20 Things That Only The Most Devoted Hobs Oven Fans Know

Types of Hobs A hob, which is also known as stovetop in North America, is a cooking device that heats pans with electric power or flames. There are many different kinds of hobs, and you can choose one that suits your style and kitchen. Induction hobs are equipped with flat ceramic surfaces and either four or five zones to heat your pans. Modern touch-operated designs are sleek and fashionable, and are easy to clean. Ceramic hobs Ceramic hobs can give your kitchen a modern, sleek design. They have a flat glass ceramic surface that is easy to clean, which means spills and splatters can be quickly cleaned. They heat up quickly and are energy-efficient and can lower your electric bill. Ceramic hobs aren't always fast when changing temperature settings. This can be frustrating when you are cooking something that requires a rapid reduction or an increase in temperature. Read Homepage are comprised of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The power of each element can be adjusted via rotating knobs. You can use the Boost feature to boost the temperature of a specific area. Ceramic hobs are able to hold heat well, and even after they've been shut off, they'll be hot to the touch. This could be a problem for families with children, so it's recommended to place them in an area which is far from flammable objects and out of reach of little ones. This kind of hob is able to be used on a variety of worktops including laminate, solid hardwood and granite. It is also relatively affordable and can be a great option if you're looking to replace your previous hobs without spending too much money. However, just like any other appliance, they do need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains power supply, so we would recommend hiring a professional electrician to ensure that the new hobs are safe to use. A downside of this type of hob is that it's sensitive to pan size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that's either the exact size as the element, or that can fit comfortably into the heating zones on the hob. If the cookware doesn't match the element, it won't recognize it and won't start to heat up the base of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent cooking results and make the hob less energy efficient. Gas on glass hobs Gas on glass hobs offer modern, sleek design. They are more expensive than electric hobs, and could require professional installation. However, they heat up faster – an entire pot of water will typically boil within less than four minutes. This kind of stove is also a great option for cooks who prefer to limit the amount of heat generated. However, it must be noted that a glass hob can be more vulnerable to damage than stainless steel models and will likely need to be cleaned more often, since grease and residue build up tends to stay on the surface instead of sliding off. A fantastic example of a gas-on-glass model is this Bertazzoni hob, that has four matt black monobloc burners that have precise metal control knobs for a an elegant and sophisticated appearance. It also includes an oblong wok ring with 4kW for added versatility, plus pan supports that are dishwasher-safe, making them easy to clean. Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob, which is the look of a sleek slab of toughened glass with the latest cooking technology. The dual ring design at the left of the gas hob provides a double inner burner to increase the distribution of heat and speed up cooking. It also comes with an easy-to-read power level indicator that allows you to control the precise temperature of your flame. You can select from nine pre-defined settings including a high setting for searing a steak and a low setting for scrambled eggs. The simple and intuitive controls were appreciated by our testers who found them to be very easy to use. Some minor disadvantages include the fact that you must physically press the controls nine times to get to the highest temperature and it may be difficult to see the status of the burners through the glass. Some of the best gas-on-glass hobs can be found at an affordable price, such as this Neff model. While it's not going to win any design awards but it can do the job well and is a fantastic addition to your kitchen at just PS120. Electric hobs There are many electric hobs that are perfect for modern households. They not only offer an elegant design that fits into the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functionality that is safer, quicker and more energy-efficient than their predecessors. Ceramic glass hobs are among the most popular electric stoves. These hobs are designed with sleek glazed finishes, and have a surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratches. These hobs also come with a power booster feature which allows you to boost 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 that use electromagnetic fields to directly heat cookware. They are therefore more energy efficient, and they offer precise temperature control. They require a specific type of pan, and can be costly to set up. A gas-on-glass hob is another option that's a great choice for modern homes. It features a burner beneath the glass, which is flat, similar to a conventional gas stove. The glass is heatproof and shatterproof, which makes it easier to clean than glass that is tempered. Many of these hobs come with the “hot surface indicator” that alerts you to the temperature. Gas hobs are a popular choice for many home chefs, but they can be noisy and hard to clean. They also take a while to heat up and cool down and their flames can be hard to control. Electric hobs, on other hand, are more efficient in energy and easier to clean. There are even electric stoves that can be used with LPG gas. You can switch between a variety of fuels, giving you the flexibility you need to adapt to your lifestyle. It is important to note, however, that these stoves will require installation by an approved gas safe engineer and require an appropriate cable of 6mm for your kitchen. They're also not suitable for those with pacemakers, as the electromagnetic field can cause interference with them. Hobs with induction Copper coils create an alternating electric current beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on the hob the coils create magnetic fields that direct heat the pan, instead of heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. Induction hobs are very efficient in energy use, since they don't use any heat. There are a myriad of models of induction hob that range from basic ones with a single cooking zone marked by rings to more sophisticated multi-zoned induction hobs that have up to six zones, allowing the cooking of multiple pots simultaneously on one flex zone. Some of these premium models come with a touch-slider control that is very similar to how you operate on an iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by moving your finger from left to right over the power bar in the middle. Some models have preset settings that are specific to recipes or food types that can cut down time in the kitchen. Induction hobs can be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are believed to be more energy efficient in the long run because they heat up quicker and have a smaller surface for heating up which can help lower your energy costs. They cool quicker, and they are more secure without hot plates. This makes them perfect for families with children or elderly people. However, they do produce magnetic fields that could interfere with some medical devices such as pacemakers therefore it is essential to center your pans over the burner and avoid placing small pans on large burners. As with all electric hobs, you'll need to keep your induction hob clean, as food and debris can build up over time. You can use an oven cleaner, or purchase a specialist cleaner to keep your hob shiny and in good condition for a longer time. Make sure you don't use the abrasive cleaning pads or pads to scour your induction hob since they could scratch the surface.