How to Choose the Best Hob
When deciding on the best hob to buy there are a lot of aspects to consider. From price to energy efficiency. Choose the features that are the most important.
A basic electric ceramic stove could cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to pay more for a feature-packed model. Gas hobs are another popular option and offer excellent temperature control, however they are more expensive.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
With four cooking zones and three functions called 'Push&Go', this hob from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was also among the fastest on test to boil water, taking just under four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features a pause function, so you can quickly stop the process without having to faff around with the controls.
Its design is sleek, contemporary and blends well with contemporary kitchens. It's typically made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and has controls that are in the same place as the worktop for easy use.
The controls are simple to operate and we loved the clear display which tells you the current power setting and which of the five zones are in use. The "Boost" feature creates high-powered heat in a brief time. It's ideal for stir-frying and rapidly boiling pans. Safety features like the light on the hot hob and automatic shutoff are useful.
However, it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs we tested. We found it took nine presses of the control to achieve the highest temperature, compared with seven or six on other models. It takes a bit longer for the pan to react to changes in temperature. You may have to adjust the settings a few times before you get the proper heat.
This 60 cm model features four cooking zones. One of them is a half-flex zone which allows two areas to easily be joined to accommodate larger pots or pans. It comes with dual-ring design and can operate on both 'normal as well as 'boost power levels. It is perfect for cooking, searing meat or bringing water pans to a rapid boiling point.
It's fully integrated with the hOn app and boasts 100's of recipes, with cooking instructions and 30 different programmes split into different food categories and preparation styles. It comes with a multislider control panel that has a lockable interface' that can identify the type of pan you're using to set the correct cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn pan sets and has a range of safety features, like an adjustable control panel that locks and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular, whether renovating your kitchen or are looking for a non-gas option. Prices have dropped dramatically in the past few years. The basic four-zone models are now sold for less than PS100. If you're looking for the latest induction technology, it's worth the extra cost.
This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology that makes cooking more energy-efficient and convenient. The unique Auto-pot detection system automatically recognises the position of pots that have minimum diameters of 9 cm, allowing you to select the correct zone without having to select it manually.
Smeg's attention to energy savings doesn't overlook flexibility either - this hob is designed to reduce power consumption by setting the maximum operating temperature of the zones to meet your cooking preferences. There are other options to save energy with the Eco-Logic advance mode which moderates the power output from 11.1 kW to as little as 2.4 4 kW.
Testers were impressed with the hob's user-friendly design that has intuitive controls that slide across the edge of the hob, allowing it to follow the pan. The color scheme of the control panel lets you quickly see the operational status of each zone, while the Flexi Duo function allows you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pots. There are a variety of useful functions including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.
Additionally, the hob has a 'FlameSensor' which alerts you of any risk of a burning or burning food. There are a variety of safety features such as a residual heat sensor and an automatic switch-off when the surface becomes too hot.
It also resists tough stains and features a protective coating of CleanProtect. The hob is simple to install and comes with nine power levels as well as the handy FlexiDuo feature for catering to large pans. There are a host of additional features, such as lockable controls and a safety fuse in case of accidental button pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity, not gas. They make use of copper plates to generate an electric force when a pot or pan is placed on them. This means that they can reach a temperature more quickly than gas hobs. They also save energy as the cooking area only heats up when you turn on a pan. They're generally less expensive to run than gas, and they're easier to clean, which makes them an extremely popular option.
Indesit's induction hob is full of features to help you develop your cooking ideas. It comes with two distinct zones which can be combined into the Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, and a rapid booster zone to quickly bring water to a boil. Push&Go, for example, allows you to cook with perfection by pressing the button. The controls are simple to use and let you select nine power modes, including the P boost option that gives maximum power for each zone for five minutes.
The controls are easy to operate and feature modern, minimalist designs that is perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it boiled pasta water in a flash and quickly heated up when we put a pan on the Booster zone. However, it took some time to cool off after it was turned off from the hob. Our test participants were unable to see the exact temperatures on the control panel.
As well as the Dual Zone and Push&Go, the Indesit hob has a useful bridge function that lets you combine two cooking zones to suit larger pans. It comes with a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off feature that prevents the hob from working when it gets too hot. The ceramic glass is easy to clean and there are no flames visible. Our testers were impressed by the fact that there was no visible flame. In contrast to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw heat and smoke away from the pan and out of the room via an air duct on the surface. The vent on this hob was easy to clean, but it took two people to take the filter out.
4. Induction Hob from GE
Think about how the hob will be able to fit into the layout and design of your kitchen as well as what your cooking style is. For instance, if frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as automatic shut-off and a cool to the touch surface could make an induction cooker a better choice. If you're looking for speed and efficiency read more using a ceramic glass facia on an electric hob is the best choice. For those living in regions that are prone to load-shedding, having the ability to use gas hobs during power cuts may make the difference in favor of a gas model.