Types of Hob and Oven
Hobs and ovens are a common fixture in kitchens. They can be found in a variety of styles. You can mix different types of ovens, like gas and electric to meet your needs.
Safety features such as the controls for child and position can be integrated into a hob. These features will prevent children from accidentally changing the temperature setting or touching the hob.
Types
The hob is the focal element of any kitchen and can have a major impact on the final outcome of your cooking. There are a variety of hobs, and which one you pick will depend on the cooking requirements you have.
Gas hobs are the most popular choice, and they provide a rapid heat-up function and instant reaction to temperature changes. They are a popular choice for chefs who are professional as they offer precise control. However, they are not as clean as other hobs and could require a higher degree of maintenance.
Electric hobs are a flat ceramic surface that has heated elements underneath and can be found in a variety of sizes with between four and six cooking zones. Each zone has its own heating element that you can control individually. This lets you boil potatoes on one ring whilst making sausages in another. This type of hob can be quicker to heat than gas and offers a child-safe alternative as the cooking zone is only heated when you place a pan on it.
Ceramic hobs are a fashionable and user-friendly option to gas and electric hobs. They have an extremely smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However they aren't as fast to respond to temperature fluctuations 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 with small installation space and work well in kitchenettes and apartments. They are often cheaper than standard hobs and are energy efficient but can be fragile and require more attention than other types of cooker.
Gas
A gas hob is a cooktop that has burners that can be incorporated on kitchen countertops to give an elegant look. Gas hobs are typically powered by LPG or natural gas, however they can also be powered with propane gas. They have a 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. The majority of them are four burners, however it can be up to six. The burners can be lit with a match or knob. The flames can then be controlled by an array of valves that can be adjusted in the temperature.
Modern built-in gas stoves, on the other hand are equipped with burners that have multiple flames. This lets you control both the outer and inner ring for each burner to allow you to precisely control your cooking. These kinds of burners provide quicker heat up times and are more reliable than the traditional ones.
In the past, it was essential for gas stoves to be continuously lit to ensure that the burners were hot and fuelled. This was done to avoid accidents, for example, the mistake of turning on an oven when the stove is still lit by an igniter or a match. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind. They have a built-in flame failure device that shuts off the burners automatically if the pilot light fail.
Gas stoves and hobs need to be cleaned, checked and maintained regularly. The best way to do this is to schedule an appointment for maintenance with a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. Not only will they be able check your appliance is working correctly, but they can also offer expert advice and guidance on how to prevent any problems in the near future.
Electricity
A good hob is just as important when it comes to making your kitchen the best it can be. Worktops, refrigerators freezers, and ovens are the first things that pop up to the mind. Whichever type you choose, conventional, induction or gas cooker, the type of hob you choose can impact the way your kitchen functions and how easy it is to clean.
Electric hobs use heating elements under a smooth glass surface that's typically cleaned with a non-abrasive cleaning agent. These elements switch on when you turn the hob on and can be adjusted to a range of power levels by turning or clicking a control knob. They can take a little bit longer to heat up but once they've done so, they have a tendency to offer more reliable and consistent temperature control. They also come with indicators that let you know that a particular zone is being used or hot from cooking.
These rings are available in four to six different sizes and can be notch-up up to different power levels. They are perfect for flat-based cookware however they aren't the ideal option for cast iron pans since they can overheat. Some models (such as Belling BELCH602T) come with dual rings that let you 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 standard electric hobs in that they utilize electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware rather than the conventional method of gas flames. This allows them to achieve precise temperatures in a smaller space of time and makes them extremely energy efficient. They feature a cool to the touch surface as well as flashing indicators that indicate if a ring has been used or is still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramic is a material that can be made into useful or decorative objects. It is made by mixing clay with earthen elements, powders, and water, and then firing it in a hot oven, also known as Kiln. Once it's been made it can be coated or painted with decorative materials to add texture and colour.
Ceramic hobs are a beautiful combination of form and function, sitting comfortably in any modern kitchen. Radiant heating technology is employed to heat ceramic hobs by passing an electric current through coiled components which are hidden beneath the black glass surface. When they are activated, they create heat that is then transferred to your pan by an infrared system. You can adjust the intensity of the heating by adjusting the controls via touch or knobs.
Certain ceramic hobs feature dual rings, which have one smaller and one with a larger cooking area. This allows you to select the right size for your pan. You can also find hobs with booster burners that produce high-powered heat quickly, great for searing meat or bringing pans of water to the boil quickly.
Ceramic cooktops are more energy efficient than other kinds of hobs as they take longer to heat up and alter temperatures. You can also select vented hobs that incorporate an air-conditioning system that is integrated into the cooktop made of ceramic. This makes sure that smoke, steam, and cooking smells don't stay in your home.
Induction
Induction hobs are equipped with heating elements that are comprised of copper wire coils. These coils generate electromagnets which heat the pans placed on top of them. The coils stir up free electrons in the base metal of your pan which in turn, distributes heat evenly to your food. The surface of the stove is never hot, and the cooking zones are automatically turned off as soon as your pan is removed.
Induction hobs are typically more expensive than other models, but they're also faster to heat and consume 30 to 70 percent less energy than gas or ceramic hobs. Induction hobs are also easier to clean because only the contents of the pan heat up and not the surface.
Some manufacturers offer a special induction model with extra features, such as a pause function that shuts off power to your hob when you step away from it, or link up two cooking rings at the same time at the same power level to provide additional flexibility. These are sometimes referred to as FlexInduction hobs. They can be more costly than traditional induction models but they're well worth considering when multitasking is important to you.
Our top pick is this induction cooktop from Smeg. It has four good-sized cooking zones, a bridge function and nine power levels, giving you a wide range of options for ambitious cooks. It was a great performer during our test with fast heating and precise control when making pancakes. The hob has dishwasher built-in and automatic pan detection, which makes cleaning easier. There's a small selection of compatible pans, and it can't be used to cook using the utensils with a magnetic base. This can be a problem when you have a lot of cookware that isn't compatible or some of it is suitable for use on induction hobs.