12 Companies Leading The Way In Best Hob
How to Choose the Best Hob
There are a lot of aspects to take into consideration when selecting the best hob, from price to energy efficiency. Determine which features are the most important.
A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as little as PS100 however, you'll have to pay more for a model with a lot of features. Gas hobs are another popular choice, and offer great temperature control, but they're also more expensive.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
With four cooking zones and three functions called 'Push&Go', this stove from Haier can help you make quick meals. It was also among the fastest tested to boil water, taking just under four minutes. It has a child lock and an pause feature, so you can stop the process swiftly without having to mess with controls.
Its style is sleek and modern and is a great match for contemporary kitchens. It is usually made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and has touch controls that sit flush with the worktop for easy use.
The controls were simple to use, and we liked the display that displays the current power level as well as which zone is currently in use. The 'Boost' feature produces high-powered heat for a short duration, and is perfect for stir-frying or bringing pots of water to a boil quickly. The hob's light that is hot and auto shut-off are great security features, too.
It's not as responsive as the other hobs tested in this test. We observed that it took nine presses of the control to attain the highest temperature as opposed to seven or six on other models. It also takes longer to react when you alter the cooking temperature, meaning you may have to change settings multiple times before your pan reaches the right heat.
The model measures 60 cm and comes with four cooking zones. One of it is a half-flex zone which allows two areas to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. It has dual-ring design and can function on both 'normal and boost power levels. Boost is ideal for frying meat, searing it or bringing pots of water to a rapid boil.
Best ovens is fully connected through the hOn app and includes 100's of recipes, guided cooking, and 30 special programs divided into various food categories and types of preparation. It features a simple multislider interface as well as a lockable control panel. Additionally, it will automatically recognize the kind of pan you're using and set the proper cooking mode. It is also compatible with hOn cookware from third parties and has various safety features like a lockable panel and boil-dry prevention.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
Whether you're having work done on your kitchen or simply looking for an alternative to gas, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have dropped in the last few years, with basic four-zone models starting at less than PS100. If you're looking for the latest induction technology, it's worth paying a little more.
This slick-looking model from Smeg comes with the most modern induction technology to make your cooking energy efficient and convenient. The Auto-pot detection system recognizes pots with an overall diameter of at least 9 centimetres and then automatically will activate the zone that is appropriate.
Smeg's focus is on energy savings however, it doesn't overlook flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to conserve more energy by reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW.
The user-friendly interface of this stove was a hit with testers, thanks to its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan's edge the edge of it. The control panel's colour-coded scheme makes it easy to identify the state of each zone. The "Flexi Duo" feature lets you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are plenty of useful functions, including four cooking presets for automatic cooking (melting boiling, melting, slow cooking and keeping warm) and a Power Boost for super-quick results.
Additionally the hob comes with a 'FlameSensor' which alerts you when there is a risk of burning or burning food. There are other safety features, including an indicator of residual heat and an auto shut-off feature if the surface gets too hot.
It also resists hard stains and comes with an anti-smudge coating called CleanProtect. The hob comes with nine power levels, the FlexiDuo feature to accommodate large pans and is simple to set up. There are some additional features such as control locks, as well as an emergency fuse to stop accidental pressing of buttons.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They make use of copper plates to create magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. This means that they can reach temperatures faster than gas hobs, and can also reduce energy consumption since the cooking area only is heated when you turn on a pan. They're generally less expensive to run than gas, and they're easier to clean making them an extremely popular choice.
Indesit's induction cooktop is packed of features to help you get creative in the cooking. It has two separate zones which can be combined into the Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as a rapid booster zone to quickly bring the water to a boil. The Push&Go feature, for instance, allows you to cook perfectly by pressing one button. And 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 are positioned along the bottom edge of the hob to follow your pans.
The controls are simple to operate and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it quickly heated up a pan once we placed it on the Booster Zone, and boiled pasta water. It took a while to cool down after turning off the hob, and the testers had difficulty seeing the exact temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also has a bridge function that allows the user to combine two cooking zones for larger pans. It comes with a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic shut-off mechanism that prevents the oven from operating when it becomes too hot. Our test participants were impressed that there weren't any messy, visible flames and the glass was easy to clean. Ventilated hobs unlike traditional extractors draw smoke and steam from the pan and out of the room via an air duct that is located on the surface. The duct on this hob is easy to clean, however it required two people to take the filter out.
4. Induction Hob by GE
When selecting a kitchen appliance think about how it will fit to your kitchen's style and layout, and also your cooking style and lifestyle. For example, if you frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, security features such as an automatic shut-off feature and a cool to the touch surface may make an induction stove the best choice. If you value speed and efficiency, an electric stove with a glass face that is wipe-clean is ideal. For those who live in areas prone to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs during power outages may tilt the balance in favor of gas models.