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Types of Hobs A hob (known as a stove top in North America) is a cooking appliance that heats pans by using electricity or flames. There are a variety of hobs. You can choose the one that is best suited to your kitchen and style. Induction hobs feature a flat ceramic cooking surface and include five or four zones for heating your pans. The contemporary designs that operate with a touch are sleek and elegant and are easy to clean. Ceramic hobs Ceramic hobs provide an elegant and contemporary look that can really improve the overall look of your kitchen. The flat glass-ceramic surfaces can be easy to clean and can quickly be wiped down when spills or splatters happen. They also heat up very quickly and are energy efficient, which can help to lower your electric bill. However, one disadvantage of ceramic hobs is that they tend to be slow to change temperatures, which can be frustrating when cooking something that requires an instant reduction or an increase in heat. Electric hobs use a solid plate that is heated by electric elements beneath. The power of each element can be adjusted via rotating knobs. You can use the Boost feature to raise the temperature of a particular area. Ceramic hobs also have a very high rate of heat retention, meaning they'll remain hot to the touch after being turned off. It is important to put ceramic hobs in a location that is safe from any flammable objects and away from children's reach. This type of hob can be mounted on a variety of worktops, including laminate or solid hardwood, as well as granite. It's also quite affordable and can be a great option for those looking to replace your old stoves without spending a lot of money. However, like all appliances they need to be installed correctly and connected to the mains, and we suggest hiring a professional electrician to ensure that the new hobs are safe for use. The downside to this kind of hob is that it's sensitive to pan size and shape. You'll need to buy cookware that's the exact same dimensions as the element or that will fit comfortably inside each heating zone on the hob. If the cookware doesn't fit, then the element will not recognise it and won't begin to heat the base of the pan. This could lead to inconsistent results in cooking and makes the stove less efficient. Gas on glass hobs Gas on glass hobs have a sleek and modern appearance. While they be more expensive than electric ones and require professional installation, they typically require less time to heat up – it's not uncommon for a full pan of water to boil within four minutes or less. This type of stove is ideal for cooks who need to control how much heat is produced. However, it should be noted that a glass hob is more prone to damage than stainless steel models and will likely require cleaning more often, since grease and residue build up tends to remain instead of sliding off. This Bertazzoni hob is a fantastic example of gas on glass. It features four monobloc burners in matt black with metal control knobs to give it a chic, sophisticated appearance. The wok ring is 4kW to allow for more versatility and the pan supports are dishwasher-proof. Another highly recommended model is this Bosch gas hob, which combines an attractive slab of toughened glass and advanced cooking technology. The dual ring design to the left side of the gas hob has an inner burner that doubles to improve heat distribution and accelerate cooking. It also has an indicator for power that helps you to control the precise temperature of the flame. You can choose from nine pre-set settings, like high settings to sear steaks and a lower one for scrambled eggs. The simple, yet easy-to-use controls were also liked by our testers, who found them to be very simple to use. Some minor issues are the fact that you must physically press the controls nine times before you can reach the highest level of heating and it can be difficult to determine the state of the burners through the glass. Some of the top gas-on-glass hobs are available for affordable prices, such as this Neff model. While it's not going to win any design awards however, it serves the purpose well and can be an excellent addition to your kitchen for just over PS120. Electric hobs Electric hobs are a great choice for modern homes. They're not only elegant and stylish, but they are also more efficient, safer, and more energy efficient than their predecessors. Ceramic glass hobs are among the most popular electric stoves. These hobs have sleek glazed finishes, and have an easy surface to clean and resistant to scratches. They're also typically equipped with a power boost feature, which allows you to increase the heat of your hob for a short amount of time. Induction hobs are yet another electric hob that is ideal for modern homes. Induction hobs heat cookware directly by using electromagnetic fields, unlike traditional electric and gas plates. They are therefore more energy-efficient and provide precise temperature control. They require a particular type of pan and can be costly to set up. A gas-on-glass hob is another option that's an excellent option for modern homes. Similar to a traditional gas hob, it features an oven that is surrounded by a layer of flat glass. However it's heat-resistant and shatterproof, which means it's easier to clean than the typical glass that's tempered. Many of these hobs also come with a 'hot surface indicator', which alerts you when the hob is heated. While gas hobs remain a popular option for many home cooks however, they can be noisy and difficult to clean. They also take time to cool down and warm down and their flames can be difficult to control. However, electric hobs are more energy-efficient and simpler to clean. For the ultimate in modern technology You can also find electric hobs that are compatible with LPG gas. You can switch between a variety of fuels, allowing you the flexibility to adapt to your lifestyle. However, it's important to remember that these hobs must be installed by a gas safe registered engineer and will require a dedicated 6mm cable to be installed in your kitchen. These hobs are not suitable for those with pacemakers because the electromagnetic field may interfere with them. Induction hobs Copper coils run an alternating electric current beneath the glass surface of an induction hob. When an induction-compatible pot is placed on a hob the coils generate magnetic fields that produce heat directly within the pan rather than heating the surface of the worktop (gas) or a heated plate (electric). Induction hobs are efficient in energy use, since they don't waste any heat. There are many models of induction stoves from the basic entry-level ones with a single zone labelled by rings, to more advanced multi-zoned induction stoves that can have up to 6 zones that allow multiple pots to cook simultaneously on one flex area. Certain models come with a touch slider control that is very similar to the way you use on an iPhone. Simply swipe your finger over the power bar at the middle to select the desired temperature left to right increases the heat and right to left reduces it. Certain models can even be programmed with settings for certain recipes or food types that can help you save time and effort in the kitchen. Induction hobs can be more expensive than ceramic hobs. However, they are thought to be more energy efficient in the long run because they heat up quicker and have a smaller area to heat up which could help reduce your energy bills. They cool down faster and are more secure without hot plates. This makes them perfect for families with children or elderly residents. They do, however, create an electric force that could interfere with certain medical devices like pacemakers. It is therefore essential to center the pans and avoid using smaller pans with larger burners. As with all electric hobs you'll have to clean your electric hob frequently, since food particles and other debris can build up over time. You can use a regular oven cleaner, or you can invest in a specialist product to keep your hob clean and in good shape for longer. Just be sure to never use the abrasive cleaning pads or scouring pads on your induction cooker as they could scratch the surface.