How to Choose the Best Hob
When selecting the ideal hob there are a lot of aspects to take into consideration. From cost to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.
A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as little as PS100 However, you'll need to pay more for a model with a lot of features. Gas hobs are a popular choice and provide great temperature control, however they are more expensive.
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 among the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking just four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features an option to pause the process, so you can quickly stop the process without having to mess around with controls.
Its design is modern and sleek it blends seamlessly with modern kitchens. It's typically made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and comes with control buttons that sit on top of the worktop to allow to make it easy to use.
The controls were simple to operate and we appreciated the display that displays the current power level as well as which zone is in use. The 'Boost' feature generates high-powered heat for a short duration, and is perfect for stir-frying or bringing pans of boiling water to the boil quickly. Safety features such as the hob light that is hot and automatic shutoff are useful.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs in this test. We found that it took nine presses of the control to attain the highest temperature as opposed to seven or six on other models. It takes longer to respond when you change the cooking temperature, meaning you may have to change settings multiple times before your pan reaches the right heat.
This 60 cm model features four cooking zones. One of them is a half-flex zone which allows two areas to easily be joined to accommodate larger pots or pans. It has a dual-ring design that can function on both 'normal' and 'boost power levels. The Boost model is great for frying, searing meat or bringing pots of water to the rapid boiling point.
It's fully connected through the hOn app and comes with 100's of recipes with cooking instructions and 30 different programmes split into different food categories and preparation types. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface as well as a lockable' control panel, plus it will automatically recognize the kind of pan you're using and set the proper cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans from third parties and has several safety features such as a lockable panel and boil-dry prevention.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
If you're working in your kitchen, or searching for a substitute to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have slashed dramatically over the last few years. The basic four-zone models are now sold at less than PS100. If you want all the bells and whistles that include induction, 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 convenient. The revolutionary Auto-pot detection technology automatically recognises the position of pots that have minimum diameters of 9cm, allowing you to activate the appropriate zone without having to manually select it.
Smeg's main focus is on energy savings but it doesn't forget the flexibility of this appliance - it can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum temperatures that the zones can operate at. There are 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 check here kW.
Testers were impressed by the user-friendly interface of this hob that has intuitive controls that move along the edges of the hob in order to follow your pan. The control panel's color scheme lets you quickly see the operating status of each zone, and the Flexi Duo function allows you to connect two zones to cater for larger pans. There are numerous useful functions including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.
The hob also comes with a FlameSensor that can alert you in the event of a meal that's been burned or the possibility of a fire. There are many safety features such as a residual heat sensor and an automatic switch-off when the surface is too hot.
It is also resistant to hard stains and comes with an anti-smudge coating called CleanProtect. The hob is simple to install and comes with nine power levels and the handy FlexiDuo feature that allows catering for large pans. There are several bonus features such as locking controls and an emergency fuse to stop accidental pressing of buttons.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They utilize copper plates to create magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. They heat up faster than gas hobs and they also use less energy because the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on your pan. They are generally cheaper to operate than gas, and they are also less difficult to clean.
This induction hob by Indesit is packed full of features that make it easy to be creative in the kitchen. It has two separate cooking zones that can be combined to create the Dual Zone for larger pots and an accelerated Booster zone that can bring water to boil quickly. The Push&Go feature, for instance, allows you to cook with perfection with the click of a button. And nine power modes, including a 'P boost setting that grants each zone maximum power for 5 minutes, can be easily selected using the controls, which move along the bottom edge of the cooktop to follow the pans.
The controls are also easy to operate and feature an elegant, minimalist design that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests it quickly heated up a pan when we placed it on the Booster Zone and pasta water that was boiling. It took some time to cool down after we turned off the hob, and our testers had difficulty seeing the exact temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also comes with a bridge function, which allows you to combine two cooking zones for larger pans. It has a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off feature that stops the hob from working when it gets too hot. The ceramic glass is easy to clean and has no visible flames. Our test subjects were pleased with that. Contrary 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 on this hob was easy to clean, though it took two people to lift the filter to change it.
4. GE Induction Hob
When selecting a kitchen appliance, consider how it fits into your kitchen's design and layout, as well as your cooking style and life. For example, if you often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, security features such as an automatic shut-off feature and an icy to the touch surface may make an induction cooker a better choice. If you value efficiency and speed, an electric hob with a glass face that is wipe-clean is ideal. Gas hobs are a good choice for those who live in areas prone to power outages.