How to Choose the Best Hob
When selecting the ideal hob for your needs there are a lot of aspects to take into consideration. From cost to energy efficiency. Determine which features are the most important.
A basic ceramic electric hob costs less than PS100. However you'll have to pay more for one with numerous features. Gas hobs are also a popular choice and provide great temperature control, but they're more expensive.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob has four cooking zones, three 'Push&Go" functions, and will aid in cooking quick meals. It was also among the most efficient tests to boil water, which took just under four minutes. It's child-safe and comes with a pause function, so you can quickly stop the process without having to mess around with the controls.
Its design is sleek, contemporary, and works well with contemporary kitchens. It is typically made of glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and sit flush on the worktop.
The controls are simple to use, and we appreciated the clear display which tells you the current power setting, and which of the five zones are active. The 'Boost" feature creates high-powered heat in a short time. It's ideal for stir-frying and quickly heating up pans. Safety features such as the hob light that is hot or automatic shutdown are also beneficial.
However, it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs tested in this test. We observed that it took nine presses on the control to reach the highest temperature, compared with six or seven on other models. It also takes longer to respond when you change the temperature of cooking, which means you may need to alter settings several times before the pan reaches the right heat.
This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones, including a half-flex zone that two areas can be joined to accommodate larger pots and pans. The dual-ring design allows it to operate with both "normal" and "boost" power levels. The Boost model is great for frying, searing meat or bringing water pans to a rapid boiling point.
It is fully connected to the hOn app and includes hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 special programs divided into various food categories and types of preparation. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface as well as a lockable control panel. Additionally, it is able to automatically detect the kind of pan you're using and set up the right cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans made by third parties and has a number of safety features like the ability to lock the panel and boil-dry prevention.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
If you're working on your kitchen or simply looking for an alternative to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have slashed in the last few years, with basic four-zone models starting at less than PS100. However, if you're looking for all the bells and whistles that are included in the induction system, it's worth paying extra for the most up-to-date technology.
This slick-looking model from Smeg features the latest induction technology that makes your cooking energy efficient and convenient. The innovative Auto-pot detection system automatically detects the location of pots that have minimum diameters of 9cm, allowing you to activate the appropriate zone without having to select it manually.
Smeg's emphasis on energy efficiency does not leave out flexibility too - this hob is designed to conserve power by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones to meet your cooking preferences. There are other options to save energy using the Eco-Logic advance mode that reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as little as 2.4 2 kW.
The user-friendly interface of this cooker impressed testers, with its intuitive sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edges of it. The color scheme of the control panel lets you quickly see the operational status of each zone, and the 'Flexi Duo' feature allows you to connect two zones together to accommodate larger pans. There are plenty of useful features, such as four automatic cooking presets (melting, boiling, slow cooking and keeping warm) and a Power Boost for quick results.
The hob also has a FlameSensor that can alert you when there's a risk of a meal that's been burned or an igniting fire. There are also several safety features, including a residual heat indicator as well as an auto shut-off feature if the surface gets too hot.
It also resists tough stains and features a protective coating of CleanProtect. This hob has nine power levels, the FlexiDuo feature for accommodating large pans and is easy to install. There are also a number of bonus features, such as control locks and a safety fuse in the event of accidental button-pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
They are powered by electricity, not gas, induction stoves utilize copper plates that create an electric field when a pan is placed on the top. This means that they can reach temperatures faster than gas hobs. They also save energy as the cooking zone only is heated when you turn on the pan. They are generally cheaper to run than gas, and they are also easier to clean.
The induction hob made by Indesit is packed with features that make it easy to be creative in the kitchen. It comes with two distinct zones that can be combined into a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, and an instant booster zone to quickly bring boiling water to. A range of functions that are automatic such as Push&Go lets you cook your food perfectly at the touch of the button. Nine power modes including a 'P-boost setting that grants each zone maximum power for five minutes, can be easily selected with the controls, which move along the bottom edge of the hob to track the pans.
The controls are also easy to operate and feature an elegant, minimalist design that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it boiled pasta water in a flash and was quick to heat up after placing an oven on the Booster zone. It took a while for it to cool down after turning off the hob, and our test subjects had difficulty seeing the exact temperature on the control panel.
As well as the Dual Zone and Push&Go feature, this Indesit hob also has a bridge function that lets you combine two cooking zones to suit larger pans. It has a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic shut-off mechanism that prevents the hob from working if it gets too hot. Our test subjects were pleased that there weren't any messy, visible flames and the glass is easy to clean. Unlike a traditional extractor hood vented hobs draw heat and smoke away from the pan and out of the room through an air duct on the surface. The duct on this hob was easy to clean, however it took two people to remove the filter.
4. Induction Hob by GE
Consider how the stove will be able to fit into the layout and design of your kitchen, as well as the style of cooking you prefer. For instance, if you frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, safety features like an automatic shut-off or an icy to the touch surface may make an induction stove the best option. Alternatively, for those website who value speed and efficiency an electric hob that has a glass face that is wipe-clean is ideal. For those who live in areas susceptible to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs in power outages may make the difference in favor of a gas model.