Types of Hob and Oven
A hob and oven is commonplace in kitchens and is available in a variety of styles. You can mix different types, such as electric and gas, to suit your needs.
A hob can also have safety features like child and control of the position. They can stop children from touching the hob, and prevent them from changing the temperature settings in error.
Types
In every kitchen, the hob is at the center of the room and can play a huge part in how your food comes out. There are many different types of hobs available, and which one you select will depend on your cooking needs.
Gas hobs are the most popular choice and offer a fast heating function and instant response to temperature fluctuations. They are a popular option for professional chefs because they offer precise control. However, they are not as easy to clean as other hobs, and they may require a higher degree of maintenance.
Electric hobs have a flat ceramic surface and heated elements beneath. They come in different sizes and with four 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 whilst making sausages in another. This type of hob is able to be faster to heat than gas and is a child-safe option as the cooking zone is only heated when you place a pan on it.
Traditional ceramic hobs are a very comfortable alternative to gas and electric and are also a very stylish option. They have an extremely smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However they aren't as quick to respond to temperature changes or cool down as other hobs.
The Domino hob is a space-saving alternative to electric and gas hobs. It has ovens underneath the cooking surface. They can be incorporated into smaller kitchens that have limited installation space and are suitable for kitchenettes and flats. They are often cheaper than a standard hob and can be extremely energy efficient however they can be brittle and require more attention than other types of cooker.
Gas
A gas hob is a cooktop that has burners that can be installed into kitchen countertops for an elegant look. They are usually powered by natural or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) but can also be powered by propane gas. They are sleek and modern design that can bring a touch of class to your modular kitchen.
A traditional gas stove is equipped with a variety of burners. Usually there are four burners, but it could be as many as six. The burners can be lit by a match or a knob. The flames are controlled by the valves that can be adjusted to regulate temperature.
In contrast, most modern built-in gas hob s have multi-flame burners that allow you to regulate the outer and inner rings of each burner to precisely manage your cooking. These types of burners allow for much faster heating times and are more reliable than traditional ones.
Traditionally, it was necessary to keep a gas stove lit continuously to ensure that the burners were constantly fueled and hot. This was to avoid accidents, like accidentally turning on an oven while the stove is still lit with the help of a match or a pilot light. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind and have a built-in flame failure device that shuts down the burners immediately should the pilot light fail.
Gas stoves and hobs require to be regularly checked, cleaned and maintained. The best way to accomplish this is to book an appointment for maintenance with a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only ensure that your appliance is operating correctly, but also offer expert guidance on how to avoid any future problems.
Electric
When it comes to creating your perfect kitchen the countertops, fridge freezer and oven will always get the most attention but the quality of your hob is equally important. If you choose a conventional, induction or gas cooker, the kind of hob you pick can impact how your kitchen operates and how easy it is to keep clean.
Electric hobs are equipped with heating elements that are placed on a smooth, glass surface. This is typically cleaned with a nonabrasive cleaner. The heating elements are activated when you turn on the hob and can be adjusted to various power levels using a control knob. It can take them a little bit longer to heat up however once they are heated, they are in place, they provide more reliable and consistent temperature control. They also have built-in indicators that let you know that a zone is active or hot from cooking.
These rings are available in four to six different sizes and can be notch-up up to various power levels. They are great for cookware with a flat base, but not for cast iron pans, since they can get hot. Certain models (such as Belling BELCH602T) have dual-ring designs which allow you to cook sausages and boil water on the same ring. Some models have a Boost function that concentrates high-temperature elements into one ring. This is helpful for stirring-frying, searing meat or boiling large pots.
Induction hobs differ from normal 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 smaller time frame, which makes them highly energy efficient. They have a cool to the touch surface, and flashing indicators that inform you whether a ring was used or is still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramic is an element that can be made into decorative or practical objects. It's formed by mixing clay, earthen elements powders and water into a specific shape, then fired in a high-temperature oven known as the kiln. Once it's made, it can be covered with paint-like or decorative substances to add color and texture.
Ceramic hobs are a beautiful combination of form and function, sitting comfortably in any modern kitchen. They operate using radiant heating technology that passes an electric current through the coiled elements hidden beneath the black glass surface of the hob. When they are activated, they produce heat, which is then transferred to the pan via an infrared heating system. You can alter the intensity of this heating by controlling the controls via knobs or a touch.
Certain ceramic hobs feature dual rings, which have the smaller and the larger cooking area. This allows you to select the right size for your pan. There are hobs with boosters that produce high-powered heat rapidly. This is great to cook food in or bring pans to boil fast.
As compared to other types of hobs ceramic cooktops generally take longer to warm up and alter temperature however once they do, they're generally more energy-efficient. You can also opt for vented hobs, which integrate ventilation systems with the cooktop made of ceramic. This makes sure that smoke, steam, and cooking smells don't stay in your home.
Induction
Induction hobs contain heating elements that are comprised of copper wire coils. The coils create electromagnets that make the pans hot on the top. The coils agitate the free electrons in the base of your pan, which then transmits heat evenly and directly to your food. The surface of the hob never gets hot and, the moment you remove your pan, the cooking zones turn off automatically.
Induction hobs tend to be more expensive than other types however they're also quicker to heat and consume 30-70% less energy than ceramic or gas hobs. They are also easier to clean as the hob surface itself isn't hot, and only the contents of your pan do.
Certain manufacturers offer an induction model that comes with additional features like a pause function, which cuts the power to your cooker when you step away from it, or connect two cooking rings at the same power level for greater flexibility. They are commonly called FlexInduction hobs and can be more expensive than traditional models, however they're worth a look if you like to multitask.
This induction hob is our favorite. It comes with four cooking zones with a Bridge function and nine power settings, giving you a variety of options for those who are ambitious cooks. It performed well during our test with a fast heating speed and accurate control when making pancakes. The oven comes with dishwasher built-in and automatic pan detection, which makes cleaning much easier. The only problem is that there are only a handful of compatible pans and you can't use it to cook with utensils with magnetic bases. It could be a problem if you have a large quantity of cookware that's not compatible or only some of it is compatible with induction cooktops.