An In-Depth Look Into The Future: What Will The Best Hob Industry Look Like In 10 Years?
An In-Depth Look Into The Future: What Will The Best Hob Industry Look Like In 10 Years?
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How to Choose the Best Hob
There are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing the best hob, from the price to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.
A basic electric ceramic stove can cost as little as PS100, but you'll need to pay more to get a high-end model. Gas hobs, which are well-known and offer excellent temperature control but are more expensive, are another option.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier stove has four cooking zones with three "Push&Go" functions, and will help you prepare quick meals. It was among the fastest to boil water in our tests, taking only four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and has an option to pause the process, so you can quickly stop the process without having to fiddle around using controls.
Its design is sleek and modern, blending in well with contemporary kitchens. It's usually made from glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and features controls that are flush with the worktop to make it easy to use.
The controls are easy to use and we liked the clear display which tells the current power setting and which of the five zones is active. The "Boost" feature produces high-powered heat in a short time. It's ideal for stir-frying and rapidly bringing pans to boil. Safety features such as the light on the hot hob or automatic shutdown are also useful.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs tested in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, as opposed to six or seven for other models. It takes a bit longer for the pan to respond when you alter the temperature. It is possible to adjust the settings a few times to achieve the correct temperature.
This 60 cm model has four cooking zones, including a half-flex zone where two zones can be joined together to accommodate larger pans and pots. It comes with a dual-ring design and can operate on both 'normal and boost' power levels. Boost is ideal for frying meat, searing it or bringing pans of water to a rapid boil.
It is fully connected through the hOn App, and offers 100's of recipes, guided cooking, and 30 different programmes divided into different food categories and types of preparation. It has a multislider control panel with a 'lockable interface' and can detect the type pan you are using to set the proper cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn sets and comes with a variety of security features, including an adjustable control panel that locks and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Whether you're having work done in your kitchen or seeking a better alternative to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have slashed over the past few years, with the simplest four-zone models costing less than PS100. If you want the latest induction technology, it is worth paying a bit more.
This slick-looking model from Smeg features the latest induction technology that makes your cooking energy efficient and convenient. The Auto-pot detection system recognizes pots that have dimensions of at least 9cm and automatically selects the appropriate zone.
Smeg's primary focus is on energy savings but it doesn't forget flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to save power based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode lets you to save more energy, reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW.
The user-friendly interface of this stove impressed testers, with its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan along the edges of it. The control panel's colour scheme 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 a variety of useful functions, including four automated cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.
In addition to this the hob comes with a 'FlameSensor' that warns you if there is any danger of a burning or burning food. There are a variety of safety features, including a residual heat sensor and an automatic shut-off when the surface is too hot.
It's also hard-wearing with an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to protect it from tough stains and cooking marks. This hob has nine power levels as well as the FlexiDuo feature for accommodating large pans and is easy to put in. There are also a number of bonus features, including locking controls and an emergency 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 a magnetic field when the pan is set on top. They are able to heat up faster than gas hobs and they also consume less energy because the cooking zone is only hot when you turn on your pan. They are read more generally less expensive to operate than gas and they are also simpler to clean.
Indesit's induction stove is packed full of features to allow you to be creative when cooking. It has two separate zones that can be combined to form a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as an instant booster zone to quickly bring boiling water to. A range of automatic functions such as Push&Go lets you achieve perfectly cooked dishes with the click of a button. Nine power modes that include a 'P boost' setting that gives each zone maximum power for 5 minutes, can be easily selected with the controls, which move along the bottom edge of the hob to follow your pans.
The controls are easy to use and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it quickly heated up a pan when we placed it on the Booster Zone, and boiling pasta water. However it took a long time to cool off after we turned off the hob and our testers were unable to see the exact temperatures on the control panel.
Alongside having 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 also comes with a child lock and an overheating block, as well as an auto switch-off system that stops the appliance from working when it's overheated. Our testers appreciated the fact that there weren't any visible flames that were messy and messy, and the ceramic glass was easy to wipe clean. Ventilated hobs, unlike traditional extractors, draw smoke and steam from the pan and out of the room via a duct on the surface. Our experts thought that the duct of this hob was simple to clean, though it took two people to take the filter out and change it.
4. Induction Hob from General Electric
When choosing a new hob think about how it will fit to your kitchen's design and layout, and also your cooking style and lifestyle. For instance, if you often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, safety features like an automatic shut-off feature and cool to the touch surface can make an induction hob an ideal choice. For those who value speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass fascia on an electric hob is the ideal option. For those who live in areas susceptible to load-shedding, having the ability to use gas hobs in power cuts may make the difference in favor of a gas model.