10 Best Hob-Related Meetups You Should Attend

How to Choose the Best Hob

There are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing the ideal hob, ranging from the price to energy efficiency. So deciding what features are important is essential.

A basic ceramic electric hob costs just PS100. However you'll need to pay more for one with many features. Gas hobs are another popular choice and provide great temperature control, but they're also pricier.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

With four cooking zones and three 'Push&Go' functions, this hob from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was among the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking only four minutes. It has the child lock as well as a pause function so you can stop the process quickly without having to mess with controls.

Its design is sleek, modern and is a great match for contemporary kitchens. It is typically made of glass (which is heatproof and shatterproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and sit in a flush position on the countertop.

The controls are easy to use and we liked the clear display which tells you the current power settings and which of the five zones are in use. The 'Boost' feature creates high-powered heat for a short period of time. It is perfect for stir-frying or bringing pans of boiling water to a boil fast. The hot hob light and the automatic shutoff are helpful security features, too.

However it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs in this test. We observed that it took nine presses of the control to attain the highest temperature compared with seven or six on other models. It also takes longer to react when you alter the cooking temperature, meaning you may need to alter settings several times before the pan reaches the right heat.

This 60 cm model includes four cooking zones, including a half-flex zone where two areas can be joined to accommodate larger pots and pans. The dual-ring design allows it to be operated on both "normal" and "boost" power levels. The Boost model is great for frying, searing meat or bringing pans of water to the rapid boil.

It is fully integrated with the hOn App and has 100's of recipes, guides for cooking, and 30 unique programmes divided into different food categories and types of preparation. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface as well as a lockable control panel. In addition, it can automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set up the proper cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn pan sets and comes with a variety of safety features, such as an adjustable control panel that locks and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

When you're doing work in your kitchen, or seeking a better alternative to gas, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have slashed over the past few years, with basic four-zone models available for less than PS100. If you want the latest induction technology, it is worth paying a bit more.

This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology to make cooking more efficient and energy efficient. The Auto-pot detection system detects pots with dimensions of at least 9cm and then automatically will activate the zone that is appropriate.

Smeg's attention to energy savings does not leave out flexibility too This hob is designed to save power by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones to suit your cooking requirements. There are other options to save energy with the Eco-Logic advance mode, which reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as low as 2.4 kW.

Testers were impressed by the hob's user-friendly design that has intuitive controls that move across the edge of the hob to follow the pan. The control panel's colour-coded scheme makes it easy to identify the state of each zone. The "Flexi Duo" function lets you connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are many useful features, including four automatic cooking settings: melting, boiling, slow-cooking and keeping warm.

The oven also comes with an alarm system that will notify you when there's a risk of a food item being burned or an igniting fire. There are a variety of safety features, including a residual heat sensor as well as an automatic shut-off when the surface gets too hot.

It also has a protective CleanProtect coating to protect it from tough stains and cooking marks. The hob is simple to set up and comes with nine power levels and a handy 'FlexiDuo' feature that allows catering for large pans. There are a few bonus features, such as locking controls and a safety fuse to prevent accidental button pressing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Electricity is the primary source of power, rather than gas, induction hobs use copper plates that create an electromagnetic field when a pan is placed on top. This means that they can reach a temperature faster than gas hobs, and also conserve energy since the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on a pan. They're generally less expensive than gas and are simpler to wipe clean too making them a popular option.

The induction hob made by Indesit is packed full of features that allow you to be creative in the kitchen. It has two cooking zones that can be combined to create the Dual Zone for larger pans as well as an accelerated Booster zone to bring water to the boiling point quickly. The Push&Go feature, for instance, allows you to cook with perfection with the click of the button. Nine power modes that include a 'P boost' setting that gives each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily selected using the controls, which are positioned across the bottom of the hob to follow your pans.

The controls are easy to operate and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it cooked pasta water in a flash and was quick to heat up after placing an oven on the Booster zone. It took some time to cool down after we turned off the hob, and our testers could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel.

As well as having a Dual Zone and Push&Go, this Indesit hob comes with a bridge function that lets you connect two cooking zones to suit larger pans. It also has a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic shut-off mechanism that stops the hob from working if it gets too hot. Ceramic glass is easy to clean and has no visible flames. Our testers liked the fact that it's. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods, vented hobs draw steam and smoke away from the pan and out of the room through an air duct that is built into the surface. The duct on this hob was easy to clean, however it took two people in order to take the filter out.

4. Induction Hob from General Electric

Consider how the hob can be able to fit into the layout and design of your kitchen as well as what your cooking style is. Induction hobs are a great option if you cook with children or the elderly in mind. They are equipped with safety features such as automatic shut-offs and a cool-to-touch surface. If you're looking for speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass front on an electric hob is the best oven uk choice. For those living in regions prone to load-shedding, having the ability to use gas hobs in power outages could make the difference in favor of gas models.