How to Choose the Best Hob
When choosing the best hob there are a lot of aspects to take into consideration. From cost to energy efficiency. So deciding what features are essential is vital.
A basic electric ceramic stove can cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to pay more for a model with a lot of features. Gas hobs, also popular and offer great temperature control, but are expensive, are a different alternative.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob comes with four cooking zones and three "Push&Go" functions and can assist you in making quick meals. It was among the fastest to boil water in our tests, taking only four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features an option to pause the process, so you can quickly stop the process without having to fiddle around with the controls.
Its style is modern and sleek and blends well with contemporary kitchens. It is typically made of glass (which is heatproof and shatterproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and rest directly on the worktop.
The controls are easy to use, and we appreciated the clear display which tells you the current power settings, and which of the five zones are active. The 'Boost' feature generates high-powered heat for just a short duration, and is perfect for stir-frying or bringing pans of water to the boil quickly. The hob's light that is hot and the automatic shutoff are helpful safety features, too.
However, it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs in this test. We observed that it took nine presses on the control to achieve the highest temperature, as opposed to seven or six on other models. It also takes longer to respond when you alter the temperature of cooking, which means you may have to change settings multiple times before your pan is ready to cook at the proper temperature.
This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pots or pans. It comes with a dual-ring design and can function on both 'normal' and 'boost power levels. Boost is perfect for frying meat and searing it, or making water come to a quick boil.
It is fully connected through the hOn app and includes hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 unique programmes divided into different food categories and types of cooking. It comes with a multislider control panel with a "lockable interface' that can identify the type pan you are using to set the correct cooking mode. It's also compatible with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and comes with a variety of safety features, such as an adjustable control panel that locks and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
If you're working on your kitchen or simply searching for a substitute to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped drastically in the last few years. The basic four-zone models are now sold for less that PS100. If you want the latest induction technology, it is worth paying a bit more.
This slick-looking model from Smeg features the latest induction tech to keep your cooking energy efficient and convenient. The revolutionary Auto-pot detection technology automatically recognises the position of pots with a minimum diameter of 9 cm, allowing you to select the correct zone without having to manually select it.
Smeg's focus on energy saving does not mean that they don't offer flexibility The hob is built to reduce power consumption by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones according to your cooking preferences. Eco-Logic advanced mode enables you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW.
Testers were impressed with this hob's user-friendly interface, with intuitive sliding controls that slide across the edge of the hob in order to follow your pan. The control panel's color-coded layout makes it easy to determine the state of each zone. The 'Flexi Duo" feature lets you connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are a variety of useful functions, including four automated cooking presets: melting boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.
In addition to this the hob also has a 'FlameSensor' that warns you when there is a danger of a fire or burnt-on food. There are other safety features, such as a residual heat indicator as well as an automatic shut-off when the surface is too hot.
It is also resistant to hard stains and comes with a protective coating of CleanProtect. This hob has nine power levels and an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to accommodate large pans and is simple to set up. There are a host of bonus features, including lockable controls and a safety fuse in the event of accidental button-pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Powered by electricity rather than gas, induction hobs make use of copper plates that create an electromagnetic field when the pan is set on top. They are able to heat up faster than gas hobs and they also use less energy since the cooking zone is only hot when you turn on your pan. They are generally less expensive to run than gas, and they are also less difficult to clean.
Indesit's induction hob is full of features to help you get creative in the cooking. It comes with two distinct zones that can be combined into a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, and a speedy booster zone that can quickly bring water to a boil. For go right here , the Push&Go lets you cook flawlessly with the click of a button. The controls are easy to use and let you select nine power modes including a P boost setting that provides maximum power in each zone for five minutes.
The controls are easy to operate and the minimalist design is ideal for modern kitchens. In our tests, it swiftly heated up a pan after we placed it on the Booster Zone, and boiling pasta water. It took a while for it to cool down after we turned off the hob, and the testers were unable to determine the exact temperature on the control panel.
As well as the Dual Zone and Push&Go, the Indesit hob also has a bridge function that lets you connect two cooking zones to fit larger pans. It also comes with a child lock and an overheating block and an auto switch-off system that stops the appliance from working when it's heated to the point of. Our testers appreciated the fact that there were no messy, visible flames and the glass was easy to clean. Ventilated hobs in contrast to traditional extractors draw steam and smoke from the pan and out of the room via an air duct that is located on the surface. The vent on this hob was easy to clean, however it required two people to remove the filter.
4. Induction Hob by GE
Consider how the stove will work with your kitchen's layout and design as well as what your cooking style is. For instance, if often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, security features like automatic shut-off and cool to the touch surface can make an induction stove a better choice. For those who value speed and efficiency, an electric stove with a clean ceramic glass facia is a great choice. For those living in regions that are prone to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs in power outages could make the difference in favor of gas models.