15 Things You Don't Know About Hobs Oven
Types of Hobs
A hob (known as stove tops in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats up pans by using electricity or flames. There are several different types of hobs, so you can choose one that is best suited to your preferences and kitchen.
Induction hobs come with an elongated ceramic cooking surface and include four or five zones for heating your pans. The modern touch-operated designs look sleek and stylish and are easy to clean.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs provide modern and sleek design that can really improve the overall look of your kitchen. They have a flat glass ceramic surface that's easy to clean, meaning spills and splatters can be quickly cleaned. They are quick to heat up and are energy efficient, which can reduce the cost of electricity. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they may be slow in changing the temperature which can be a problem if you're cooking something that requires immediate reduction or increase in heat.
Electric hobs are comprised of a solid surface that is heated from below by electric elements. The elements can be individually controlled using rotary knobs and notched up to the level of power you require. You can use the Boost feature to boost the temperature of a certain area. Ceramic hobs retain heat very well, so even when they've been shut off, they'll be hot to the touch. This could be a problem when you have children, so it's advisable to install them in an area which is far from any flammable items and out of reach of young children.
The benefit of this kind of hob is that it can be set up on a variety of worktops, including laminate or solid wood, as well as granite. It is also relatively inexpensive and can be an excellent option if you want to replace your stove without spending a lot. Like all appliances, they need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains. We recommend hiring an electrician to ensure the new hobs are safe to use.
This kind of hob is sensitive to pan shapes and sizes. It is necessary to purchase cookware that's either the exact dimensions as the element or that will fit comfortably inside each heating zone on the hob. If the cookware isn't compatible the element, it will not recognize it and won't start to heat the base of the pan. This could result in inconsistent cooking results and will make the hob less energy efficient.
Gas on glass hobs
Glass hobs with gas have a sleek and modern design. They can be more expensive than electric models and require professional installation. However they heat up faster as an entire pot of water can typically boil in less than four minutes. This kind of hob is also a great choice for cooks who want to regulate the amount of heat produced. Glass hobs are more prone to damage and require more frequent cleaning since they are more likely to accumulate grease and residue.
A fantastic example of a gas on glass model is this Bertazzoni hob, that has four matt black monobloc burners with accurate metal control knobs for a an elegant and sophisticated look. The wok ring has a power of 4kW for extra versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher safe.
This Bosch gas hob is another highly recommended model. It combines a stylish piece of toughened glass and modern cooking technology. The dual rings to the left of the hob has a double inner flame to improve uniform heat distribution which speeds up cooking times. It also features a handy power indicator that helps you to control the precise temperature of the flame. You can select from nine pre-defined settings including the high setting for searing steak and the low setting for scrambled eggs.
Our test subjects also appreciated the controls as they were easy to use and intuitive. There are a few minor disadvantages, for instance, you have to press the controls a further nine times before reaching the maximum heating level, and that the glass can make it difficult to discern what the burners are doing.
This Neff model is among the top gas-on-glass hobs that are available at an affordable price. It's not likely to win any design awards but it'll perform the task and be an excellent addition to your kitchen at just over 120 dollars.
Electric hobs
There are a number of electric hobs that are ideal for modern homes. Not only do they have a sleek design that fits in with the rest of your kitchen, but they also provide advanced functions that are safer, quicker and more energy-efficient than their predecessors.
One of the most popular electric hobs is a ceramic hob. They are designed with sleek glazed finishes, and have a surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratches. These hobs are also fitted with a power booster feature which allows you to boost your heat for a short period of time.
Another electric hob that is ideal for modern homes is an induction hob. Induction hobs cook your food directly with electromagnetic fields unlike traditional electric plates and gas stoves. This means they are more energy efficient and have precise temperature control. However they require a certain kind of pan to function and are costly to install.
A gas on glass hob is another option that's a great option for modern homes. Similar to a standard gas hob, it comes with a burner beneath an underlying layer of flat glass. However the glass is heatproof and shatterproof, so it's much simpler to clean than glass that's tempered. A lot of these hobs come with the "hot surface indicator" that alerts you to the heat.
Gas hobs are a popular choice for a lot of home cooks However, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. The flame can be difficult to control and take some time to get hot and cool off. Electric hobs on the other side, are more efficient in energy and easier to clean.
There are even electric stoves that work with LPG gas. Continue allows you to switch between various fuel sources, meaning you can adjust your cooking to adapt to your lifestyle. It's important to keep in mind that these stoves must be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and will require a dedicated 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. They're not suitable for people who have pacemakers, as the electromagnetic field may interfere with them.
Hobs with induction
On the glass surface of the induction hobs, there are copper coils which run an electrical current that is alternating. When an induction-compatible pan is placed on the hob the coils generate magnetic fields which direct heat the pan, rather than heating a surface of the worktop or heated plate. This makes induction hobs very efficient from an energy perspective because there's no leftover heat being wasted.
There are a myriad of models of induction hob that range from basic ones that have a single cooking zone marked by rings to more advanced multi-zoned induction hobs that can have up to six zones, allowing the cooking of multiple pots simultaneously on one flexible zone. Certain models have the ability to control the temperature using a slider that's similar to the iPhone. You can select the desired temperature by moving your finger from left to right over the power bar located in the middle. Certain models can even be programmed with settings for certain recipes or food types that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen.
Induction hobs are more expensive than ceramic hobs. However they are also more efficient in the long term. They heat up faster and have a smaller heating area which can reduce the cost of energy. They also cool faster and have a more secure design with no hot plates, which makes them perfect for families with children or older people who live in the house. However, they do produce magnetic fields that could cause interference with medical devices like pacemakers therefore it is essential to center your pans over the burner and avoid placing small pans on large burners.
As with all electric hobs, you'll have to keep your induction hob clean, since food particles and other debris can build up over time. You can either make use of a basic oven cleaning product or invest in a specialist one to keep your hob in good condition and shiny for a longer time. Just be sure to never use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads on your induction cooker as they could scratch the surface.