How to Choose the Best Hob

There are a lot of aspects to take into consideration when selecting the best ovens and hobs hob, from the price to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.

A basic ceramic electric hob costs just PS100. However you'll have to pay more for a model with many features. Gas hobs, which are also well-known and offer excellent temperature control but are more expensive, are another option.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

This Haier stove has four cooking zones and three "Push&Go" functions, and can help you prepare quick meals. It was also among the quickest tested to boil water, taking just under four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features a pause function, so you can stop the process without having to fiddle around with controls.

Its style is modern and sleek it blends seamlessly with modern kitchens. It is typically made from glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive, and they sit flush on the worktop.

The controls were easy to use, and we liked the display which shows the current power level and the zone that is currently in use. The 'Boost' feature creates high-powered heat for a brief duration, and is ideal for stir-frying, or bringing pans of water to a boil quickly. The hob's light that is hot and automatic shutdown are useful safety features, too.

However, it's not as sensitive to touch as other hobs in this test. We observed that it took nine presses of the control to reach the highest temperature, as opposed to seven or six on other models. It also takes longer to react when you alter the temperature of cooking, which means you may need to alter settings several times before the pan is ready to cook at the proper temperature.

This model is 60cm long and includes four cooking zones, including a half-flex zone that two areas can be joined to accommodate larger pans and pots. The dual-ring design allows it to operate at both "normal" and "boost" power levels. Boost is ideal for frying meat, searing it or bringing water pans to the rapid boiling point.

It's fully integrated with the hOn app, and offers 100's of recipes with guided cooking and 30 special programs that are divided into various food categories and preparation types. It features a simple multislider interface as well as a lockable' control panel, plus it can automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set the proper cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn pan sets oven and hob comes with a variety of security features, including the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular, whether you're renovating your kitchen or looking for a non-gas option. Prices have plummeted over the past few years, with the simplest four-zone models starting at less than PS100. If you want all the bells and whistles that include induction it's worth the extra cost for the latest innovations.

This sleek model from Smeg comes with the most advanced induction technology that makes cooking more efficient and energy efficient. The Auto-pot detection system recognizes pots with a diameter of at least 9cm and then automatically selects the appropriate zone.

Smeg's primary focus is on energy savings however, it doesn't overlook flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to conserve energy based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode lets you to conserve more energy by reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW.

Testers were impressed by the user-friendly interface of this hob, with intuitive sliding controls that move along the edge of the hob, allowing it to follow the pan. The color scheme of the control panel lets you quickly see the status of each zone, while the Flexi Duo function allows you to connect two zones together to cater for larger pans. There are many useful functions including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.

The hob also has a FlameSensor that can alert you in the event of a food item being burned or the possibility of a fire. There are several safety features such as a residual heat sensor as well as an automatic shut-off when the surface becomes too hot.

It's also hard-wearing with a protective CleanProtect coating to help it resist tough staining and cooking marks. This hob is easy to install and comes with nine power levels and the handy FlexiDuo feature that allows catering for large pans. There are also a number of extra features, including lockable controls oven and hob a safety fuse in case of accidental button pushing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They utilize copper plates to generate magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. This means that they can reach temperatures much quicker than conventional gas hobs and also conserve energy since the cooking area only is heated when you turn on the pan. They're generally cheaper to run than gas and are easier to clean making them an extremely popular choice.

Indesit's induction stove is packed full of features that will allow you to get creative in the cooking. It comes with two cooking zones that can be combined to create a Dual Zone for larger pots and the Booster Zone is quick that can bring water to boiling point quickly. Push&Go, for example, allows you to cook with perfection by pressing the button. And nine power modes that include a 'P boost' setting that gives each zone maximum power for 5 minutes, can be easily set using the controls, which are positioned along the bottom edge of the cooktop to follow your pans.

The controls are easy to operate and feature a modern, minimalist design that is perfect for a modern 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 some time to cool off after we turned off the hob. Additionally, our testers found it difficult to see the exact temperatures on the control panel.

In addition to the Dual Zone and Push&Go, the Indesit hob comes with a bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It has a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off feature that prevents the hob from working if it gets too hot. Our testers appreciated the fact that there weren't any messy, visible flames and the ceramic glass was easy to clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods, vented hobs uk draw steam and smoke out of the pan and out of the room via a duct in the surface. The duct on this hob is easy to clean, but it required two people to take the filter out.

4. GE Induction Hob

When choosing a new hob take a look at how it fits into your kitchen's design and layout, in addition to your cooking style and lifestyle. Induction hobs are an excellent choice for cooking with children or older people in mind. They have safety features such as automatic shut-offs as well as a cool-to-touch surface. If you're looking for speed and efficiency using a ceramic glass facia on an electric hob is the ideal choice. For those who live in areas prone to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs in power outages could tilt the balance in favor of gas models.