How to Choose the Best Hob
When selecting the ideal hob for your needs there are a lot of aspects to take into consideration. From price to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding on the features that are important is essential.
A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as little as PS100 however, you'll have to pay more to get a high-end model. Gas hobs, which are also popular and offer great temperature control, but are more expensive, are a different option.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob has four cooking zones, three 'Push&Go" functions and can assist you in making quick meals. It was one of the fastest ways to boil water in our tests, taking just four minutes. It's child-safe and comes with a pause function, so you can quickly stop the process without having to mess around with controls.
Its design is sleek, modern and is a great match for contemporary kitchens. It's typically made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and comes with touch controls that sit in the same place as the worktop for easy use.
The controls were easy to operate and we loved the display that displays the current power level and which zone is currently in use. The 'Boost" feature creates high-powered heat in a short time. It is perfect to stir fry and speedily bringing pans to boil. Safety features such as the light on the hot hob or automatic shut-off are also useful.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs we tested in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, in comparison to six or seven for other models. It also takes longer to respond when you change the cooking temperature, so you may need to alter settings multiple times before your pan is ready to cook at the proper temperature.
This 60 cm model includes four cooking zones, including a half-flex area where two areas can be joined together to accommodate larger pots and pans. Dual-ring design permits it to operate on both "normal" and "boost" power levels. It is perfect for cooking and searing meat, or bringing water pans to a rapid boil.
It's fully connected through the hOn app and comes with 100's of recipes with cooking instructions and 30 different programs divided into different food categories and preparation types. It has an intuitive multislider interface as well as a lockable control panel. In addition, it can automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set the right cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn pan sets and has a range of security features, including the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
If you're working in your kitchen or seeking a better alternative to gas induction hobs, they are becoming more popular. Prices have slashed in the last few years, with basic four-zone models available for less than PS100. If you are looking for the most modern induction technology, it's worth paying a little more.
This sleek-looking model from Smeg comes with the most modern induction technology to make your cooking efficient and easy. The Auto-pot detection system detects pots with dimensions of at least 9 centimetres and then automatically activates the zone that is appropriate.
Smeg's primary 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 maximum temperatures that the zones can operate at. There are also options to save even more energy using the Eco-Logic advance mode which moderates the power output from 11.1 kW to as low as 2.4 2 kW.
The user-friendly interface of this stove impressed testers, with its simple sliding controls that follow your pan along the edge of it. The control panel's color-coded layout makes it easy to determine the state of each zone. The 'Flexi Duo" function lets the connection of two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are numerous useful features, including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.
The hob also has an alarm system that will notify you in the event of a food item being burned or an igniting fire. There are many safety features like a residual heat sensor as well as an automatic switch-off when the surface gets too hot.
It's also hard-wearing with a protective CleanProtect coating to help it resist tough stains and cooking marks. This hob is easy to install and features nine power levels, as well as the handy FlexiDuo feature for catering for large pans. There are also a number of additional features, like lockable controls and a safety fuse in case of accidental button-pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Electricity is the primary source of power, rather than gas, induction hobs make use of copper plates that create a magnetic field when the pan is placed on the top. They can heat up much faster than gas hobs and they also consume less energy because the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on your pan. They are generally less expensive to operate than gas and they are also easier to clean.
The induction hob made by Indesit is packed with features that allow you to be creative in the kitchen. It comes with two distinct zones which can be combined into a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, and an instant booster zone to quickly bring boiling water to. Push&Go, for example, lets you cook flawlessly with the click of a button. There are nine power modes including a 'P-boost setting that grants each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily set using the controls, which are positioned across the bottom of the hob to follow your pans.
The controls are also easy to operate and feature a modern, minimalist design that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it was able to boil pasta water in a flash and was quick to heat up once we placed an oven on the Booster zone. It took some time to cool down after turning off the hob, and the testers could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel.
Best ovens UK features the bridge function, which allows you to combine two cooking zones for larger pans. It has a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic shut-off mechanism that prevents the oven from operating when it becomes too hot. The ceramic glass is easy to clean and there are no flames visible. Our testers were impressed by the fact that there was no visible flame. Ventilated hobs in contrast to traditional extractors draw steam and smoke from the pan and out of the room through a duct located on the surface. Our experts thought that this hob's duct was easy to keep clean, although it took two people to take the filter out to change it.
4. GE Induction Hob
Think about how the hob can be able to fit into the layout and design of your kitchen and what your cooking style is. Induction hobs are a great choice if you cook with kids or elderly in mind. They have safety features such as automatic shut-offs and a cool-to-touch surface. For those who are looking for speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass front on an electric hob is the best alternative. For those living in regions that are prone to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs during power outages could tip the scales in favour of gas models.