9 Things Your Parents Taught You About Best Hob

How to Choose the best oven uk hob (Learn Even more Here)

There are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing the best oven hob, from the price to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.

A basic electric ceramic hob could cost as low as PS100 However, you'll need to shell out more to get a high-end model. Gas hobs are a popular option and offer excellent temperature control, but they're pricier.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

With four cooking zones and three functions called 'Push&Go', this stove from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was among the fastest to boil water in our tests, taking just four minutes. It's child-safe and comes with an pause feature, meaning you can stop the process without having to mess around with controls.

Its style is sleek and contemporary and blends well with contemporary kitchens. It is usually made of glass (which is heatproof and shatterproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive, and they sit directly on the worktop.

The controls are intuitive to use and we liked the clear display which tells you the current power settings, and which of the five zones is active. The "Boost" feature generates high-powered heat in a brief time. It is ideal for stir-frying and stovetop rapidly heating up pans. 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 found it took nine presses on the control to achieve the highest temperature, in contrast to six or seven on other models. It also takes longer for the pan to react when you alter the temperature. You may have to adjust the settings several times to achieve the correct heat.

The model measures 60 cm and comes with four cooking zones. One of it is a half-flex zone which allows two areas to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. It features a dual-ring design and can function on both 'normal as well as 'boost' power levels. Boost is ideal for frying and searing meat, or bringing water pans to the rapid boiling point.

It is fully connected to the hOn App, and offers 100's of recipes, guided cooking, and 30 unique programmes divided into different food categories and types of cooking. It has a multislider control panel with a "lockable interface' that detects the type pan you are using to set the proper cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn pan sets and comes with a variety of security features, including the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

When you're doing work in your kitchen, or looking for an alternative to gas, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have slashed dramatically over the last few years. Basic four-zone models can be found at less than PS100. If you want all the bells and whistles that are included in the induction system it's worth the extra cost for the latest innovations.

This sleek model from Smeg features the latest induction technology that makes cooking more efficient and convenient. The innovative Auto-pot detection system automatically detects the position of pots with a minimum diameter of 9cm, which allows you to switch on the appropriate zone without needing to select it manually.

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

The user-friendly interface of this hob impressed testers, thanks to its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edges of it. The color scheme of the control panel lets you quickly see the operating status of each zone, and the 'Flexi Duo' feature allows you to connect two zones to cater for larger pans. There are many useful functions, including four cooking presets that automatically cook (melting boiling slow cooking, keeping warm) and a Power Boost for quick results.

In addition the hob also has an 'FlameSensor' feature that alerts you when there is a risk of fire or food that has been burned. There are a variety of safety features such as the residual heat sensor, as well as an automatic switch-off when the surface is too hot.

It's also hard-wearing with an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to help it resist hard stains and cooking marks. The stove is simple to install and has nine power levels as well as an excellent 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering for large pans. There are some additional features like locking controls and a safety fuse to protect against accidental button pressing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity, not gas. They utilize copper plates to create a magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. They heat up faster than gas hobs and they also use less energy since the cooking zone is only hot when you turn on the pan. They are generally less expensive to run than gas, and they are also less difficult to clean.

Indesit's induction cooktop is packed of features to allow you to be creative when cooking. It has two cooking zones that can be combined to form the Dual Zone for larger pans and the Booster Zone is quick that can bring water to boiling point quickly. A variety of automated functions such as Push&Go let you achieve perfectly cooked dishes at the touch of a button. There are nine power modes that include a 'P boost setting that grants each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily selected using the controls, which are positioned across the bottom of the hob to follow your pans.

The controls are also simple to use and have modern, minimalist designs that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it quickly heated up a pan after we placed it on the Booster Zone, and boiling pasta water. It took a while to cool down after we turned off the hob, and our testers were unable to determine the exact temperature on the control panel.

This Indesit hob also features a bridge function, which allows you to combine two cooking zones for larger pans. It also has an overheating and child lock block, as well as an auto shut-off feature that stops the hob working when it's too hot. The ceramic glass is simple to clean and has no flames visible. Our test subjects were pleased with that. Ventilated hobs, unlike traditional extractors, draw steam and smoke from the pan out of the room by a duct on the surface. The duct on this hob was easy to clean, but it required two people in order to remove the filter.

4. Induction Hob manufactured by General Electric

When selecting a kitchen appliance, consider how it fits to your kitchen's design and layout, in addition to your cooking style and life. For instance, if frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, security features like automatic shut-off and an icy to the touch surface could make an induction hob a better choice. For those who prioritize efficiency and speed, an electric hob with a clean ceramic glass facia is ideal. For those living in regions susceptible to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs uk in power outages may tip the scales in favour of a gas model.