How to Choose the Best Hob
When deciding on the best hob to buy there are a lot of aspects to take into account. From cost to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding on the features that are essential is vital.
A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to shell out more for a feature-packed model. Gas hobs, which are popular and provide 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 stove from Haier can help you make quick meals. It was also among the quickest tested to boil water, taking less than four minutes. It's child-safe and comes with a pause function, so you can quickly stop the process without having to fiddle around with the controls.
Its design is modern and sleek and blends well with modern kitchens. It's usually made from glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and has touch controls that sit flush with the worktop for easy use.
The controls are easy to operate and we loved the clear display which tells the current power setting, and which of the five zones are active. The 'Boost" feature generates powerful heat in a short time. It is ideal for stir-frying and rapidly heating up pans. The hob's hot light and auto shut-off are great safety features, too.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs tested in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, as opposed to six or seven for other models. It also takes longer for the pan to react when you change the temperature. It is possible to adjust the settings multiple times to get the right temperature.
This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex, where two areas can easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. It comes with a dual-ring design and can function on both 'normal and boost' power levels. It is great for cooking meat, searing it or quickly making water come to a quick boil.
It is fully connected through the hOn App and has hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 unique programmes divided into different food categories and types of cooking. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface, as well as a lockable' control panel, plus it will automatically recognize the type of pan you're using and set the proper cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and has a range of safety features, such as the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs have become increasingly popular, whether you're renovating your kitchen or are looking for a gas-free alternative. Prices have dropped over the past few years, with basic four-zone models costing less than PS100. But if you want all the bells and whistles that come with induction, it's worth paying extra to get the latest technology.
This sleek model from Smeg features the latest induction technology that makes cooking more efficient and convenient. The Auto-pot detection system recognizes pots with an overall diameter of at least 9cm and then automatically selects the appropriate zone.
Smeg's main focus is on energy savings, but it doesn't ignore flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to conserve energy based on the highest operating temperatures of the zones. There are other options to save energy with the Eco-Logic advance mode, which reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as low as 2.4 4 kW.
The user-friendly interface of this hob was a hit with testers, thanks to its intuitive sliding controls that follow your pan's edge the edges of it. The control panel's color-coded design makes it easy to identify the state of each zone. The 'Flexi Duo" function lets you connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are a variety of useful features, including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.
The oven also comes with a FlameSensor which will alert you in the event of a meal that's been burned or an igniting fire. There are a variety of safety features, such as a residual heat indicator and an auto switch-off if the surface becomes too hot.
It also has a protective CleanProtect coating to help it resist hard marks and stains from cooking. The stove is simple to install and has nine power levels as well as the handy FlexiDuo feature for catering to large pans. There are also a variety of bonus features, such as locking controls 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 generate magnetic force when a pot or pan is placed on them. This means that they can reach a temperature more read more quickly than gas hobs, and also save energy as the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on the pan. They're generally less expensive to run than gas and are easier to clean making them an extremely popular option.
Indesit's induction cooktop is packed of features to allow you to get creative in the cooking. It has two separate cooking zones that can be combined to create the Dual Zone for larger pans and an accelerated Booster zone to bring water to a boil quickly. Push&Go, for example, allows you to cook perfectly by pressing the button. The controls are simple to operate and allow you to select nine power modes including the P boost option which gives the highest power in each zone for five minutes.
The controls are simple to use, and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it boiled pasta water in a flash and quickly heated up when we put an oven in the Booster zone. It took a while to cool down after we turned off the hob, and our test subjects had difficulty seeing the exact temperature on the control panel.
Alongside having a Dual Zone and Push&Go, the Indesit hob comes with a bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to suit larger pans. It also has a child lock and an overheating block and an auto switch-off system that stops the hob working when it's too hot. Our testers appreciated the fact that there were no visible flames or flammable substances and the ceramic glass was easy to wipe clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw steam and smoke out of the pan and out of the room through a duct in the surface. Our experts thought this hob's duct was easy to keep clean, although it required two people to lift the filter to change it.
4. Induction Hob manufactured by GE
Consider how the hob will fit into your kitchen's layout and design, as well as what your cooking style is. Induction hobs are an excellent choice for cooking with kids or elderly in mind. They have safety features such as automatic shut-offs and a cool to touch surface. Alternatively, for those who value speed and efficiency an electric hob that has a clean ceramic glass facia is the best choice. Gas hobs are an excellent option for those who live in areas susceptible to power outages.