10 Tips For Getting The Most Value From Best Hob
10 Tips For Getting The Most Value From Best Hob
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How to Choose the Best Hob
There are lots of factors to take into consideration when selecting the best hob, from price to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.
A basic ceramic electric hob can cost less than PS100. However you'll need to pay more for one with numerous features. Gas hobs are another popular option and offer excellent temperature control, but they're also pricier.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier stove has four cooking zones, three "Push&Go" functions, and will help you prepare quick meals. It was among the fastest ways to boil water in our tests, taking just four minutes. It has a child lock and an pause feature, so you can stop the process quickly without having to mess with controls.
Its design is sleek, contemporary and blends well with modern kitchens. It is usually made of glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and rest directly on the worktop.
The controls are easy to use, and we appreciated the clear display that informs the current power setting and which of the five zones is active. The 'Boost" feature produces powerful heat in a short time. It's ideal for stir-frying and quickly heating up pans. The hob's hot light and auto shut-off are great safety features, too.
However it's not as responsive to touch as other hobs in this test. We found it took nine presses of the control to attain the highest temperature as opposed to seven or six on other models. It also takes longer to react when you alter the cooking temperature, meaning you may have to change settings multiple times before your pan reaches the right heat.
This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex, where two areas can easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. The dual-ring design allows it to operate on both "normal" and "boost" power levels. The Boost model is great for frying meat, searing it or bringing pans of water to a rapid boiling point.
It's fully integrated with the hOn app and comes with 100's of recipes with cooking instructions and 30 different programmes split into different food categories and types of preparation. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface as well as a lockable' control panel, plus it can automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set the proper cooking mode. It is also compatible with hOn pans from third parties and has a number of safety features such as the ability to lock the panel and boil-dry prevention.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Whether you're having work done on your kitchen or simply searching for a substitute to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped dramatically in the past few years. The basic four-zone models can be found for less than PS100. If you're looking for the latest induction technology, it is worth the extra cost.
This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology to make cooking more efficient and convenient. The unique Auto-pot detection system automatically detects the location of pots with minimum diameters of 9cm, which allows you to activate the appropriate zone without having to select it manually.
Smeg's main focus is on energy savings however, it doesn't overlook the flexibility of this appliance - it can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum operating temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW.
Testers were awed by the user-friendly interface of this hob, with intuitive sliding controls that move across the edge of the hob, allowing it to follow your pan. The control panel's color-coded design makes it easy to identify the state of each zone. The "Flexi duo" function lets the connection of two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are a variety of useful features, including four cooking presets that automatically cook (melting boiling slow cooking, and keeping warm) and a Power Boost for super-quick results.
The hob also has a FlameSensor that can alert you if there's a danger of a meal that's been burned or a fire. There are other safety features, like a residual heat indicator and an auto shut-off feature if the surface gets too hot.
It is also resistant to 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 an excellent 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering to large pans. There are several bonus features like locking controls and a safety fuse to protect against accidental button pressing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They use copper plates to create a magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. They are able to heat up faster than gas hobs and they also use less energy because the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on your pan. They're generally less expensive to run than gas, and they're easier to clean and that's why they're an extremely popular option.
Indesit's induction cooktop is packed of features to allow you to be creative when cooking. It has two separate cooking zones that can be combined to form the Dual Zone for larger pots and the Booster Zone is quick to bring water to a boiling point quickly. A variety of automated functions such as Push&Go lets you cook your food perfectly by pressing a button. The controls are simple to use and allow you to choose nine power modes, including a P boost setting that gives maximum power in each zone for five minutes.
The controls are also simple to operate and feature modern, minimalist designs that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it quickly heated up a pan after we placed it on the Booster Zone, and boiling pasta water. It took some time to cool down Best ovens UK after we turned off the hob, and our test subjects could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel.
In addition to a Dual Zone and Push&Go feature, this Indesit hob also has a bridge function that lets you connect two cooking zones to suit larger pans. It comes with a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic shut-off mechanism that stops the hob from working when it gets too hot. Our test participants were impressed that there were no messy, visible flames and the ceramic glass is easy to clean. Unlike a traditional extractor hood vented hobs draw steam and smoke out of the pan and out of the room via a duct in the surface. Our experts believed that the duct on this hob was easy to clean, though it took two people to take the filter out and change it.
4. Induction Hob from General Electric
When selecting a hob take a look at how it fits to your kitchen's style and layout, in addition to your cooking style and life. For instance, if often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, security features such as automatic shut-off and cool to the touch surface can make an induction cooker an ideal option. If you prioritize efficiency and speed, an electric stove with a wipe-clean ceramic glass fascia is the best choice. For those who live in areas prone to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs in power outages could make the difference in favor of gas models.