How to Choose the Best Hob

There are lots of factors to take into consideration when selecting the best oven uk best hob uk, from cost to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding on the features that are essential is vital.

A basic electric ceramic stove can cost as low as PS100 however, you'll have to shell out more for a feature-packed model. Gas hobs, also well-known and offer excellent temperature control but are more expensive, are a different option.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

With four cooking zones and three 'Push&Go' functions, this hob from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was also one of the quickest tested to boil water, taking less than four minutes. It comes with an child lock and the ability Best place to buy oven and hob pause, which means you can stop the process quickly without having to fiddle with controls.

Its design is sleek, modern and is a great match for modern kitchens. It is usually made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and comes with control buttons that sit on top of the worktop to allow for easy use.

The controls are easy to operate and we loved the clear display that informs you the current power settings and which of the five zones are active. The 'Boost' feature creates high-powered heat for a short period of time. It is perfect for stir-frying or bringing pans of water to a boil fast. Safety features such as the hot hob light and automatic shutoff are useful.

However, it's not as sensitive to touch as other hobs we tested. We observed that it took nine presses of the control to achieve the highest temperature, compared with seven or six on other models. It takes longer to react when you alter the temperature of cooking, which means you might have to alter settings several times before your pan is ready to cook at the proper temperature.

This model is 60cm long and includes four cooking zones, including a half-flex area where two areas can be joined together to accommodate larger pots and pans. It features dual-ring design and can function on both 'normal' and 'boost power levels. It is perfect for cooking and searing meat, or bringing pans of water to a rapid boiling point.

It's fully connected via the hOn app, and offers 100's of recipes, with guided cooking and 30 special programmes split into different food categories and preparation styles. It has an intuitive multislider interface as well as a lockable' control panel, plus it is able to automatically detect the kind of pan you're using and set the right cooking mode. It's also compatible with hOn pans made by third parties and has various security features, including a lockable panel as well as boil-dry prevention.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

When you're doing work in your kitchen, or seeking a better alternative to gas, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped drastically in the past few years. The basic four-zone models are now available for less than PS100. If you want the latest induction technology, it is worth paying a bit more.

This sleek-looking model from Smeg boasts the latest induction technology to make your cooking energy efficient and convenient. The revolutionary Auto-pot detection technology automatically recognises the position of pots that have minimum diameters of 9 cm, allowing you to select the correct zone without having to manually select it.

Smeg's main focus is on energy savings however, it doesn't overlook flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to save energy based on the highest temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to reduce energy consumption by reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW.

The user-friendly interface of this hob impressed testers, with its intuitive sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edge of it. The color scheme of the control panel lets you quickly see the operating status of each zone, while the Flexi Duo function allows you to connect two zones to cater for larger pans. There are numerous useful functions, including four automated cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.

The oven also comes with a FlameSensor that can alert you in the event of a meal that's been burned or a fire. There are many safety features such as the residual heat sensor, as well as an automatic switch-off when the surface gets too hot.

It also resists tough stains, and has a CleanProtect protective coating. This model has nine power levels and an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to accommodate large pans and is simple to set up. There are also a number of extra features, including locking controls and an emergency fuse in the event of accidental button-pushing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity, not gas. They use copper plates to create an electric force when a pan or pot is placed on them. This means that they can reach a temperature much quicker than conventional gas hobs, and also conserve energy since the cooking zone only heats up when you turn on a pan. They are generally cheaper to run than gas, and they are also simpler to clean.

Indesit's induction stove is packed full of features to allow you to get creative in the cooking. It comes with two distinct zones which can be combined into the Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as a rapid booster zone to quickly bring the water to a boil. The Push&Go feature, for instance, allows you to cook with perfection with the click of the button. The controls are simple to use and allow you to select nine power options, including the P boost option that provides maximum power to each zone for five minutes.

The controls are simple to operate, and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it swiftly heated up a pan when we placed it on the Booster Zone and pasta water that was boiling. It took a while to cool down after turning off the hob, and the testers could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel.

This Indesit hob also has a bridge function, which allows you to combine two cooking zones to make larger pans. It also comes with an overheating and child lock block, as well as an auto switch-off system that shuts down the hob when it's heated to the point of. Ceramic glass is easy to clean and has no visible flames. Our test subjects were pleased with the fact that there was no visible flame. In contrast to traditional extractor hoods, vented hobs oven draw steam and smoke out of the pan and out of the room through an air duct that is built into the surface. The duct on this hob was easy to clean, but it took two people to take the filter out.

4. Induction Hob by GE

When selecting a hob, consider how it fits into your kitchen's design and layout, and also your cooking style and your lifestyle. For example, if you frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as an automatic shut-off or an icy to the touch surface can make an induction hob a better choice. For those who value efficiency and speed, an electric stove with a glass face that is wipe-clean is ideal. For those who live in areas prone to load-shedding, the capability Best place to buy oven and hob use gas hobs during power outages may make the difference in favor of a gas model.