The 9 Things Your Parents Teach You About Best Hob

How to Choose the Best Hob

There are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing the best ovens and hobs hob, from the price to energy efficiency. Choose the features that are the most important.

A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to pay more for a model with a lot of features. Gas hobs, which are popular and provide excellent temperature control, but are more expensive, are another option.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

With four cooking zones and three 'Push&Go' functions, this hob from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was also one of the quickest tests to boil water, which took just under four minutes. It comes with a child lock and the ability to pause, which means you can stop the process swiftly without having to mess with controls.

Its design is sleek, contemporary, and works well with contemporary kitchens. It is usually made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and has controls that are in the same place as the worktop for ease of use.

The controls were easy to use, and we liked the display which shows the current power level and the zone that is active. The 'Boost' feature produces high-powered heat for a short period of time. It is perfect for stir-frying or bringing pots of water to the boil quickly. The hot hob light and automatic shutdown are useful security features, too.

It's not as responsive as other best hobs we tested in this test. We found it took nine presses on the control to achieve the highest temperature, compared with six or seven on other models. It takes a bit longer for the pan to react when you change the temperature. You may need to adjust the settings a few times before you get the proper heat.

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. The dual-ring design allows it to be operated at both "normal" and "boost" power levels. Boost is perfect for frying meat while searing it or bring water to a fast boiling.

It is fully connected to the hOn App and has hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 different programs divided into various food categories and types of preparation. It features a multislider controls panel with a 'lockable interface' that can identify the type of pan you're using to set the proper cooking mode. It also works with third-party hOn pan sets and has a range of safety features, like the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

Whether you're having work done in your kitchen, or seeking a better alternative to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have slashed dramatically over the past few years. Basic four-zone models can be found for less than PS100. If you want the latest induction technology, it is worth paying a little more.

This sleek model from Smeg comes with the most modern induction tech to keep your cooking efficient and easy. The Auto-pot detection system detects pots that have a diameter of at least 9 centimetres and automatically activates the appropriate zone.

Smeg's focus is on energy savings but it doesn't forget the flexibility of this appliance - it can be adjusted to save power based on the maximum operating temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW.

The user-friendly interface of this hob was a hit with testers, thanks to its intuitive sliding controls that follow your pan along the edges of it. The control panel's colour-coded scheme allows you to easily identify the state of each zone. The "Flexi duo" feature lets the connection of two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are many useful features, such as four cooking presets that automatically cook (melting boiling slow cooking, keeping warm) and a Power Boost for quick results.

In addition to this, hobs uk the hob has a 'FlameSensor' that warns you when there is a risk of fire or food that has been burned. There are a variety of safety features, including a residual heat indicator and an automatic shut-off when the surface is too hot.

It also has the CleanProtect coating that is designed to protect it from tough staining and cooking marks. The hob comes with nine power levels, a 'FlexiDuo feature' for accommodating large pans and is simple to set up. There are a host of additional features, including lockable controls and an emergency fuse in the event of accidental button-pushing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity, not gas. They use copper plates to create an electric force when a pan or pot is placed on them. They are able to heat up faster than gas hobs, best ovens and hobs uk they also consume less energy since the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on the pan. They're generally cheaper to run than gas and are simpler to clean, which makes them a popular option.

The induction hob made by Indesit is packed full of features that make it easy to be creative in the kitchen. It has two cooking zones that can be combined to form a Dual Zone for larger pans and the Booster Zone is quick to bring water to a boiling point quickly. Push&Go, for example, lets you cook flawlessly with the click of the button. The controls are simple to use and let you select nine power options, including a P boost setting that provides maximum power for each zone for five minutes.

The controls are also easy to operate and feature an elegant, minimalist design that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it quickly heated up a pan once we placed it on the Booster Zone and boiled pasta water. However, it took a long time to cool down after we turned off the hob and oven and our testers found it difficult to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel.

As well as the Dual Zone and Push&Go, the Indesit hob has a useful bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It also has a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic shut-off mechanism that prevents the oven from working when it gets too hot. Our testers appreciated the fact that there weren't any messy, visible flames and the ceramic glass was easy to wipe clean. Ventilated hobs in contrast to traditional extractors draw smoke and steam from the pan and out of the room by a duct on the surface. The vent on this hob was easy to clean, however it required two people in order to remove the filter.

4. Induction Hob by GE

When selecting a hob, consider how it fits to your kitchen's style and layout, in addition to your cooking style and your lifestyle. For instance, if you often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, security features such as automatic shut-off and cool to the touch surface may make an induction hob an ideal choice. Alternatively, for those who prioritize efficiency and speed, an electric stove with a clean ceramic glass facia is ideal. If you live in areas prone to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs during power outages may tilt the balance in favor of a gas model.