How to Choose the Best Hob
When choosing the best hob for your needs there are a lot of aspects to take into consideration. From price to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding which features are important is crucial.
A basic ceramic electric hob costs just PS100. However, you will need to pay more for one with many features. Gas hobs are another popular choice, and offer great temperature control, but they're more expensive.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob has four cooking zones and three 'Push&Go" functions and can assist you in making quick meals. It was among the fastest ways to boil water in our tests, taking just four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and has an option to pause the process, so you can quickly stop the process without having to faff around with controls.
Its design is modern and sleek it blends seamlessly with 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 ease of use.
The controls are simple to use and we liked the clear display that informs you the current power settings and which of the five zones are in use. The 'Boost" feature produces high-powered heat in a short time. It is ideal to stir fry and speedily boiling pans. Safety features such as the hot hob light or automatic shut-off are also beneficial.
However, it's not as sensitive to touch as other hobs we tested. We observed that it took nine presses on the control to achieve the highest temperature, as opposed to seven or six on other models. It also takes longer to respond when you alter the cooking temperature, meaning you might have to alter settings multiple times before your pan reaches the right heat.
The model measures 60 cm and comes with four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. It has a dual-ring design that can function on both 'normal as well as 'boost power levels. Boost is perfect for frying meat, searing it or quickly making water come to a quick boil.
It's fully integrated with the hOn app and boasts hundreds of recipes that include guided cooking and 30 unique programs that are divided into various food categories and preparation types. It features a simple multislider interface and a 'lockable control panel. In addition, it is able to automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set up the correct cooking mode. It's also compatible with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and comes with a variety of safety features, like the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs have become increasingly popular, whether you are renovating your kitchen or are looking for a non-gas option. Prices have slashed dramatically over the last few years. Basic four-zone models are now sold at less than PS100. If you want the latest induction technology, it's worth paying a little more.
This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology to make cooking more energy-efficient and convenient. The Auto-pot detection system detects pots with an overall diameter of at least 9 cm and automatically activates the appropriate zone.
Smeg's focus is on energy efficiency, but it doesn't ignore flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum temperatures that the zones can operate at. There are also options to save energy with the Eco-Logic advance mode, which reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as little as 2.4 4 kW.
The user-friendly interface of this hob impressed testers, with its intuitive sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edge of it. The control panel's color-coded design makes it easy to determine the state of each zone. The "Flexi Duo" function allows you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are a variety of useful functions, including four cooking presets for automatic cooking (melting, boiling slow cooking, keeping warm) and a Power Boost for super-quick results.
The oven also comes with a FlameSensor which will alert you if there's a danger of a food item being burned or a fire. There are many safety features like a residual heat sensor as well as an automatic shut-off if the surface becomes too hot.
It also resists tough stains and features a CleanProtect protective coating. The hob comes with nine power levels and the FlexiDuo feature to allow for large pans, and is easy to put in. There are a host of bonus 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 generate an electric force when a pot or pan is placed on them. They heat up quicker than gas hobs, and they use less energy because the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on your pan. They are generally cheaper to run than gas, and they are also easier to clean.
This induction hob from Indesit is packed with features that make it easy to create your own ideas in the kitchen. It has two separate zones which can be combined into a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, and an instant booster zone to quickly bring water to a boil. For instance, the Push&Go allows you to cook perfectly at the touch a button. The controls are simple to use and let you select nine power modes including the P boost option which gives the highest power for each zone for five minutes.
The controls are also simple to use and have a modern, minimalist design that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it cooked pasta water in a flash and was quick to heat up after placing an oven on the Booster zone. However, it took some time to cool down after it was turned off from the hob. Our testers found it difficult to determine the precise ovens uk temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also has a bridge function, which allows the user to combine two cooking zones to make larger pans. It comes with a child lock as well as an overheating block. It also has an automatic shut-off mechanism that prevents the hob from working when it gets too hot. Our testers appreciated the fact that there were no visible flames or flammable substances and the ceramic glass was easy to wipe clean. Ventilated hobs, unlike traditional extractors, draw steam and smoke from the pan out of the room through a duct on the surface. The duct on this hob is easy to clean, but it took two people in order to take the filter out.
4. Induction Hob from GE
Think about how the hob can fit into your kitchen's layout and design and what your cooking style. For instance, if often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, safety features like an automatic shut-off feature and an icy to the touch surface may make an induction hob the best choice. For those who value speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass fascia on an electric hob is the best choice. For those living in regions that are prone to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs during power cuts may make the difference in favor of a gas model.