The 9 Things Your Parents Teach You About Best Hob
How to Choose the Best Hob
When choosing the best hob for your needs there are a lot of aspects to consider. From oven and hob to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding which features are important is crucial.
A basic electric ceramic stove could cost as low as PS100 However, you'll need to spend more to get a high-end model. Gas hobs, which are also well-known and offer excellent temperature control but are more 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 also among the fastest tested to boil water, which took just under four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and has a pause function, so you can stop the process without having to faff around with the controls.
Its design is sleek, contemporary, and works well with contemporary kitchens. It is usually made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and comes with control buttons that sit flush with the worktop for ease of use.
The controls are easy to operate and we loved the clear display that tells you the current power settings, and which of the five zones are active. The "Boost" feature produces powerful heat in a short time. It's ideal to stir fry and speedily bringing pans to boil. Safety features such as the light on the hot hob or automatic shut-off are also beneficial.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs tested in this test. We found that it took nine presses on the control to reach the highest temperature, in contrast to six or seven on other models. It also takes longer to react when you alter the temperature of cooking, which means you may need to alter settings several times before your pan is at the right temperature.
This 60 cm model features four cooking zones. One of them is a half-flex zone that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. Dual-ring design permits it to operate at both "normal" and "boost" power levels. The Boost is ideal for cooking meat and searing it, or bring water to a fast boil.
It is fully connected through the hOn App and has 100's of recipes, guided cooking, and 30 unique programmes divided into different food categories and types of cooking. It features a simple multislider interface as well as a lockable' control panel, plus it can automatically detect the kind of pan you're using and set up the right cooking mode. It's also compatible with hOn pans from third parties and has various safety features such as the ability to lock the panel and boil-dry prevention.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs have become increasingly popular, whether renovating your kitchen or looking for a gas-free alternative. Prices have slashed over the past few years, with the simplest four-zone models starting at less than PS100. If you want all the bells and whistles that include induction it's worth the extra cost for the latest innovations.
This sleek model from Smeg boasts the latest induction tech to keep your cooking efficient and easy. The Auto-pot detection system detects pots with an overall diameter of at least 9cm and automatically will activate the zone that is appropriate.
Smeg's emphasis on energy efficiency doesn't overlook flexibility either This hob is designed to reduce power consumption by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones according to your cooking preferences. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to save more energy, reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW.
The user-friendly interface of this hob was a hit with testers, thanks to its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edge of it. The control panel's color-coded layout makes it easy to determine the status of each zone. The "Flexi duo" function lets the connection of two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are plenty of useful functions, including four cooking presets that automatically cook (melting, boiling slow cooking, keeping warm) and a Power Boost for quick results.
In addition, the hob has a 'FlameSensor' that warns you of any risk of fire or burnt-on food. There are many safety features like a residual heat sensor and an automatic shut-off if the surface gets too hot.
It's also hard-wearing with an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to help it resist tough staining and cooking marks. This hob has nine power levels as well as the FlexiDuo feature to accommodate large pans and is simple to set up. There are also a number of bonus features, like 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, not gas. They make use of copper plates to create a magnetic force when a pot or pan is placed on them. This means they can reach temperatures much quicker than conventional gas hobs. They can also reduce energy consumption since the cooking zone only heats up when you turn on a pan. They are generally cheaper to operate than gas and they are also simpler to clean.
Indesit's induction stove is packed full of features that will allow you to get creative in the cooking. It has two separate zones that can be combined to form a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as a rapid booster zone to quickly bring boiling water to. The Push&Go feature, for instance, lets you cook flawlessly by pressing the button. Nine power modes including a 'P-boost' setting that gives each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily selected using the controls, which are positioned along the bottom edge of the hob to track the pans.
The controls are easy to use, and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests it quickly heated up a pan when we put it on the Booster Zone, and boiling pasta water. However, it took some time to cool off after we turned off the hob. Our testers were unable to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel.
Alongside having a Dual Zone and Push&Go, this Indesit hob also has a bridge function that lets you connect two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It also has a child lock and an overheating block and an auto shut-off feature that stops the hob working when it's overheated. Ceramic glass is easy to clean and there are no flames visible. Our testers were impressed by that. Unlike a traditional extractor hood vented hobs draw steam and smoke away from the pan and out of the room through a duct in the surface. Our experts believed that the duct of this hob was simple to clean, even though it took two people to lift the filter out and change it.
4. GE Induction Hob
Think about how the hob will work with the layout and design of your kitchen as well as what your cooking style. For example, if you often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, safety features like an automatic shut-off feature and cool to the touch surface can make an induction stove the best choice. For those who are looking for speed and efficiency using a ceramic glass facia on an electric hob is the best option. For those living in regions prone to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs in power outages may tip the scales in favour of gas models.