How to Choose the Best Hob
When deciding on the best hob there are a variety of factors to take into consideration. From cost to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.
A basic electric ceramic stove can cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to shell out more for a model with a lot of features. Gas hobs, also popular and provide excellent temperature control but are more expensive, are a different option.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
With four cooking zones and three 'Push&Go' functions, this stove from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was also one of the most efficient on test to boil water, which took just under four minutes. It comes with a child lock and the ability to pause, which means you can stop the process in a snap without having to mess with controls.
Its style is sleek and contemporary and blends well with contemporary kitchens. It is usually made of glass (which is heatproof and shatterproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and sit directly on the worktop.
The controls are intuitive to use and we liked the clear display that informs the current power setting and which of the five zones is active. The 'Boost" feature creates high-powered heat in a short time. It's ideal to stir fry and speedily heating up pans. best ovens and hobs uk that is hot and auto shut-off are great security features, too.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs tested 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 react when you alter the temperature of cooking, which means you may have to change settings several times before the pan is at the right temperature.
The model measures 60 cm and comes with four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. It has a dual-ring design that is able to operate on both normal' and 'boost' power levels. It is perfect for cooking and searing meat, or bringing water pans to the rapid boil.
It's fully connected via the hOn app and boasts hundreds of recipes that include cooking instructions and 30 different programs that are divided into various food categories and types of preparation. It has a multislider control panel with a "lockable interface' that can identify the type of pan you're using to determine the appropriate cooking mode. It is also compatible with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and comes with various safety features such as the ability to lock the panel and boil-dry prevention.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are increasingly popular, whether you are renovating your kitchen or searching for a non-gas option. Prices have slashed over the past few years, with the simplest four-zone models starting at less than PS100. But if you want all the bells and whistles that are included in the induction system, it's worth paying extra to get the latest technology.
This sleek model from Smeg comes with the most advanced induction technology that makes cooking more efficient and energy efficient. The Auto-pot detection system recognises pots that have an overall diameter of at least 9 cm and automatically will activate the zone that is appropriate.
Smeg's focus is on energy savings, but it doesn't ignore the possibility of flexibility. The hob can be adjusted to conserve energy based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. There are also options to save energy by using the Eco-Logic advance mode that reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as low as 2.4 4 kW.
The user-friendly interface of this cooker 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 colour scheme helps you quickly identify the operating status of each zone, while the 'Flexi Duo' function allows you to connect two zones together to cater for larger pans. There are plenty of useful features, such as four automatic cooking presets (melting, boiling, slow cooking and keeping warm) and a Power Boost to get results that are quick and efficient.
The oven also comes with an alarm system that will notify you when there's a risk of a food item being burned or an igniting fire. There are several safety features, including a residual heat sensor and an automatic switch-off when the surface becomes too hot.
It is also resistant to tough stains, and has a CleanProtect protective coating. The stove is simple to install and features nine power levels, as well as a handy 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering for large pans. There are also a number of additional features, such as 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, not gas. They use copper plates to generate an electric force when a pot or pan is placed on them. They are able to heat up faster than gas hobs, and they also use less energy because the cooking zone is only hot when you turn on your pan. They are generally cheaper to operate than gas and they are also easier to clean.
Indesit's induction hob is full of features that will allow you to get creative in the cooking. It comes with two cooking zones that can be combined to create an Integrated Zone for larger pans as well as the Booster Zone is quick to bring water to a boil quickly. For instance, the Push&Go allows you to cook perfectly at the touch a button. And nine power modes that include a 'P boost setting that grants 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 also simple to operate and feature an elegant, minimalist design that's perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests it quickly heated up a pan once we placed it on the Booster Zone, and boiling pasta water. It took a while for it to cool down after turning off the hob, and our test subjects could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel.
In addition to having a Dual Zone and Push&Go feature, this Indesit hob has a useful bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to fit larger pans. It has a child lock as well as an overheating block. It also has an automatic shut-off mechanism that prevents the oven from working when it gets too hot. Our testers appreciated the fact that there weren't any visible flames or flammable substances and the ceramic glass was easy to clean. In contrast to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw heat and smoke out of the pan and out of the room through an air duct on the surface. The vent on this hob was easy to clean, but it required two people in order to remove the filter.
4. GE Induction Hob
Think about how the hob can be able to fit into the layout and design of your kitchen and what your cooking style. For instance, if often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as an automatic shut-off or an icy to the touch surface can make an induction cooker the best choice. If you're looking for speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass fascia on an electric hob is the ideal option. If you live in areas prone to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs in power cuts may tilt the balance in favor of a gas model.