The Worst Advice We ve Heard About Best Hob

How to Choose the Best Hob

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best ovens and hobs hob, from cost to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding on the features that are important is essential.

A basic ceramic electric hob costs less than PS100. However you'll have to pay more for one with many features. Gas hobs, also popular ovens and hobs uk offer great temperature control, but are more expensive, are a different option.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

This Haier hob has four cooking zones, three 'Push&Go" functions, and will help you prepare quick meals. It was one of the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking only four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features an pause feature, meaning you can quickly stop the process without having to mess around with the controls.

Its design is sleek, contemporary and blends well with modern kitchens. It is typically made of glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and sit flush on the worktop.

The controls are intuitive to use, and we appreciated the clear display which tells the current power setting, and which of the five zones is active. The 'Boost" feature generates high-powered heat in a brief time. It's ideal to stir fry and speedily bringing pans to boil. The hob uk's light that is hot and auto shut-off are great safety features, too.

However, it's not as sensitive to touch as other hobs in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, in comparison to seven or six for other models. It also takes longer to react when you alter the High-Quality cooking appliances temperature, meaning you may need to alter settings multiple times before your pan is at the right temperature.

The model in 60 cm has four cooking zones, including a half-flex area where two areas can be joined together to accommodate larger pots and pans. The dual-ring design allows it to be operated with both "normal" and "boost" power levels. The Boost model is great for frying, searing meat or bringing pans of water to the rapid boil.

It's fully integrated with the hOn app and comes with 100's of recipes with guided cooking and 30 unique programs divided into different food categories and preparation types. It has an intuitive multislider interface as well as a lockable control panel. In addition, it is able to automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set the right cooking mode. It also works with third-party hOn pan sets and comes with a variety of safety features, like 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 looking for a gas-free option. Prices have slashed 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 more to get the latest technology.

This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology to make cooking more efficient and energy efficient. The Auto-pot detection system detects pots with an overall diameter of at least 9 centimetres and automatically will activate the appropriate zone.

Smeg's attention to energy savings doesn't overlook flexibility either - this hob is designed to conserve power by altering the maximum operating temperature of the zones to suit your cooking requirements. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to conserve more energy by reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW.

Testers were impressed with the user-friendly interface of this hob with easy-to-use controls that move along the edge of the hob, allowing it to follow your pan. The control panel's colour-coded scheme makes it easy to identify the status of each zone. The "Flexi duo" feature lets you connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are many useful functions, including four automated cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.

The hob also comes with a FlameSensor that can alert you if there's a danger of a burnt-on meal or an igniting fire. There are a variety of safety features, such as a residual heat indicator as well as an auto switch-off if the surface becomes too hot.

It is also resistant to hard stains and comes with a protective coating of CleanProtect. This hob is easy to install and has nine power levels as well as a handy 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering to large pans. There are some additional features like locking controls and a safety fuse to prevent accidental button pressing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Powered by electricity rather than gas, induction stoves utilize copper plates that create an electromagnetic field when a pan is placed on the top. They are able to heat up faster than gas hobs, and they use less energy since the cooking zone is only hot when you turn on your pan. They are generally cheaper to run than gas, and they are also simpler to clean.

The induction hob made by Indesit is packed full of features that make it easy to create your own ideas in the kitchen. It has two cooking zones that can be combined to form the Dual Zone for larger pots and a rapid Booster zone to bring water to a boiling point quickly. A range of functions that are automatic like Push&Go allow you to create perfectly cooked meals at the touch of a button. The controls are simple to operate and let you select nine power modes, including a P boost setting that gives maximum power in each zone for five minutes.

The controls are easy to operate, and the minimalist design is ideal for modern kitchens. In our tests, it cooked pasta water in a snap and quickly heated up once we placed an oven in the Booster zone. However, it took some time to cool off after we turned off the hob. Our testers found it difficult to see the exact temperatures on the control panel.

Alongside the Dual Zone and Push&Go feature, this Indesit hob comes with a bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It comes with a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic switch-off system which prevents the oven uk from operating when it becomes too hot. Our testers appreciated the fact that there weren't any messy, visible flames and the ceramic glass was easy to clean. In contrast to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw steam and smoke out of the pan and out of the room via an air duct on the surface. Our experts believed that the duct of this hob was simple to clean, though it required two people to lift the filter to change it.

4. Induction Hob by GE

When choosing a new hob, consider how it fits to your kitchen's style and layout, as well as your cooking style and your lifestyle. For instance, if you frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, security features like an automatic shut-off or cool to the touch surface may make an induction hob an ideal choice. For those who are looking for speed and efficiency using a ceramic glass facia on an electric hob is the ideal alternative. Gas hobs are an excellent option for those who live in areas that are susceptible to power outages.