Nine Things That Your Parent Teach You About Best Hob

How to Choose the Best Hob

There are lots of factors to consider when choosing the best hob, from cost to energy efficiency. Determine which features are the most important.

A basic ceramic electric hob costs just PS100. However, you will need to pay more for one with many features. Gas hobs, which are well-known and offer excellent temperature control, but are more expensive, are a different alternative.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

This Haier stove has four cooking zones, Best Oven three 'Push&Go" functions and can assist you in making quick meals. It was also one of the most efficient on test to boil water, taking less than four minutes. It has a child lock and an pause feature, so you can stop the process swiftly without having to fiddle with controls.

Its style is sleek and modern and blends well with modern kitchens. It's typically made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and features controls that are flush with the worktop for ease of use.

The controls were simple to use and we appreciated the display that displays the current power level and which zone is active. The "Boost" feature creates high-powered heat in a short time. It is perfect to stir fry and speedily heating up pans. Safety features like the light on the hot hob or automatic shut-off are also beneficial.

However, it's not as sensitive to touch as other hobs in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, in comparison to seven or six for other models. It takes longer to respond when you alter the cooking temperature, so you may need to alter settings multiple times before your pan is at the right temperature.

This model is 60cm long and comes with four cooking zones including a half-flex zone where two areas can be joined together to accommodate larger pans and pots. Dual-ring design permits it to operate on both "normal" and "boost" power levels. The Boost is ideal for cooking meat and searing it, or making water come to a quick boil.

It's fully connected via the hOn app and comes with 100's of recipes with guided cooking and 30 special programs that are divided into various food categories and preparation styles. It has an intuitive multislider interface as well as a lockable control panel. In addition, it is able to automatically detect the kind of pan you're using and set up the right cooking mode. It's also compatible with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and has a range of safety features, like a lockable control panel and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

If you're working on your kitchen or simply looking for an alternative to gas, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped drastically in the last few years. The basic four-zone models are now available for less that PS100. However, if you're looking for all the bells and whistles that come with induction it's worth the extra cost for the latest innovations.

This sleek-looking model from Smeg boasts the latest induction technology to make your cooking energy efficient and convenient. The innovative Auto-pot detection system automatically recognises the position of pots with minimum diameters of 9cm, allowing you to switch on the appropriate zone without having to select it manually.

Smeg's focus is on energy efficiency however, it doesn't overlook the possibility of flexibility. The hob can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum temperatures that the zones can operate at. There are other options to save even more energy using the Eco-Logic advance mode that reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as little as 2.4 kW.

Testers were impressed by the user-friendly interface of this hob, with intuitive sliding controls that move across the edge of the hob to follow your pan. The control panel's color scheme allows you to quickly determine the operating status of each zone, while the Flexi Duo function allows you to connect two zones together to accommodate larger pots. There are many useful functions, including four automated cooking presets: melting boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.

The hob also comes with a FlameSensor which will alert you when there's a risk of a meal that's been burned or an igniting fire. There are other safety features, including an indicator of residual heat and an auto shut-off feature if the surface gets too hot.

It's also hard-wearing with an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to help it resist tough marks and stains from cooking. The stove is simple to install and features nine power levels and an excellent 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering for large pans. There are a few bonus features, such as locking controls and a safety fuse to protect against accidental pressing of buttons.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity, not gas. They use copper plates to generate magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. This means that they can reach a temperature more quickly than gas hobs, and also save energy as the cooking zone only gets hot when you turn on the pan. They are generally cheaper to operate than gas and they are also simpler to clean.

The induction hob made by Indesit is packed full of 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 boiling water to. For instance, the Push&Go allows you to cook perfectly with the click of the button. There are nine power modes, including a 'P boost setting that gives each zone maximum power for 5 minutes, can be easily set using the controls, which are positioned across the bottom of the hob to track the pans.

The controls are also simple to use and have modern, minimalist designs that's perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it cooked pasta water in a flash and quickly heated up after placing an oven hob on the Booster zone. However, it took an extended time to cool down after we turned off the hob. Our testers found it difficult to determine the precise temperature on the control panel.

In addition to the Dual Zone and Push&Go feature, this Indesit hob comes with a bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It also has a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off system which prevents the hob from operating when it becomes too hot. Our test subjects were pleased that there weren't any messy, visible flames and the ceramic glass was easy to wipe clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw heat and smoke out of the pan and out of the room through an air duct on the surface. Our experts believed that the duct on this hob was easy to clean, even though it took two people to lift the filter to change it.

4. GE Induction Hob

Consider how the stove can fit into your kitchen's layout and design, as well as what your cooking style. Induction hobs are a good choice for cooking with children or the elderly in mind. They come with safety features like automatic shut-offs and a cool-to-touch surface. If you're looking for speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass fascia on an electric hob is the best choice. For those who live in areas susceptible to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs during power cuts may tip the scales in favour of a gas model.