Types of Hob and Oven
Hobs and ovens are a common feature in most kitchens. They come in many different designs. You can mix different types of ovens, like gas and electric, to suit your needs.
Safety features like child and position controls can be integrated into a hob. These features can prevent children from accidentally altering the temperature setting or touching the hob.
Types
In the center of every kitchen, the hob is the main focus and plays a significant part in how your cooking comes out. However, there are a variety of kinds of hobs and the one you select will be based on what your specific cooking requirements are.
Gas hobs are a classic option. They are quick to heat up and react immediately to temperature fluctuations. Professional chefs prefer them because they offer precise control. They aren't as simple to clean as other stoves and could require more care.
Electric hobs are made of ceramic with a flat surface and heated elements underneath. They are available in different sizes and with four to six cooking zones. Each zone is equipped with its own heating element which can be controlled separately by you. You can boil potatoes on one ring and cook sausages in another. This type of hob is able to be quicker to heat than gas and provides an option for children to be safe as the cooking zone only becomes hot when you put a pan on it.
Traditional ceramic hobs are a very convenient alternative to electric and gas and are a fashionable option. They have a smooth, hard-wearing surface that is easy clean, but they aren't as quick to respond to temperature changes like other hobs, and may be slower to cool down.
The Domino hob is a space-saving alternative to gas and electric hobs. It has ovens underneath the cooking surface. They can be incorporated into smaller kitchens with small installation space and are ideal for kitchenettes and apartments. They are often cheaper than standard hobs and can be extremely energy efficient however they can be brittle and require more maintenance than other types of cooker.
Gas
A gas hob is a cooktop with burners that can be installed on kitchen countertops to give an elegant look. They are usually powered by natural or liquid petroleum gas (LPG) however they can be powered by propane gas. They feature a modern and sleek design that can add a touch of sophistication to your modular kitchen.
A traditional gas stove comes with several burners, usually 4 but often as many as 6. The flames are ignited using a match or by turning the knob. The flames can then be controlled by an array of valves that can be adjusted to regulate temperature.
The majority of modern gas stoves built-in however, have 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 your cooking. These types of burners offer faster heat up times and are more reliable than traditional ones.
In the past, it was necessary for the gas stove to be constantly lit to ensure that the burners were hot and fueled. This was a safety measure to prevent any accidents like having the oven turned on even though the stove was lit by match or the pilot flame. Modern cookers are made with safety in mind as a top priority. They come equipped with a fire failure device that shuts off the burners in the event that the pilot light fails.
Gas stoves and hobs must be checked, cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. To do this, you should book a visit from a Gas Safe registered engineer. Not only will they be able to ensure that your appliance is operating properly and safely, but they will also provide expert advice and suggestions on how to prevent any problems in the near future.
Electricity
A good hob is just as important when it comes to making your kitchen the best it can be. Worktops, refrigerators freezers, and ovens are the first items that come to the mind. Whichever type you choose, conventional, induction or gas cooker, the type of hob you select will affect how your kitchen functions and how easy it is to clean.
Electric hobs have heating elements underneath a smooth glass surface that's typically cleaned with an non-abrasive cleaner. These elements switch on when you turn on the hob and can be adjusted to various power levels by turning or pressing on a knob. It may take them a little bit longer to get heated up but once they've done so, they are in place, they provide more stable and reliable temperature control. They have built-in indicators that inform you whether a particular area is hot or not.
They are available in a range of four to six sizes and can be notch-up up to various power levels. They are ideal for flat-based cookware however they aren't the ideal option for cast-iron pans as they can overheat. Some models (such as Belling BELCH602T) have dual-ring designs which allow you to cook sausages and boil water in the same ring. Certain models come with a Boost feature that concentrates the highest heat in one ring. This is helpful 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 allows them to reach precise temperatures in a short space of time and makes them extremely energy efficient. They also have a cool-to touch surface and flashing heat indicators that let you know that a ring is in use or still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramic is an element that can be used to create decorative or practical objects. It is made by mixing clay with earthen elements, powders, and water, before firing it in a hot oven, also known as a Kiln. After it's been made, it can be covered with paint-like or decorative materials to add colour and texture.
Ceramic hobs blend design and function to make an exquisite piece of contemporary kitchen furniture. They operate by using radiant heating technology, passing an electric current through coiled elements hidden beneath the black glass surface of the hob. They generate heat when activated, which is transferred to your pan through an infrared system. You can alter the degree of heating by turning the knobs or the touch controls.
Some ceramic hobs come with dual ring designs that have one smaller and a larger cooking zone, allowing you to choose the best size for your pan. You can also find hobs with booster burners that produce high-powered heat quickly ideal for searing meat or bringing pans of boiling water to the boil quickly.
Ceramic cooktops are more energy efficient than other types of hobs because they take longer to heat up and switch temperatures. You can also choose vented cooktops that have an air-conditioning system that is integrated into the cooktop made of ceramic. This ensures that smoke, steam and cooking smells don't linger in your house.
Induction
The heating elements inside hobs with induction are made up of a series of copper wire coils that are placed beneath the surface that produce electromagnets to heat the pans that sit on them. The coils agitate the free electrons inside your pan's metal base and then transfer heat efficiently and directly to your food. The surface of the hob is never hot and the cooking zones are automatically turned off when your pan is removed.
Induction hobs are typically more expensive, however they also heat up faster and use 30-70% lower energy than gas or other kinds. Induction hobs are also easier to clean because only the contents of the pan gets hot but not the surface.
Certain manufacturers offer an induction model that comes with additional features like the ability to pause that cuts off the power to your stove when you leave it, or connect two cooking rings at the same time at the same power level to provide added flexibility. These are sometimes referred to as FlexInduction hobs. They may be more costly than traditional induction models however, they're worth considering if multitasking is important to you.
Our top choice is this induction cooktop from Smeg, which has four cooking zones that are large enough that have a bridge function, as well as nine power levels, giving you a wide range of options for ambitious cooks. It performed well during our test, with fast heating and precise control when making pancakes. The cooker also comes with a built-in dishwasher and an automatic pan detection function to make cleaning a lot easier. There's a small selection of compatible pans, however it isn't used to cook with utensils that have magnetic bases. It could be a problem if you have a large quantity of cookware that's not compatible or some of it is compatible with induction hobs.