Types of Hob and Oven

A oven and hob is commonplace in kitchens, and comes in a variety of designs. You can mix different types, like gas and electric to meet your needs.

Safety features such as child and position controls could be integrated into a hob. These are designed to prevent children from touching the hob, and stop them changing the temperature settings in error.

Types

The hob is the focal element of any kitchen and can have a significant impact on the outcome of your cooking. There are many different kinds of hobs and the one you choose will be based on what your specific cooking requirements are.

Gas hobs are a classic option. They are quick to heat up and respond immediately to temperature fluctuations. Professional chefs prefer them because they provide precise control. They aren't as easy to clean as other stoves and could require more frequent maintenance.

Electric hobs are made of ceramic with a flat surface and heated elements beneath. They are available in a variety of sizes and come with up to six cooking zones. Each zone has its own heating element which can be controlled individually by you. This allows you to boil potatoes on one ring and cooking sausages in another. This kind of hob is easier to warm up than gas, and also offers an alternative that is safer for children as the cooking zone is heated only when you place an oven on it.

Ceramic hobs are a fashionable and user-friendly alternative to gas and electric hobs. They have a smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However they aren't as quick to respond to temperature fluctuations or cool down as other hobs.

The Domino hob is a space-saving alternative to electric and gas hobs. It incorporates ovens under the cooking surface. They can be fitted into smaller kitchens that have limited installation space and are suitable for flats and kitchenettes. They tend to be cheaper than standard hobs and are energy efficient, however they are also susceptible to damage and require more frequent maintenance.

Gas

Gas hobs are cooktops with burners that can be easily integrated into the kitchen countertop to create a seamless look. They are usually powered by natural or liquid petroleum gas (LPG) but they 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 has various burners, usually 4, but often as many as 6. They are ignited by either a match or by turning the knob. The flames are controlled by a set of valves that can be adjusted to regulate the temperature.

Contrary to this, modern built-in gas hobs have multi-flame burners that let you control the inner and outer rings of each burner to control your cooking. These burners are faster and more reliable than older models.

Traditionally, it was important to keep a gas stove lit all the time to ensure the burners were always hot and fueled. This was a security feature to avoid any mishaps such as not turning off the oven when the stove was lit by a match or the pilot flame. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind and include a built-in flame safety device that shuts down the burners immediately should the pilot light fail.

Gas stoves and hobs need to be regularly checked and cleaned as well as maintained. The best way to ensure this is to book an appointment with a licensed Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only make sure that your appliance is operating properly, but they will also provide expert advice on how to avoid any future problems.

Electric

When it comes time to design your dream kitchen, the worktops, fridge freezer and oven will always receive the most attention, but a good hob is also essential. The kind of hob you choose will affect the way your kitchen works and how easy for you to clean.

Electric hobs are powered by heating elements underneath a smooth glass surface which is typically cleaned using an non-abrasive cleaner. The elements turn on when you turn the hob on and can be adjusted to various power levels by turning or pressing a control knob. They can take some time to warm up however once they are heated, they tend to provide more stable and reliable temperature control. They also have built-in indicators to let you know that a particular zone is active or hot from cooking.

Typically, they come in four to six different sizes that can be cranked up to various power levels. They are great for cookware that is flat, but aren't the best option for cast iron pans because they can get hot. Certain models come with dual-ring designs (such as the Belling BEL CH602T) that permit boiling water on one ring while you saute sausages on another. Some even include a boost function which concentrates high-powered heat onto one ring to stir fry cooking, searing meat or boiling large pots of water.

Induction hobs are different from regular electric models due to the fact that they use electromagnetic fields instead of conventional gas flames to heat your cookware. They can achieve precise temperatures more quickly and are more efficient in energy use. They feature a cool to the touch surface and flashing indicators that inform you whether a ring was 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, and then firing it in a high-temperature oven known as Kiln. Once it's been made, it can then be painted or covered with decorative materials to give it texture and colour.

Ceramic hobs are a perfect blend of design and function to create an impressive piece of contemporary kitchen furniture. They work by using radiant heating technology that passes an electric current through coiled elements hidden beneath the black glass surface of the hob. When activated, they generate heat which is then transferred to the pan through an infrared system. You can adjust the intensity of this heating by adjusting the controls with knobs or buttons.

Some ceramic hobs have dual rings, with one smaller and one with a larger cooking area. This lets you choose the appropriate size for your pan. There are hobs equipped with booster burners that produce high-powered heat quickly perfect for searing food or bringing pans of boiling water to the boil quickly.

As compared to other types of cooktops, ceramic cooktops take a little longer to warm up and then change temperature, but once they do they are generally more efficient in energy use. You can also find vented hobs that incorporate an air-conditioning system inside the cooktop's ceramic surface, making sure smoke, steam and cooking smells don't linger in your home.

Induction

Induction hobs are equipped with heating elements that are made up of copper wire coils. They generate electromagnets which heat the pans placed on the top of them. The coils move free electrons inside the base of your pan which transmits heat efficiently and directly to your food. The surface of the stove is never hot, and as soon as you remove your pan the cooking zones are turned off automatically.

Induction hobs are generally more expensive, however they also get hotter faster and use 30 to 70% less energy than gas or other types. Induction hobs are also simpler to clean since only the inside of the pan gets hot and not the surface.

Some manufacturers have an induction model that comes with extra features, such as the pause feature, which cuts the power to the stove when you leave, or the ability to link two cooking rings simultaneously at the same time for greater flexibility. These are often referred to as FlexInduction hobs and can be more expensive than traditional models, however they're worth looking into if like to multitask.

Our favorite is this induction hob made by Smeg. It has four cooking zones of good size that have a bridge function, as well as nine power levels that give you a wide range of options for ambitious cooks. It did well in our tests, with fast heating and accurate control when making pancakes. The cooker also comes with dishwasher built-in and an automatic pan detection feature to make cleaning more simple. There's a small selection of compatible pans it isn't used for cooking with appliances that have a magnetic base. This could be a problem when you have a lot of non-compatible cookware or only some of it is suitable for induction hobs.