Types of Hob and Oven

Hobs and ovens are a popular feature in many kitchens. They can be found in a variety of styles. You can also mix different types like domino, electric and gas to meet your cooking requirements.

Safety features such as child and position controls can be added to the hob. These can prevent children from touching the hob and stop them from changing the heat settings in error.

Types

In the center of every kitchen, the stove is at the center of the room and plays a major part in how your food comes out. However, there are a variety of kinds of hobs, and the one you pick will depend on what your specific cooking requirements are.

Gas hobs are the classic choice, and they provide a rapid heat-up function and instant reaction to temperature fluctuations. Professional chefs favor them because they are precise in their control. However, they are not as clean as other hobs, and they may require more maintenance.

Electric hobs feature a flat ceramic surface and heated elements beneath. They are available in different sizes and with four to six cooking zones. Each zone is equipped with its own heating element which can be controlled separately by you. This allows you to boil potatoes on one ring while cooking sausages in a different. This kind of hob is quicker to start heating than gas, and also offers a safer alternative for children since the cooking area becomes hot only when you place the pot on it.

Traditional ceramic hobs are a very user-friendly alternative to electric and gas and are also a fashionable option. They have a smooth, durable surface that is easy to clean but aren't as responsive to temperature changes like other hobs, and may be slower to cool down.

The Domino hob is a space-saving alternative to gas and electric hobs. It combines ovens beneath the cooking surface. They can be incorporated into smaller kitchens that have small installation space and work well in kitchenettes and flats. They are typically less expensive than standard hobs and can be extremely energy efficient however they can be brittle and require more attention than other types of cookers.

Gas

A gas hob is a cooking surface with burners that can be incorporated on kitchen countertops to give a seamless look. Gas hobs are usually powered by LPG or natural gas, however they can also be powered with propane gas. They have a sleek and modern design that can give a sophisticated touch to your modular kitchen.

A traditional gas stove comes with a variety of burners. There are usually four, but there can be as many as six. The flames are ignited using a match or by turning the knob. The flames can then be controlled by an array of valves that can be adjusted in temperature.

Contrary to this, modern gas hobs that have built-in gas burners feature multi-flame burners that allow you to control the inner and outer ring of each burner to manage your cooking. These kinds of burners offer faster heat up times and are more reliable than the older models.

Traditionally, it was important to keep a gas stove lit all the time to ensure that the burners were always hot and fuelled. This was done to prevent accidents, such as accidentally turning on an oven while the stove is still lit with a match or pilot light. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind. They include a built-in flame safety device that shuts off burners immediately should the pilot light fail.

Gas stoves and hobs need to be cleaned, checked and maintained regularly. To accomplish this, you must arrange a visit with an Gas Safe registered engineer. Not only will they be able to ensure that your appliance is operating properly and safely, but they will also provide expert advice and suggestions on how to prevent any problems in the future.

Electric

A good hob is equally important in making the perfect kitchen. Worktops, hobs and ovens refrigerators, freezers and ovens are always the first things that come to your mind. Whichever type you choose, conventional, induction or gas cooker the type of hob you select can impact how your kitchen operates and how easy it is to clean.

Electric hobs feature heating elements set beneath a smooth, glass surface. The glass surface is typically cleaned with a nonabrasive cleaning product. The elements turn on when you turn the hob on and can be notched up to a range of power levels by turning or adjusting the control knob. They can take a little longer to heat up than gas cookers, but once they do they are able to provide more regular temperature control. They also have built-in indicators that inform you that a particular zone is being used or hot from cooking.

Typically, these come in a range of four to six sizes of rings that can be notched up to various levels of power. They are ideal for flat-based cookware however they aren't the ideal choice for cast iron pans as they can overheat. Some models have dual-ring designs (such as the Belling BEL CH602T) that allow you to boil water on one ring while you saute sausages on a different. Some models even include a boost function that concentrates the power of high-powered heat into one ring to stir fry cooking, searing meat or boiling large pots of water.

Induction hobs are different from standard electric models because they utilize electromagnetic fields instead of traditional gas flames to cook your food. They can achieve precise temperatures more quickly and are more energy efficient. They have a cool to the touch surface, and flashing indicators that let you know that a ring has been used or is still hot.

Ceramic

Ceramic is an element which can be transformed into useful or decorative objects. It's formed by mixing clay, earthen elements powders, water and other elements to an exact shape, and then fired in a high-temperature oven known as the kiln. Once made it is then covered with paint-like or decorative materials to add colour and texture.

Ceramic hobs are a perfect blend of form and function to create a stunning piece of modern kitchen furniture. Radiant heating technology is employed to heat ceramic hobs by passing an electrical current over coiled elements that are hidden under the black glass surface. They generate heat when activated, and this is then transferred to the pan through an infrared system. You can adjust the strength of this heating by controlling the controls via knobs or buttons.

Some ceramic hobs come with dual-ring designs, having one smaller and one larger cooking zone, allowing you to choose the best hob uk size for your pan. You can also buy hobs with boosters that generate high-powered heat quickly. This is perfect for searing food or bringing pans to boil quickly.

Ceramic cooktops are more energy efficient than other types of best hobs uk because they take longer to heat up and change temperatures. You can also find vented hobs that integrate a ventilation system into the cooktop's ceramic, making sure that the cooking smells don't linger within your home.

Induction

Induction hobs have heating elements made up of copper wire coils. They generate electromagnets which warm the pans that are placed on the top. The coils stir up free electrons in the base metal of your pan, which then transfer heat evenly to your food. The surface of the hob is never hot, and the cooking zones are automatically shut off when your pan is removed.

Induction hobs are usually more expensive than other models however they're also quicker to heat and consume 30 to 70% less energy than ceramic or gas hobs. Induction hobs are also easier to clean since only the interior of the pan gets hot, not the surface.

Some manufacturers offer a special induction model that has additional features like a pause function that cuts off the power to your cooker whenever you move away from it, or link up two cooking rings simultaneously at the same power level to provide additional flexibility. They are commonly referred to as FlexInduction hobs and can be more expensive than traditional induction models, but they're worth considering if you like to multitask.

This induction hob is our favorite. It comes with four large cooking zones with a Bridge function and nine power settings, giving you a variety of options for ambitious cooks. In our tests, it performed well with precise control and quick heating when making pancakes. The hob has dishwasher built-in and automatic pan detection to make cleaning easier. There's a small selection of compatible pans, and it can't be used for cooking with utensils that have magnetic bases. It can be a problem if have a large amount of cookware that's not compatible or only the smallest portion is compatible with induction hobs.