Types of Hob and Oven

Hobs and ovens are common feature in most kitchens. They are available in a variety of designs. You can mix different types of ovens, like gas and electric to meet your needs.

Safety features like the controls for child and position can be included in the hob. They can stop children from touching the hob, and prevent them from changing the heat settings in error.

Types

The hob is the main focal element of any kitchen and has a huge impact on the results of your cooking. There are a variety of kinds of hobs, and the one you select will be based on what your specific cooking needs are.

Gas hobs are the classic choice and offer a fast heat-up function and instant reaction to temperature fluctuations. They are a preferred choice for professional chefs as they provide precise control. However, they're not as clean as other hobs, and they may require more maintenance.

Electric hobs have a flat ceramic surface with heated elements underneath. They are available in different sizes and with four to six cooking zones. Each zone has its own heating element that you can control individually. This lets you boil potatoes on one ring while making sausages in another. This kind of hob can be faster to heat than gas and offers a child-safe option because the cooking zone is only heated when you place a pan on it.

Traditional ceramic hobs are a very user-friendly alternative to gas and electric and are also a stylish option. They have an extremely smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However, they are not as quick to respond to temperature changes or cool down as other hobs.

The Domino hob is an alternative to gas and electric hobs. It incorporates ovens under the cooking surface. They are great for kitchens that have small space. They also work well in kitchenettes and flats. They are often cheaper than conventional hobs and can be energy-efficient, but they are also prone to breaking and require more maintenance.

Gas

Gas hobs are cooktops equipped with burners that are easily integrated into the kitchen countertop to create a seamless look. They are usually powered by natural or the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) but can also be powered by propane gas. They are modern and sleek design that can give a sophisticated touch to your modular kitchen.

A traditional gas stove is equipped with a variety of burners. There are usually four burners, but it could be as many as six. The flames are ignited using the use of a match or the knob. The flames can then be controlled by the valves that can be adjusted in the temperature.

The majority of modern gas stoves built-in, on the other hand include burners with multiple flames. This allows you to control both the outer and the inner rings of each burner to allow you to precisely control the cooking. They are also much more efficient and more reliable than earlier models.

In the past, it was essential to keep a gas stove on continuously to ensure that the burners are always 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 have been built with safety as a priority. They are equipped with a fire failure device which shuts down the burners in the event that the pilot light is not working.

Gas stoves and hobs require to be checked regularly, cleaned and maintained. To do this, you should book a visit from an Gas Safe registered engineer. Not only will they be able check your appliance is functioning properly as well, but they'll offer professional advice and guidance on how to prevent any problems in the future.

Electricity

When it comes to creating your ideal kitchen, the worktops, fridge freezer and oven will always get the most attention, however the quality of your hob is also essential. The type of hob that you choose will affect the way your kitchen works and how easy for you to clean.

Electric hobs have heating elements under the glass surface, which is typically wiped down with an non-abrasive cleaner. 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 bit longer to heat up but once they've done so, they have a tendency to offer more stable and reliable temperature control. They come with built-in indicators that inform you whether a space is hot or not.

These rings are available in a range of four to six sizes and can be notch-up to various power levels. They are perfect for cookware with a flat base, but aren't the best option for cast iron pans as they can overheat. Certain models come with dual-ring designs (such as the Belling BEL CH602T) that permit boiling water on one ring while you sauté sausages on the other. Some models have a Boost feature that concentrates the highest heat in one ring. This is useful for stirring-frying, searing meat or boiling large pots.

Induction hobs differ from standard electric models as they use electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware, rather than the conventional method of gas flames. This enables them to achieve precise temperatures in a short period of time, making them highly energy efficient. They have a cool to the touch surface, and flashing indicators that let you know if a ring has been used or is still hot.

Ceramic

Ceramics can be used to make functional or decorative objects. It is made by mixing clay with earthen elements, powders, and water, before firing it in a high temperature oven, also known as Kiln. Once it's been made it can be decorated or covered with decorative materials to give it texture and colour.

Ceramic hobs are a beautiful combination of form and function and can be found in any modern kitchen. Radiant heating technology is employed to heat ceramic hobs by passing an electrical current through coiled components which are hidden beneath the black glass surface. They generate heat when activated, which is then transferred to the pan via an infrared system. You can alter the intensity of this heating by controlling the controls using a knobs or buttons.

Certain ceramic hobs feature two rings, each with the smaller and the larger cooking zone. This allows you to select the right size for your pan. You can also find hobs with booster burners which generate high-powered heat rapidly perfect for searing food or bringing pans of boiling water to a boil quickly.

As compared to other types of hobs ceramic cooktops typically take longer to heat up and change temperature, but once they do they're typically more efficient in terms of energy consumption. You can also find vented hobs that incorporate a ventilation system into the ceramic cooktop, ensuring steam, smoke and cooking smells don't stay within your home.

Induction

The heating elements inside hobs with induction are made up of a series of copper wire coils under the surface. They create electromagnets that heat the pans sat on them. The coils stir up the free electrons in your pan's metal base which transmits heat efficiently and directly to your food. The surface of the stove is never hot, and the cooking zones automatically turn off when your pan is removed.

Induction hobs are typically more expensive, but they also get hotter faster and use 30-70% lower energy than gas or other types. Induction hobs are also less difficult to clean because only the contents of the pan heat up, not the surface.

Some manufacturers offer a special induction model that comes with additional features, such as a pause function, which cuts power to your hob whenever you move away from it, or link up two cooking rings simultaneously at the same power level to provide added flexibility. These are often called FlexInduction hobs and ovens and can be more expensive than traditional induction models but they're worth considering if you like to multitask.

This induction hob is our top pick. It has four large cooking zones with a Bridge function and nine power settings, offering you a lot of options for those who are ambitious cooks. In our tests, it did well with precise control and rapid heating when making pancakes. The hob also has an integrated dishwasher as well as an automatic pan detection function to make cleaning a lot easier. There's a limited range of pans that are compatible, and it can't be used for cooking with appliances that have a magnetic base. It can be a problem if have a large amount of cookware that's not compatible or only a small portion of it is compatible with induction cooktops.