The hob is a vital part of the kitchen and apart from being a necessity they’re also now a style feature for the kitchen. There’s a lot to think about when purchasing a hob, what fuel type is best for you, how many zones will you need and what look are you after. We’ve outlined the basics below to help you decide which type of hob will suit your cooking needs.
The hob is a vital part of the kitchen and apart from being a necessity they’re also now a style feature for the kitchen. There’s a lot to think about when purchasing a hob, what fuel type is best for you, how many zones will you need and what look are you after. We’ve outlined the basics below to help you decide which type of hob will suit your cooking needs.
These hobs are smooth, modern and super easy to wipe clean. They create a magnetic field between the induction element in the hob and the pan, therefore only the pan heats up which makes the cooking surface safer and the hob it’s self is more energy efficient. You’ll find a variety of cooking zone designs, often with extending zones. Make sure your pans are made from magnetisable metal such as cast iron or steel.
Ceramic hobs add a touch of style to the kitchen with their super smooth and sleek appearance, which also makes them easy to wipe clean. They are electric and heat up quickly, although not as fast as gas or induction hobs. You’ll be able to find them with up to 6 cooking zones and most pans can be used, try to avoid pans with copper or exposed aluminium bases.
Hobs come in a variety of sizes with different cooking zone configurations, making it easier to pick a hob design that suits the space you have available and your cooking needs.
Smaller hobs generally have a width less than 50cm and tend to offer one or two cooking zones. These come in ideal for smaller kitchens, individuals or as extra cooking space alongside another hob.
The average hob is around 60cm. These hobs suit most households as they offer three to five cooking zones.
Larger hobs have a width of 70cm and above. They tend to offer five to six cooking zones and come in great for larger family homes and aspiring home cooks.
Before choosing your hob, you’ll need to measure the space you intend to fit the hob carefully, to ensure a perfect fit and avoid disappointment. The hob needs a cut out space within the worktop to fit and you generally need to leave a certain amount of space free surrounding the hob. Induction hobs require a little more depth space below the hob when fitted, compared to other hobs. This is to accommodate for the technology that powers them, so think about this if you’re also installing a built-under oven.
Each hobs user manual will give detailed instructions on installation and to make things easier for you we also offer an installation service.
Induction hobs enable you to wipe away any mess straight away, as the smooth surface doesn’t get too hot to touch. Ceramic hobs also have a smooth easy clean surface, however as the surface does get hot you’ll need to wait a little longer to clean it. Gas hobs are more time consuming as the pan supports need to be removed.
Domino hobs are neat and petite, they hold one or two cooking zones. You can find them in all hob types. They come in ideal for small kitchens, holiday homes, caravans and even just as extra cooking space alongside another hob.
Induction hobs tend to be the most energy efficient as all their power goes straight into heating the pan, no energy is wasted heating the surface. Gas hobs are also considered energy efficient as they tend to provide the lowest annual running cost, since gas is cheaper than electricity.
Flexible cooking zones are found on induction hobs, the zones change to suit your cookware. Some will have ring cooking zones, the ring will extend and the power provided will increase when a large pan is detected. Some may feature a bridge zone, this is where one ring cooking zone creates a bridge to another and the entire space can be used to cook on.
Many of our gas hobs can be converted to work with bottled LPG gas. This comes in great for those wanting the precision of gas but who don't have access to a mains gas supply. It's also handy for holiday homes and caravans. Some of the hobs will include everything you need to convert them others may not, it's best to check the hob's instruction manual to make sure.
Gas hobs have flame failure devices fitted to stop the gas supply if the flame did ever go out. Ceramic hobs have residual heat indicators to let you know when the surface is safe to the touch. Whilst induction hobs are the safest choice as their surface remains safe to the touch throughout cooking, the surface will get hot but not hot enough to burn.
When it comes to providing fast heat, gas cannot be beaten as you get an instant flame providing instant heat. Next Induction hobs, the magnetic field created by the cooktop heats the pan instantly. Then its ceramic hobs, they are a little slower as the element in the cooking zone takes time to heat up. Finally its sealed plate hobs, the solid plates tend to be slow at heating and cooling.
Venting hobs come with a built in extractor to clear the air of smells and grease when cooking. Most venting hobs have the option for the air to b either extracted though an external vent or to be filtered and recirculated.
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There are some hobs that can be plugged in instead of being hardwired, which makes installation much easier. All our plug and go hobs will let you know in their product descriptions.
Most tend to install their hob above a built-in oven. You’ll be able to position the hob wherever you like in your kitchen as long as there’s plenty of worktop space to accommodate the hob and leave the adequate space around it. You must also make sure that there is a suitable power outlet within 1.5m of the location.
Induction and ceramic hobs are really easy to wipe clean with a warm damp cloth thanks to their sleek surfaces. Gas hobs take a little more work as the pan supports need to be removed. Gas on glass hobs can be wiped clean with a warm damp cloth and stainless steel hobs may need a warm soapy sponge which can also be used on the pan supports. Sealed plate hobs will need a warm soapy sponge and you can even apply a little cooking oil to the plates to give them a protective layer.
There’s no need to worry as each burner will be fitted with a flame failure device, this stops the gas supply if the flame ever goes out. In the unlikely event that you are unable to light a burner or the flame won’t stay lit, you can check your hobs manual for troubleshooting details or contact the manufacturer of the hob directly.
Ceramic hobs heat the hob surface, whereas induction hobs heat the pan base, the hob surface still gets warm but not hot enough to burn. Induction hobs also heat up faster and are more energy efficient as they directly heat the pan, so no energy is wasted. Both are easy to clean with their smooth surfaces, however you’ll be able to wipe clean an induction hob sooner.
Hobs with flex-induction technology have no designated spaces for cookware. You’ll be able to place your pots and pans anywhere on the surface. The hob will recognise how large your cookware is and if the limit of one cooking zone is exceeded, additional cooking zones are automatically added so your cookware is always evenly heated for perfect cooking results.
You’ll be able to use any type of pan on a sealed plate hob. When it comes to ceramic hobs, it’s best to go for pans with heavy gauge coated aluminium or hard anodised stainless steel pans with a thick base. Good quality enamel on steel and cast iron pans can be used, but be careful as they could scratch the surface. Induction hobs will only work with magnetised pans. Iron, cast iron and black metal pans will work, also stainless steel pans with a magnetic grade of steel will work.