Types of Hob and Oven
Hobs and ovens are common feature in most kitchens. They can be found in various styles. You can even mix types like domino, electric and gas to meet your cooking requirements.
A hob may also have safety features like child and position controls. They can stop children from touching the hob, and stop them changing the heat settings by accident.
Types
In the center of every kitchen, the hob is at the center of the room and can play a huge role in the way your food is executed. There are a number of different types of hob and the one you pick will depend on what your specific cooking needs are.
Gas hobs are a popular option. They are quick to heat up and react instantly to temperature changes. They are a popular choice for professional chefs as they are precise in their control. They aren't as easy as other hobs to clean and could require more frequent maintenance.
Electric hobs have a flat ceramic surface and heated elements underneath. They can be found in different sizes and with four to six cooking zones. Each zone is equipped with a distinct heating element which you can regulate individually. This allows you to boil potatoes on one ring and making sausages in another. This kind of hob can be quicker to heat than gas and is a child-safe option as the cooking zone only heats up when you place a pot on it.
Ceramic hobs are a fashionable and user-friendly alternative to gas and electric hobs. They have a smooth and durable surface that is easy to clean. However they aren't as fast to respond to temperature fluctuations or cool down as other hobs.
Domino hobs can be a space-saving alternative to electric and gas hobs that incorporate ovens beneath the cooking surface. They are perfect for kitchens with little space. They can also be used in kitchenettes and flats. They are usually less expensive than conventional hobs and can be energy-efficient, but they are also susceptible to damage and require more frequent maintenance.
Gas
A gas hob is a cooktop that has burners that can be installed on kitchen countertops to give an elegant look. Gas hobs are usually powered by LPG or natural gas, however they can also be powered by propane gas. They feature a modern and sleek design that can bring a touch of class to your modular kitchen.
A traditional gas stove comes with various burners, usually 4, but often as many as 6. The burners can be lit with a match or knob. The flames are then controlled by a set of valves that can be adjusted to set the temperature.
The majority of modern gas stoves built-in on the other hand are equipped with burners that have multiple flames. This allows you to control both the inner and outer rings for each burner, so that you can precisely control the cooking. These burners are much faster and more reliable than earlier models.
Traditionally, it was necessary to keep a gas stove on constantly to ensure the burners were constantly fueled and hot. This was a safety measure to avoid accidents like not turning off the oven when the stove was lit by a match or the pilot flame. Modern cookers are designed with safety in mind and come with a built-in fire failure device that shuts down the burners immediately should the pilot light fail.
Gas stoves and hobs should be cleaned, checked and maintained on a regular basis. The best way to accomplish this is to arrange an appointment with a licensed Gas Safe registered engineer. They will not only be able to make sure your appliance is functioning properly, but they can also offer expert advice and guidance on how to prevent any problems in the near future.
Electric
When it comes to creating your ideal kitchen, the worktops, fridge freezer and ovens and hobs uk will always get the most attention, but a good hob is equally important. The type of hob that you choose will affect the way your kitchen works and also how easy it is for you to clean it.
Electric hobs have heating elements that are placed on the glass surface, which is typically cleaned using a non-abrasive cleaner. The heating elements are activated when you turn on the hob and can be adjusted to various power levels with a knob. They can take a little bit longer to heat up, but once they have they tend to provide more reliable and consistent temperature control. They also come with indicators to let you know that a zone is in use or still hot from cooking.
Typically, they are available in four to six different sizes of rings that can be notched up to different power levels. These are great for cookware with a flat base, but not for cast iron cookware, since they can get hot. Certain models (such as Belling BELCH602T) come with dual rings that allow you to cook sausages and boil water on the same ring. Certain models come with a Boost function that concentrates the highest heat in one ring. This is great for stir-frying, searing meat, or boiling large pots.
Induction hobs are different from regular electric models because they employ electromagnetic fields to directly heat your cookware, rather than the conventional method of gas flames. This allows them to reach precise temperatures in a smaller time frame, which makes them extremely energy efficient. They have a cool to the touch surface as well as flashing indicators that let you know whether a ring was used or is still hot.
Ceramic
Ceramic is a material that can be made into functional or decorative objects. It is made by mixing earthen elements, clay, powders and water to the desired shape, then fired in a very high-temperature oven, also known as a"kiln. After it's been made it is then covered with decorative or paint-like substances to give it a more textured and vibrant look.
Ceramic hobs blend form and function to create an impressive piece of contemporary kitchen furniture. Radiant heating technology is employed to heat ceramic hobs through the passage of an electric current through coiled elements that are hidden under the black glass surface. When they are activated, they create heat, which is then transferred to your pan by an infrared system. You can adjust the intensity of this heating by controlling the controls using a knobs or a touch.
Certain ceramic hobs have dual ring designs that have one smaller and one larger cooking zone which allows you to select the most suitable size for your pan. There are hobs equipped with booster burners that produce high-powered heat in a short time, great for searing meat or bringing pans of water to a boil in a short time.
As compared to other types of cooktops, ceramic cooktops typically take longer to heat up and then change temperature however, once they're done they are generally more efficient in energy use. You can also select vented cooktops that have an air-conditioning system that is integrated into the ceramic cooktop. This ensures that smoke, steam, and cooking smells do not remain in your home.
Induction
Induction hobs have heating elements composed of copper wire coils. They generate electromagnets which make the pans hot on the top. The coils stir up free electrons in the base metal of your pan which then transfer heat evenly to your food. The surface of the stove never gets hot and, when you take off your pan, the cooking zones turn off automatically.
Induction hobs are typically more expensive than other types however, they're also more efficient to heat and consume 30 to 70 percent less energy than gas or ceramic hobs. Induction hobs are also less difficult to clean since only the contents of the pan heat up but not the surface.
Certain manufacturers offer a specific induction model that comes with additional features such as the ability to pause that shuts off power to your hob when you leave it, or connect two cooking rings simultaneously at the same power level for additional flexibility. They are commonly referred to as FlexInduction hobs and can be more expensive than traditional induction models but they're worth looking into if prefer to multitask.
Our top choice is this induction hob from Smeg, with four cooking zones of good size with a bridge function as well as nine power levels that give you a variety of options for ambitious cooks. In our tests, it performed very well with precise control and rapid heating when making pancakes. The oven comes with dishwasher built-in, as well as automatic pan detection to make cleaning much easier. There's a limited range of compatible pans it cannot be used to cook with appliances that have magnetic bases. This could be a problem in the event that you have a large amount of non-compliant cookware, or just some of them are suitable for induction hobs.