom of the hob to follow the pans.
The controls are simple to operate and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it boiled pasta water in a flash and quickly heated up after placing an oven on the Booster zone. It took some time to cool down after we turned off the hob, and the testers could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also has a bridge function, which allows you to combine two cooking zones to make larger pans. It also has a child lock and an overheating block and an auto switch-off system that stops the appliance from working when it's overheated. Our testers appreciated the fact that there were no messy, visible flames and the ceramic glass is easy to clean. Ventilated hobs unlike traditional extractors draw smoke and steam from the pan out of the room via a duct located on the surface. Read Home Page thought that the duct on this hob was easy to keep clean, although it took two people to take the filter out to change it.
4. GE Induction Hob
When selecting a hob think about how it will fit to your kitchen's style and layout, as well as your cooking style and life. For example, if you often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, security features such as an automatic shut-off or an icy to the touch surface can make an induction cooker an ideal choice. For those who are looking for speed and efficiency using a ceramic glass facia on an electric hob is the ideal alternative. For those who live in areas prone to load-shedding, having the ability to use gas hobs during power cuts may make the difference in favor of gas models.