The Next Big Thing In The Hob And Oven Industry

Types of Hob and Oven

Hobs and ovens are a popular feature in many kitchens. They come in various styles. You can also mix different types such as domino, electric and gas to suit your cooking requirements.

Safety features such as child and position controls can be included in a hob. These features can prevent children from accidentally altering the temperature setting or touching the hob.

Types

The hob is the focal point of any kitchen and can have a major impact on the results of your cooking. However, there are many different kinds of hobs and the one you choose will be based on what your specific cooking requirements are.

Gas hobs are the classic choice, and they provide a rapid heat-up function and instant reaction to temperature changes. Professional chefs favor them because they offer precise control. However, they are not as clean as other hobs and could require more maintenance.

Electric hobs are flat ceramic surface that has heated elements beneath and are available in various sizes, with between four and six cooking zones. Each zone has its own heating element that can be controlled individually by you. It is possible to boil potatoes in one ring while cooking sausages in another. This type of hob is able to be quicker to heat than gas and offers a child-safe option because the cooking zone only heats up when you place a pan on it.

Traditional ceramic hobs are a convenient alternative to gas and electric and are also a stylish option. They are smooth and durable. surface which is easy to clean, but they aren't as quick to respond to temperature changes as other hobs and can be slower to cool down.

Domino hobs are a space-saving alternative to gas and electric hobs (Slavia Certificate site) that incorporate ovens beneath the cooking surface. They are great for kitchens that have limited space. They also work well in kitchenettes and flats. They are typically less expensive than standard hobs and can be extremely energy efficient however they can be brittle and require more care than other types of cookers.

Gas

Gas hobs are cooktops equipped with burners that are easily fitted into the kitchen countertop for a seamless appearance. Gas hobs are usually powered by LPG or natural gas, however they are also powered by propane gas. They have a sleek and modern design that can give a sophisticated touch to your modular kitchen.

A traditional gas stove comes with a range of burners, typically 4 but often as many as 6. The burners can be lit with a match or knob. The flames are controlled by the valves that can be adjusted in the temperature.

In contrast, most modern built-in gas hobs have multi-flame burners that allow you to regulate the outer and inner rings of each burner to manage your cooking. These burners are faster and more reliable than earlier models.

Traditionally, it was important to keep a gas stove on all the time to ensure the burners were constantly fueled and hot. This was a safety feature to prevent any accidents such as having the oven turned on while the stove was still lit by a match or a the pilot flame. Modern cookers are built with safety as a priority. They are equipped with a device to stop the flame that shuts off the burners if the pilot light fails to work.

Gas stoves and hobs have to be regularly checked, cleaned and maintained. The best oven method to do this is to arrange an appointment for maintenance with a certified Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only be able to ensure that your appliance functions correctly, but also give you expert guidance on how to prevent any future issues.

Electricity

When it comes time to design your dream kitchen, the countertops, fridge freezer and oven will always get the most attention, however a good hob is equally important. Whether you opt for a conventional, induction or gas cooker, the kind of hob you pick can affect the way your kitchen functions and how easy it is to keep clean.

Electric hobs have heating elements that are placed on the glass surface, which is typically cleaned using a non-abrasive cleaning agent. The heating elements are activated when you switch on the hob and can be adjusted to different power levels with a knob. They can take a little longer to heat up than gas cookers, but once they do they tend to offer more regular temperature control. They come with built-in indicators that let you know if a zone is hot or not.

These rings are available in four to six different sizes and can be notch-up to different power levels. They are ideal for flat-based cookware, but not for cast iron pans, since they can get hot. Certain models (such as Belling BELCH602T) come with dual rings that allow you to cook sausages and boil water on the same ring. Some models even come with a 'boost' feature that concentrates high-powered heat into one ring to stir fry cooking sauteing meats, searing or boiling large pots of water.

Induction hobs differ from standard electric hobs in that they utilize electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware instead of the traditional method of gas flames. This enables them to achieve precise temperatures in a smaller space of time and makes them highly energy efficient. They also have a cool to the touch surface and flashing heat indicators to inform you that a ring is in use or still hot.

Ceramic

Ceramic is a material that can be made into decorative or practical objects. It is made by mixing clay with earthen elements, powders and water, and firing it in a high temperature oven called Kiln. Once it's been made it can be painted or covered with decorative materials to give it texture and colour.

Ceramic hobs are a stunning blend of form and function that can be easily integrated into any modern kitchen. Radiant heating technology is employed to heat ceramic hobs by passing an electric current over coiled elements that are concealed beneath the black glass surface. These generate heat when activated, and this is then transferred to the pan via an infrared system. You can alter the intensity of the heating by using the knobs or the touch controls.

Some ceramic hobs are dual ring designs, with one smaller and a larger cooking zone, allowing you to choose the most suitable size for your pan. You can also find hobs with booster burners that produce high-powered heat in a short time ideal for searing meat or bringing pans of water to a boil quickly.

As compared to other types of hobs, ceramic cooktops typically take longer to heat up and change temperature however, once they're done they are generally more efficient in energy use. You can also find vented hobs that integrate a ventilation system into the ceramic cooktop, ensuring the cooking smells aren't left within your home.

Induction

The heating elements of induction hobs consist of a series of copper wire coils beneath the surface, which produce electromagnets to heat the pans sitting on them. The coils move free electrons within the base of your pot, which then transmits heat evenly and directly to your food. The surface of the hob is never hot and the cooking zones automatically turn off when the pan is removed.

Induction hobs are typically more expensive than other hobs however, they're also more efficient to heat and consume 30-70% less energy than ceramic or gas hobs. Induction hobs are also simpler to clean since only the inside of the pan gets hot but not the surface.

Certain manufacturers offer a specific induction model with extra features such as a pause function that shuts off the power to your stove whenever you move away from it, or link up two cooking rings simultaneously at the same power level to provide greater flexibility. These are often referred to as FlexInduction hobs. They can be more expensive than traditional induction models but they're worth a look if you prefer to multitask.

Our top pick is this induction hob from Smeg. It has four cooking zones that are large enough, a bridge function and nine power levels that give you plenty of choice for ambitious cooks. It performed well during our test with fast heating and accurate control when making pancakes. The oven comes with dishwasher built-in, as well as automatic pan detection to make cleaning much easier. The only issue is that there are only a few compatible pans and you can't make use of it for cooking with appliances with magnetic bases. This could be a problem when you have a lot of cookware that isn't compatible or some of it is suitable for induction hobs.