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Types of Hobs A hob (known as a stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans by using electricity or flames. There are several different types of hobs, so you can choose one that is best suited to your preferences and kitchen. Induction hobs come with flat cooking surfaces made of ceramic and have four or five zones for heating your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and fashionable, and they are easy to clean. Ceramic hobs Ceramic hobs have an elegant and contemporary look which can greatly enhance the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. They have a flat glass-ceramic surface that's easy to clean, so spills and splatters can be quickly cleaned. They also heat up quickly and are energy efficient, which can help to reduce your energy bills. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they can be slow to change the temperature and can be a hassle if you're cooking something that requires an instant reduction or an increase in heat. Electric hobs are comprised of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The elements can be individually controlled with rotary knobs, and then tacked up to the power level you require. You can use the Boost feature to boost the temperature of a certain area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, so even when they've been shut off, they'll be hot to the touch. This can be a problem if you have children, so it's recommended to place them in an area which is far from any flammable items and not within reach of children. The advantage of this type of hob is that it can be put in in a variety of worktops, such as laminate or solid wood, as well as granite. It's also reasonably priced and is an excellent option if you're trying to replace your old hobs, but without spending a lot of money. However, like all appliances they do need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains, and we recommend hiring an electrician who is experienced to ensure that your new hobs are safe for use. The drawback of this kind of hob is that it's extremely sensitive to the size of the pan and shape. You'll need cookware that's the exact same size as the element, or that can fit comfortably into each of the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware is not the same size as the element, the element won't recognize it and will not heat the bottom of the pan. This can result in cooking that is uneven and make the hob less efficient. Gas on glass hobs Gas on glass hobs offer a sleek, modern aesthetic. They can be more expensive than electric hobs, and could require professional installation. However, they heat up faster – a full pot of water will typically boil in less than 4 minutes. This type of hob also is a great choice for cooks who wish to control the amount of heat that is produced. Glass hobs are more vulnerable to damage and require frequent cleaning as they tend to accumulate grease and residue. This Bertazzoni hob is a fantastic example of gas on glass. It has four monobloc burners finished in matt black with metal control knobs to create a sleek, elegant finish. It also comes with the wok ring that has 4kW for additional versatility, as well as pan supports that are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean. This Bosch gas hob is a highly recommended model. It combines a fashionable piece of toughened glass with modern cooking technology. The dual rings on the left side of the hob has the double inner flame to promote improvement in even heat distribution which speeds up cooking times. It also comes with an indicator for power that helps you to control the precise temperature of the flame. You can select from nine pre-defined settings, including a high setting for searing steaks and an option for scrambled eggs. Our test subjects also appreciated the controls as they were easy to use and intuitive. Some minor issues include the fact that you need to physically press the controls nine times before you can reach the highest level of heating and it may be difficult to determine the status of the burners through the glass. This Neff model is one of the top gas-on-glass hobs that are that are available at a low cost. While it's not going to win any design awards but it can do the job well and is an excellent addition to your kitchen for less than PS120. Electric hobs There are a variety of electric hobs that work for modern households. They're not only elegant and stylish, but they are also safer, faster and more efficient than their predecessors. One of the most sought-after electric hobs is a ceramic hob. They're constructed with a sleek glossy finish and an easy-to-clean surface resistant to smudges or scratches. These hobs also come with a power booster function that allows you to increase the heat for a short period of time. Another electric hob that is suitable for modern homes is an induction hob. Unlike traditional gas and electric plate hobs, induction hobs utilize electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware. They are therefore more energy-efficient and provide precise temperature control. They require a specific type of pan and could be expensive to put in. A gas-on-glass hob is another option that's a great choice for modern homes. Similar to a traditional 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 glass that is tempered. A lot of these hobs are equipped with an “hot surface indicator” that alerts you to the heat. Gas hobs are a popular option for many home cooks however they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take time to warm up and cool down and their flame can be difficult to control. However, check this site out are more efficient in terms of energy consumption and are easier to clean. For the highest level of modern technology You can even find electric stoves that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between various fuels, allowing you the flexibility to meet your needs. It is important to note that these hobs require the installation of an accredited gas safe engineer and will require a dedicated cable of 6mm in your kitchen. They're not suitable for those with pacemakers as the electromagnetic field can interfere with them. Induction hobs Beneath the glass surface of induction hobs sit copper coils that generate an electrical current that is alternating. When an induction-compatible plate is placed on the hob the coils create magnetic fields that heat the pan directly rather than heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. This makes induction hobs extremely efficient from a energy point of view since there's no heat being wasted. There are a myriad of models of an induction hob starting from basic ones with a single cooking zone with rings to more advanced multi-zoned hobs that can have up to six zones and allow the cooking of multiple pots simultaneously in one flex zone. Certain models have a touch slider control that looks very similar to the way you operate on an iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by swiping your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Some models have pre-programmed settings for specific recipes or food types that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen. Induction hobs do tend to be more expensive than ceramic hobs, but they are thought to be more energy efficient in the long run as they heat up much faster and have a smaller area to heat up which could help lower your energy costs. They also cool down faster and have a safer design with no hot plates, making them perfect for families with children or elderly people living in the house. They do, however, produce a magnetic force that could cause interference with certain medical devices such as pacemakers. It is therefore important to center pans and avoid using smaller pans on larger burners. As with all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your electric hob clean regularly because food and debris could build up over time. You can either make use of a basic oven cleaner or invest in a professional one to keep your stove in good condition and shiny for longer. You should never use any abrasive cleaning product or a scouring pad on your stove since they could scratch the surface.