The 9 Things Your Parents Teach You About Best Hob

How to Choose the Best Hob

There are lots of factors to consider when choosing the best hob, from the price to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.

A basic ceramic electric hob costs just PS100. However you'll have to pay more for a model with many features. Gas hobs, Ovens Hobs also popular and offer great temperature control, but are more expensive, are another option.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

This Haier hob has four cooking zones, three "Push&Go" functions and can assist you in making quick meals. It was also among the quickest tested to boil water, taking just under four minutes. It has the child lock as well as a an pause feature, so you can stop the process in a snap without having to mess with controls.

Its design is sleek and contemporary it blends seamlessly with contemporary kitchens. It's typically made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and has touch controls that sit on top of the worktop to allow to make it easy to use.

The controls were easy to use, and we liked the display which shows the current power level as well as which zone is in use. The "Boost" feature creates high-powered heat in a brief time. It is perfect for stir-frying and rapidly bringing pans to boil. The hob's hot light and the automatic shutoff are helpful security features, too.

It's not as responsive as the other hobs in this test. We observed that it took nine presses of the control to achieve the highest temperature, compared with six or seven on other models. It also takes longer for the pan to respond when you change the temperature. You may need to adjust the settings several times to get the right temperature.

This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones. One of them is a half-flex zone that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. The dual-ring design allows it to operate with both "normal" and "boost" power levels. It is perfect for cooking meat, searing it or bringing pots of water to a rapid boil.

It's fully integrated with the hOn app, and offers 100's of recipes with guided cooking and 30 unique programs that are divided into various food categories and types of preparation. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface, as well as a lockable control panel. In addition, it will automatically recognize the type of pan you're using and set up the correct cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and comes oven with hob a variety of safety features, like an adjustable control panel that locks and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

If you're working in your kitchen, or searching for a substitute to gas induction hobs, they are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped in the last few years, with the simplest four-zone models starting at less than PS100. If you're looking for the latest induction technology, it is worth paying a bit more.

This slick-looking model from Smeg features the latest induction technology that makes your cooking efficient and easy. The Auto-pot detection system detects pots that have dimensions of at least 9 centimetres and automatically selects the zone that is appropriate.

Smeg's focus is on energy savings but it doesn't forget flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to conserve energy based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. There are also options to save even more energy by using the Eco-Logic advance mode, which reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as low as 2.4 4 kW.

Testers were awed by the hob's user-friendly design, with intuitive sliding controls that move along the edge of the hob in order to follow the pan. The control panel's color-coded layout makes it easy to determine the status of each zone. The 'Flexi Duo" function lets you connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are plenty of useful features, including four cooking presets for automatic cooking (melting boiling, melting slow cooking, keeping warm) and a Power Boost for super-quick results.

In addition to this the hob comes with an 'FlameSensor' feature that alerts you of any risk of fire or food that has been burned. There are many safety features like the residual heat sensor, as well as an automatic shut-off if the surface gets too hot.

It also resists tough stains, and has an anti-smudge coating called CleanProtect. The hob is simple to set up and features nine power levels as well as a handy 'FlexiDuo' feature that allows catering for large pans. There are a few bonus features like lockable controls, and an emergency fuse to stop accidental button pressing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Powered by electricity rather than gas, induction stoves utilize copper plates that create an electric field when the pan is placed on top. They can heat up much faster than gas hobs, and they use less energy since the cooking zone is only hot when you turn on your pan. They're generally less expensive to run than gas and are easier to wipe clean too making them a popular option.

The induction hob made by Indesit is packed with features that make it easy to create your own ideas in the kitchen. It has two separate zones that can be combined to form the Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as a speedy booster zone that can quickly bring water to a boil. A range of functions that are automatic such as Push&Go lets you cook your food perfectly at the touch of one button. There are nine power modes that include a 'P boost setting that gives each zone maximum power for five minutes, can be easily selected with the controls, which are positioned along the bottom edge of the hob to track the pans.

The controls are easy to operate and feature an elegant, minimalist design that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests it quickly heated up a pan when we put it on the Booster Zone and boiling pasta water. However, it took some time to cool down after it was turned off from the hob and oven. Our test participants were unable to see the exact temperatures on the control panel.

This Indesit hob also has a bridge function, which allows the user to combine two cooking zones for larger pans. It also has an overheating and child lock block as well as an auto switch-off system that shuts down the hob when it's heated to the point of. Our test participants were impressed that there were no messy, visible flames and the ceramic glass is easy to clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw heat and smoke out of the pan and out of the room via a duct in the surface. Our experts thought the duct on this hob was easy to keep clean, although it required two people to take the filter to change it.

4. GE Induction Hob

When choosing a new hob, consider how it fits into your kitchen's design and layout, in addition to your cooking style and life. For instance, if you frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as automatic shut-off and an icy to the touch surface could make an induction hob an ideal choice. If you prioritize efficiency and speed, an electric stove with a clean ceramic glass facia is a great choice. Gas hobs are an excellent option for those who live in areas susceptible to power outages.