12 Best Hob Facts To Bring You Up To Speed The Cooler. Cooler
How to Choose the Best Hob
There are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing the ideal hob, ranging from price to energy efficiency. Choose the features that are the most important.
A basic electric ceramic stove can cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to spend more to get a high-end model. Gas hobs, which are also popular and offer great temperature control but are more expensive, are a different option.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob has four cooking zones, three "Push&Go" functions, and can assist you in making quick meals. It was also among the fastest tests to boil water, taking less than four minutes. ovens uk has the child lock as well as a an pause feature, so you can stop the process in a snap without having to mess with controls.
Its design is sleek, modern and is a great match for modern kitchens. It is typically made from glass (which is heatproof and shatterproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive, and they sit directly on the worktop.
The controls were easy to operate, and we liked the display that shows the current power level as well as which zone is active. The 'Boost" feature produces high-powered heat in a short time. It's ideal to stir fry and speedily heating up pans. Safety features like the hot hob light or automatic shutdown are also useful.
However, it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs tested in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, as opposed to seven or six for other models. It takes a bit longer for the pan to respond to changes in temperature. It is possible to adjust the settings several times to get the right heat.
The model in 60 cm has four cooking zones, including a half-flex area where two areas can be joined to accommodate larger pans and pots. The dual-ring design allows it to operate at both "normal" and "boost" power levels. Boost is ideal for frying meat, searing it or bringing pans of water to the rapid boiling point.
It is fully connected through the hOn App and has hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 unique programs divided into various food categories and types of cooking. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface, as well as a lockable control panel. In addition, it is able to automatically detect the kind of pan you're using and set the correct cooking mode. It also works with third-party hOn sets and comes with a variety of security features, including an adjustable control panel that locks and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
When you're doing work in your kitchen, or searching for a substitute to gas induction hobs, they are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped drastically in the past few years. Best ovens UK -zone models are now available at less than PS100. If you want the latest induction technology, it is worth paying a little more.
This sleek model from Smeg features the latest induction technology that makes cooking more energy-efficient and convenient. The innovative Auto-pot detection system automatically detects the position of pots with a minimum diameter of 9cm, which allows you to switch on the appropriate zone without needing to select it manually.
Smeg's primary focus is on energy savings however, it doesn't overlook the flexibility of this appliance - it can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode enables you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW.
The user-friendly interface of this stove was a hit with testers, thanks to its simple sliding controls that follow your pan's edge the edges of it. The control panel's color scheme allows you to quickly determine the operating status of each zone, and the 'Flexi Duo' function allows you to connect two zones together to accommodate larger pans. There are many useful functions including four automatic cooking presets: melting boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.
In addition to this, the hob has a 'FlameSensor' which alerts you of any danger of a burning or burning food. There are a variety of safety features such as the residual heat sensor, as well as an automatic switch-off when the surface becomes too hot.
It also has a protective CleanProtect coating to protect it from tough staining and cooking marks. This hob has nine power levels and the FlexiDuo feature to allow for large pans, and is simple to set up. There are also a variety of additional features, including control locks and a safety fuse in the event of accidental button pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They make use of copper plates to create magnetic force when a pot or pan is placed on them. This means that they can reach temperatures faster than gas hobs and also conserve energy since the cooking area only is heated when you turn on a pan. They're generally cheaper to run than gas and are simpler to clean and that's why they're an extremely popular option.
This induction hob from Indesit is packed with features that make it easy to get creative in the kitchen. It has two separate cooking zones that can be combined to form an Integrated Zone for larger pans as well as the Booster Zone is quick that can bring water to boil quickly. A range of functions that are automatic such as Push&Go let you cook your food perfectly at the touch of a button. The controls are easy to operate and allow you to choose nine power options, including a P boost setting that gives maximum power in each zone for five minutes.
The controls are easy to operate and the minimalist design is perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it cooked pasta water in a snap and was quick to heat up once we placed an oven in the Booster zone. However it took an extended time to cool down after we shut off the hob. Additionally, our testers were unable to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also comes with the bridge function, which allows you to connect two cooking zones to make larger pans. It also comes with an overheating and child lock block and an auto switch-off system that stops the hob working when it's overheated. Ceramic glass is easy to clean and has no flames visible. Our testers were impressed by the fact that there was no visible flame. Unlike a traditional extractor hood vented hobs draw heat and smoke out of the pan and out of the room via an air duct that is built into the surface. Our experts thought that this hob's duct was easy to clean, though it required two people to lift the filter out and change it.
4. Induction Hob from GE
Consider how the stove can work with your kitchen's layout and design as well as the style of cooking you prefer. For instance, if you often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, security features such as automatic shut-off and a cool to the touch surface could make an induction cooker the best choice. If you're looking for speed and efficiency using a ceramic glass facia on an electric hob is the best alternative. For those living in regions susceptible to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs in power outages could tilt the balance in favor of a gas model.