How to Choose the
Best Hob
When selecting the ideal hob there are a variety of factors to take into consideration. From cost to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding which features are important is essential.
A basic electric ceramic stove could cost as low as PS100 However, you'll need to spend more for a feature-packed model. Gas hobs, which are popular and provide excellent temperature control,
browse around these guys but are more expensive, are another option.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob has four cooking zones with three 'Push&Go" functions and can assist you in making quick meals. It was one of the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking only four minutes. It's child-safe and comes with a pause function, so you can quickly stop the process without having to mess around using controls.
Its design is sleek and modern and blends well with modern kitchens. It is usually made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and features touch controls that sit on top of the worktop to allow to make it easy to use.
The controls are intuitive to use and we liked the clear display that informs you the current power setting and which of the five zones is active. The 'Boost' feature creates high-powered heat for a short duration, and is ideal for stir-frying or bringing pans of water to a boil fast. The hob's hot light and automatic shutdown are useful safety features, too.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs in this test. We found that it took nine presses of the control to reach the highest temperature, as opposed to six or seven on other models. It takes longer to respond when you alter the cooking temperature, so you may have to change settings several times before the pan is ready to cook at the proper temperature.
This 60 cm model features four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pots or pans. It has dual-ring design and can operate on both 'normal' and 'boost' power levels. The Boost is ideal for cooking meat while searing it or bring water to a fast boiling.
It is fully connected through the hOn App and has hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 special programs divided into various food categories and types of cooking. It features a simple multislider interface and a 'lockable control panel. In addition, it will automatically recognize the kind of pan you're using and set up the right cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn pan sets and comes with a variety of safety features, such as a lockable control panel and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs have become increasingly popular, whether renovating your kitchen or looking for a non-gas option. Prices have dropped over the past few years, with basic four-zone models costing less than PS100. If you're looking for the latest induction technology, it's worth the extra cost.
This sleek model from Smeg features the latest induction technology to make your cooking efficient and easy. The Auto-pot detection system recognizes pots with dimensions of at least 9 centimetres and then automatically will activate the appropriate zone.
Smeg's focus on energy saving doesn't overlook flexibility either This hob is designed to save power by setting the maximum operating temperature of the zones according to your cooking needs. Eco-Logic advanced mode lets you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW.
Testers were awed by the hob's user-friendly design that has intuitive controls that slide along the edges of the hob to follow the pan. The control panel's colour-coded scheme allows you to easily identify the status of each zone. The "Flexi Duo" feature lets the connection of two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are numerous useful features, including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.
The
oven also comes with a FlameSensor which will alert you if there's a danger of a burnt-on meal or a fire. There are also several safety features, like a residual heat indicator and an auto shut-off feature if the surface gets too hot.
It's also hard-wearing with the CleanProtect coating that is designed to help it resist hard staining and cooking marks. This model has nine power levels, an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to allow for large pans, and is simple to set up. There are several bonus features such as locking controls and an emergency fuse to stop accidental button pressing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction
hob ukInduction hobs are powered by electricity, not gas. They make use of copper plates to create an electric force when a pan or pot is placed on them. They heat up faster than gas hobs and they also use less energy since the cooking zone is only hot when you turn on your pan. They're generally less expensive to run than gas, and they're easier to clean making them an extremely popular choice.
This induction hob from Indesit is packed with features that make it easy to create your own ideas in the kitchen. It has two cooking zones that can be combined to form an Integrated Zone for larger pans as well as a rapid Booster zone to bring water to a boil quickly. A range of automatic functions such as Push&Go lets you achieve perfectly cooked dishes at the touch of a button. The controls are easy to use and let you select nine power modes including the P boost option that gives maximum power to each zone for five minutes.
The controls are simple to use and the minimalist design is perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it cooked pasta water in a snap and quickly heated up once we placed an
oven and hob on the Booster zone. It took some time to cool down after turning off the hob, and our test subjects could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also features a bridge function, which allows you to combine two cooking zones for larger pans. It comes with a child lock as well as an overheating block. It also has an automatic switch-off feature that prevents the oven from working when it gets too hot. The ceramic glass is simple to clean and there are no flames visible. Our testers liked the fact that it's. In contrast to traditional extractor hoods, vented hobs draw steam and smoke away from the pan and out of the room through an air duct on the surface. Our experts thought that this
hob and oven's duct was easy to clean, though it took two people to lift the filter out to change it.
4. GE Induction Hob
Think about how the hob will work with the layout and design of your kitchen, as well as the style of cooking you prefer. For instance, if often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as automatic shut-off and cool to the touch surface could make an induction hob a better option. Alternatively, for those who value speed and efficiency an electric hob that has a clean ceramic glass facia is a great choice. Gas hobs are an excellent choice for those who live in areas susceptible to power outages.