How to Choose the Best Hob
When deciding on the best hob there are a variety of factors to take into consideration. From cost to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding which features are important is essential.
A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as little as PS100, but you'll need to pay more for a model with a lot of features. Gas hobs, also popular and offer great temperature control, but are expensive, are a different alternative.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob comes with four cooking zones, three 'Push&Go" functions and can assist you in making quick meals. It was one of the fastest to boil water in our tests, taking just four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features an pause feature, meaning you can stop the process without having to mess around with the controls.
Its style is sleek and modern and blends well with modern kitchens. It is usually made of glass (which is heatproof and shatterproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and rest flush on the worktop.
The controls were simple to use, and we liked the display which shows the current power level and the zone that is active. The 'Boost" feature generates powerful heat in a short time. It is perfect for stir-frying and rapidly boiling pans. Safety features like the hob light that is hot or automatic shut-off are also beneficial.
However it's not as sensitive to touch as other hobs in this test. We found it took nine presses of the control to reach the highest temperature, compared with six or seven on other models. It takes longer to respond when you alter the cooking temperature, meaning you may need to alter settings several times before your pan is ready to cook at the proper temperature.
This model is 60cm long and comes with four cooking zones including a half-flex area where two areas can be joined together to accommodate larger pots and pans. It features a dual-ring design that is able to operate on both normal and boost' power levels. Boost is perfect for frying meat, searing it or quickly bring water to a fast boiling.
It is fully connected through the hOn App, and offers hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 unique programmes divided into different food categories and types of preparation. It features a simple multislider interface and 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 third-party hOn sets and has a range of safety features, such as the control panel that can be locked 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 are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped over the past few years, with the simplest four-zone models available for less than PS100. If you want 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 energy efficient. The revolutionary Auto-pot detection technology automatically detects the position of pots that have minimum diameters of 9cm, allowing you to switch on the appropriate zone without having to select it manually.
Smeg's focus is on energy savings however, it doesn't overlook flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to save energy based on the highest temperatures that the zones can operate at. There are options to save energy by using the Eco-Logic advance mode, which reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as low as 2.4 kW.
Testers were impressed with the hob's user-friendly design that has intuitive controls that move along the edge of the hob to follow your pan. The control panel's colour-coded scheme makes it easy to identify the status of each zone. The 'Flexi Duo" feature lets the connection of two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are numerous useful features, including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.
The oven also comes with an alarm system that will notify you in the event of a burnt-on meal or the possibility of a fire. There are also several safety features, such as a residual heat indicator as well as an auto shut-off feature if the surface becomes too hot.
It also resists tough stains and features a CleanProtect protective coating. The stove is simple to install and features nine power levels as well as a handy 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering to large pans. There are also a number of extra features, like locking controls and a safety fuse in case of accidental button-pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They use copper plates to create an electric force when a pan or pot is placed on them. This means they can reach a temperature more quickly than gas hobs, and also save energy as the cooking zone only heats up when you turn on a pan. They are generally cheaper to operate than gas and they are also less difficult to clean.
Indesit's induction stove is packed full of features that will allow you to get creative in the cooking. It has two separate cooking zones that can be combined to form the Dual Zone for larger pans and the Booster Zone is quick to bring water to a boil quickly. Push&Go, for example, allows you to cook with perfection at the touch a button. The controls are simple to use and let you select nine power modes, including the P boost option which gives the highest power in each zone for five minutes.
The controls are simple to use and the minimalist design is ideal for modern kitchens. In our tests it quickly heated up a pan once we put it on the Booster Zone and boiled pasta water. It took some time to cool down after we turned off the hob, and our testers had difficulty seeing the exact temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also features a bridge function, which allows you to combine two cooking zones for larger pans. It also has a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic switch-off feature that stops the hob from operating when it becomes too hot. Our test subjects were pleased that there were no visible flames or flammable substances and the ceramic glass was easy to clean. In contrast 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 this hob's duct was easy to clean, though it required two people to take the filter out to change it.
4. GE Induction Hob
Consider how the hob will work with the layout and design of your more info kitchen as well as what your cooking style is. Induction hobs are a great choice for cooking with kids or elderly in mind. They have safety features like automatic shut-offs and a cool-to-touch surface. If you prioritize efficiency and speed, an electric hob with a glass face that is wipe-clean is ideal. For those living in regions prone to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs in power outages may tip the scales in favour of a gas model.