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Hobs
If you love cooking delicious fresh dishes, then a good quality hob is a must for your kitchen. With a lot of choice available from different fuel types, sizes and settings, getting the right fit for your kitchen isn’t always easy. Our handy guide will run you through all the great options out there, to help make your decision a little easier.
What type of fuel should I get?
Gas
Traditional, powerful and still the most popular type of hob, gas power gives you instant heat and ultimate control over your dishes. So, you can boss those stir-fries and spice up those curries. They’re a little trickier to clean than the other types due to all the different bits, and you’ll need a mains gas supply to install one. But, if you love to cook, then a gas hob is an ideal choice.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs are the perfect choice if you want style and convenience. Their modern ceramic finish means they fit beautifully on top of your kitchen or island counter. And, because they’re powered by electric, they’re a breeze to use and super easy to clean. It’s worth bearing in mind that they can take a little longer to heat up.
Solid plate
Solid plate hobs are really easy to use and will give you powerful and even cooking. Powered by electricity, the sealed plates transfer the heat to your pans above. They’re not the fastest at heating up, however their steady increase of heat can actually give your food a nice even cook.
Induction
Smart, stylish and powerful, induction hobs are becoming the go-to choice for modern kitchens. But they’re not just lookers, these electric powered hobs pack a punch too. They use electromagnets to heat up the base of your pan, meaning they’re much quicker than other models. Plus, they’re super easy to clean. One thing worth noting, you’ll need pans that have a magnetic base, such as cast-iron pans and some stainless-steel sets. You’ll need to make sure you have a set of pans that work specifically with induction hobs. It’s also worth noting that induction hobs aren’t suitable for people who have a pacemaker fitted, as the powerful electromagnetic field produced can interfere with it. The BHF recommends that anyone with a pacemaker should keep a minimum distance of 60cm between the hob and their pacemaker.
Flex Induction
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.
Venting hob
A venting hob is an induction or ceramic hob with a built-in extractor fan in the centre. This type of hob is perfect if you’re thinking about placing it on a kitchen island as you won’t need an extractor hood over the top. It’s handy to know that because of the built-in extractor fan, you can’t install a venting hob above an oven, as you’ll need space below the counter for all the bits and pieces to go.
Brands
Key features to look out for
Gas on glass
Gas topped hobs provide instant heat and control with the convenience of a ceramic hob. They're very stylish, modern and thankfully very easy to clean.
Power boost
Power boost is a very useful cooking feature you should look out for when deciding on an Induction or Ceramic hob. PowerBoost is all about delivering instant power in which it will give you instant heat, so you can get cooking straight away with no time wasted.
Safety features
A majority of todays hobs will feature elements that’ll keep you and the family safe. A majority of gas hobs will come with a flame failure safety device which will instantly cut off the gas supply if the flames cut out. And, because most induction and ceramic hobs use a touch interface, keep an eye out for models which feature a lock feature, keeping your cooking settings locked in, so children can't accidentally hurt themselves.
Easy clean
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.
Unique burners
A majority of hobs today come with speciality burners or zones, such as the powerful wok burner. This type of burner delivers an intense ring of heat to make those sizzling stir-fries burst with flavour. Look out for hobs with pan supports, usually made from sturdy cast iron, they’ll keep your large crock pots safe and secure.
Energy costs
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.
Hob sizes
What pans can I use on an electric hob?
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.
What’s the best way to clean my hob?
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.
Can I plug my hob in?
There are some hobs that can be plugged in instead of being hardwired, which makes installation much easier. All our plug and play hobs will let you know in their product descriptions if they're 13 amp connected.
What’s the difference between ceramic and induction hobs?
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.