The Most Sour Advice We've Ever Received On Best Hob
How to Choose Best place to buy oven and hob
There are many factors to take into consideration when selecting the best hob, from the price to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding on the features that are essential is vital.
A basic electric ceramic hob could cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to spend more for a feature-packed model. Gas hobs, also well-known and offer excellent temperature control, but are more expensive, are another alternative.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
With four cooking zones and three 'Push&Go' functions this hob from Haier can help you make quick meals. It was one of the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking just four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features an pause feature, meaning you can stop the process without having to fiddle around with controls.
Its design is sleek and modern it blends seamlessly with modern kitchens. It is usually made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and comes with control buttons that sit flush with the worktop for easy use.
The controls are intuitive to operate and we loved the clear display that tells the current power setting and which of the five zones are active. The 'Boost" feature creates powerful heat in a short time. It's ideal for stir-frying and rapidly bringing pans to boil. Safety features such as the light on the hot hob or automatic shut-off are also beneficial.
However it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs tested in this test. We found it took nine presses of the control to achieve the highest temperature, in contrast to seven or six on other models. It takes longer to respond when you change the cooking temperature, so you may have to change settings several times before your pan reaches the right heat.
This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones. One of it is a half-flex zone that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pots or pans. Dual-ring design permits 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 a rapid boil.
It's fully integrated with the hOn app and comes with hundreds of recipes that include guided cooking and 30 special programs divided into different food categories and types of preparation. It has an intuitive multislider interface and a 'lockable control panel. In addition, it is able to automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set the proper cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans from third parties and has various safety features like a lockable panel and boil-dry prevention.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Whether you're having work done on your kitchen or simply looking for an alternative to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have dropped drastically in the last few years. Basic four-zone models are now sold for less than PS100. If you want the latest induction technology, it is worth paying a little more.
This sleek model from Smeg comes with the most modern induction technology to make your cooking energy-efficient and convenient. The unique Auto-pot detection system automatically detects the location of pots with minimum diameters of 9cm, which allows you to select the correct zone without needing to select it manually.
Smeg's emphasis on energy efficiency does not leave out flexibility too This hob is designed to save power by altering the maximum operating temperature of the zones to meet your cooking needs. Eco-Logic advanced mode enables you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW.
ovens -friendly interface of this cooker impressed testers, with its intuitive sliding controls that follow your pan along the edges of it. ovens -coded design makes it easy to identify the state of each zone. The "Flexi Duo" function lets the connection of two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are a variety of useful functions including four automatic cooking presets: melting boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.
In addition to this the hob also has an 'FlameSensor' feature that alerts you when there is a risk of fire or burnt-on food. There are many safety features, including a residual heat sensor and an automatic shut-off if the surface becomes too hot.
It is also resistant to tough stains and features an anti-smudge coating called CleanProtect. The hob is simple to set up and comes with nine power levels and an excellent 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering to large pans. There are a few bonus features, such as control locks, as well as a safety fuse to prevent accidental button pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They make use of copper plates to generate a magnetic force when a pot or pan is placed on them. This means that they can reach a temperature more quickly than gas hobs, and can also reduce energy consumption since the cooking zone only gets hot when you turn on a pan. They are generally cheaper to operate than gas, and they are also less difficult to clean.
Indesit's induction hob is full of features to allow you to be creative when cooking. It comes with two cooking zones that can be combined to create the Dual Zone for larger pans as well as a rapid Booster zone to bring water to a boiling point quickly. For instance, the Push&Go allows you to cook perfectly at the touch a button. Nine power modes, including a 'P boost' setting that gives each zone maximum power for 5 minutes, can be easily set using the controls, which move across the bottom of the cooktop to follow the pans.
The controls are also easy to operate and feature a modern, minimalist design that is perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests it quickly heated up a pan when we placed it on the Booster Zone and boiling pasta water. However, it took some time to cool down after we shut off the hob and our testers found it difficult to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel.
As well as having a Dual Zone and Push&Go feature, this Indesit hob has a useful bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It also has a child lock and an overheating block, as well as an auto switch-off system that stops the hob working when it's heated to the point of. Our test participants were impressed that there weren't any visible flames or flammable substances and the glass was easy to clean. Unlike a traditional extractor hood vented hobs draw heat and smoke out of the pan and out of the room via an air duct that is built into the surface. Our experts thought that the duct of this hob was simple to keep clean, although it required two people to lift the filter to change it.
4. Induction Hob manufactured by GE
Consider how the hob can be able to fit into your kitchen's layout and design and what your cooking style. For example, if you often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as automatic shut-off and cool to the touch surface can make an induction stove the best option. Alternatively, for those who value efficiency and speed an electric hob that has a glass face that is wipe-clean is a great choice. For those living in regions prone to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs in power cuts may make the difference in favor of gas models.