Types of Hob and Oven
Hobs and ovens are common feature in most kitchens. They are available in a variety of styles. You can mix and match different varieties such as domino, electric and gas to fit your cooking needs.
A hob may also come with safety features, such as child and position controls. These features will prevent children from accidentally altering the heat setting or touching the hob.
Types
The hob is the main focal point of any kitchen and has a huge impact on the results of your cooking. There are a variety of hobs, and the one you select will depend on your cooking needs.
Gas hobs are a popular option. They are quick to heat up and respond immediately to temperature fluctuations. Professional chefs prefer them because they offer precise control. They are not as easy as other hobs to clean and could require more care.
Electric hobs feature a flat ceramic surface with heated elements underneath. They come in a variety of sizes and come with up to six cooking zones. Each zone has its own heating element that can be controlled by you. This allows you to boil potatoes on one ring and cooking sausages in a different. This type of hob is able to be faster to heat than gas and provides a child-safe alternative since the cooking area only heats up when you place a pan on it.
Ceramic hobs are a chic and user-friendly alternative to electric and gas hobs. They have a smooth, durable surface that is easy clean, but they aren't as fast at responding to temperature changes like other hobs, and may be slower to cool down.
Domino hobs can be a space-saving alternative to gas and electric hobs that combine ovens below the cooking surface. They are perfect for kitchens that have little space. They are also suitable for kitchenettes and flats. They are typically less expensive than a standard hob and can be extremely energy efficient however they are also fragile and require more attention than other types of cookers.
Gas
A gas hob is a cooktop with burners that can be installed in kitchen countertops to create an elegant look. They are typically used with natural or the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) however they can be powered by propane gas. They have a modern and sleek design that can give a sophisticated touch to your modular kitchen.
A traditional gas stove comes with a number of burners. The majority of them are four burners, but it could be up to six. The flames are ignited using the use of a match or the knob. The flames are controlled by a set of valves which can be adjusted to regulate the temperature.
The majority of modern gas stoves built-in, on the other hand are equipped with burners that have multiple flames. hobs and ovens lets you control both the outer and inner rings of each burner to allow you to precisely control the cooking. They are also much more efficient and more reliable than earlier models.
In the past, it was necessary for the gas stove to be lit at all times to ensure that the burners were hot and fuelled. This was a security feature to avoid accidents such as not turning off the oven while the stove was still lit by a match or pilot flame. Modern cookers have been built with safety as a priority. They come equipped with a flame failure device that shuts off the burners when the pilot light fails to work.
Gas stoves and hobs have to be regularly inspected and cleaned as well as maintained. The best way to do this is to arrange a maintenance visit with a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. Not only will they be able check your appliance is working correctly and safely, but they will also provide professional advice and guidance on how to prevent any issues in the future.
Electric
A quality hob is just as crucial when it comes to making your kitchen the best it can be. Worktops, refrigerators freezers and ovens are the first things that come to your mind. The type of hob you choose will affect the way your kitchen functions and also how easy it is to clean.
Electric hobs have heating elements that are placed on a smooth glass surface which is typically cleaned using an non-abrasive cleaner. These elements are activated when you turn the hob on and can be adjusted to a variety of power levels by turning or pressing on a knob. They can take a little longer to heat up than a gas cooker but once they have done so, they usually provide better, consistent temperature control. They come with built-in indicators that let you know whether a space is hot or not.
These rings are available in four to six sizes and can be notch-up up to different power levels. They are ideal for cookware that is flat but aren't the best choice for cast iron pans because they can get hot. Some models come with dual-ring designs (such as the Belling BEL CH602T) that allow you to boil water on one ring and sauté sausages on the other. Some models even come with a 'boost' feature that concentrates the power of high-powered heat into one ring to stir fry cooking sauteing meats, searing or boiling large pots of water.
Induction hobs are different from regular electric models because they employ electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware, rather than the conventional method of gas flames. This enables them to achieve precise temperatures in a shorter period of time, making them extremely energy efficient. They have a cool to the touch surface, and flashing indicators that indicate if a ring has been used or is still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramics can be used to create functional or decorative objects. It is made by mixing clay, earthen elements powders, water and other elements to an exact shape, and then fired in a very high-temperature oven called the kiln. Once it's made it can be decorated or covered with decorative materials to add texture and color.
Ceramic hobs are a perfect blend of design and function to make an exquisite piece of modern kitchen furniture. They work by using radiant heating technology, which passes an electric current through the coiled elements hidden beneath the black glass surface of the hob. They generate heat when activated, and this is transferred to your pan through an infrared system. You can adjust the level of heating by using the knobs or touch controls.
Some ceramic hobs are dual ring designs that have one smaller and a larger cooking area, allowing you to choose the best size for your pan. You can also purchase hobs with boosters that produce high-powered heat rapidly. This is great for searing food or bringing pans to boil fast.
Ceramic cooktops are more energy efficient than other kinds of hobs due to the fact that they take longer to heat up and change temperatures. You can also select vented hobs that incorporate a ventilation system with the cooktop made of ceramic. This makes sure that smoke, steam, and cooking smells do not stay in your home.
Induction
Induction hobs are equipped with heating elements composed of copper wire coils. They generate electromagnets which make the pans hot on top of them. The coils agitate the free electrons within the base of your pan and then transfer heat evenly and directly to your food. The surface of the hob is never hot, and the cooking zones are automatically shut off when the pan is removed.
Induction hobs tend to be more expensive, but they also get hotter faster and use 30 to 70% less energy than gas or other types. They are also easier to clean, because the surface of the hob isn't heated, but the contents of the pan do.
Certain manufacturers offer an induction model with additional features, for instance the pause feature that shuts off energy to your stove when you walk away, or the ability to connect two cooking rings at the same time for more flexibility. These are sometimes called FlexInduction hobs. They may be more costly than traditional induction models, however, they're worth considering when multitasking is important to you.
Our top choice is this induction hob made by Smeg, which has four cooking zones that are large enough, a bridge function and nine power levels that give you plenty of choice for the ambitious cook. It performed well in our test with fast heating and accurate control when making pancakes. The hob has dishwasher built-in, as well as automatic pan detection to make cleaning much easier. There's a small selection of pans that are compatible it cannot be used for cooking with appliances that have a magnetic base. This can be a problem if you have a large quantity of cookware that is not compatible or only the smallest portion is compatible with induction cooktops.