9 Things Your Parents Teach You About Best Hob

How to Choose the Best Hob

There are a lot of aspects to take into consideration when selecting the best hobs hob, from price to energy efficiency. Determine which features are the most important.

A basic electric ceramic hob could cost as low as PS100 however, you'll have to pay more to get a high-end model. Gas hobs, which are also well-known and offer excellent temperature control but are more expensive, are a different alternative.

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's child-safe and comes with a pause function, so you can stop the process without having to faff around with controls.

Its design is sleek and contemporary, blending in well with contemporary kitchens. It's usually made from glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and features touch controls that sit on top of the worktop to allow for ease of use.

The controls are easy to operate and we loved the clear display that tells you 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 boiling pans. Safety features such as the hob light that is hot or automatic shutdown are also useful.

It's not as responsive as other hobs 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 react when you alter the temperature. You may need to adjust the settings multiple times to get the right temperature.

This model is 60cm long and includes four cooking zones, including a half-flex zone that two zones can be joined to accommodate larger pots and pans. The dual-ring design allows it to operate on both "normal" and "boost" power levels. It is great for cooking meat ovens and hobs searing it, or bringing water to a rapid boil.

It's fully connected through the hOn app, and offers 100's of recipes, with guided cooking and 30 unique programmes split into different food categories and types of preparation. It has a multislider control panel with a 'lockable interface' and can detect the type of pan you're using to determine the appropriate cooking mode. It also works with third-party hOn pan sets and comes with a variety of safety features, such as the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

If you're working in your kitchen, or looking for an alternative to gas, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have slashed dramatically over the past few years. Basic four-zone models are now sold for less that PS100. If you are looking for the most modern induction technology, it is worth the extra cost.

This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology that makes cooking more efficient and convenient. The Auto-pot detection system recognises pots with a diameter of at least 9 cm and automatically activates the zone that is appropriate.

Smeg's focus is on energy efficiency however, it doesn't overlook the flexibility of this appliance - it can be adjusted to save energy based on the highest operating temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW.

The user-friendly interface of this hob impressed testers, thanks to its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan's edge the edges of it. The control panel's color-coded design makes it easy to determine the status of each zone. The 'Flexi Duo" function allows you connect two zones 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 also has a 'FlameSensor' that warns you if there is any risk of a fire or burnt-on food. There are a variety of safety features like a residual heat sensor as well as an automatic shut-off when the surface becomes too hot.

It also resists hard stains and comes with an anti-smudge coating called CleanProtect. The stove is simple to install and comes with nine power levels as well as a handy 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering to large pans. There are a few bonus features such as locking controls and a safety fuse to prevent accidental button pushing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They make use of copper plates to create a magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. They can heat up much quicker than gas hobs, and they also consume less energy because the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on your pan. They're generally less expensive than gas and are simpler to clean making them a popular option.

This induction hob from Indesit is packed full of features that make it easy to create your own ideas in the kitchen. It has two cooking zones that can be combined to form an Integrated Zone for larger pans and an accelerated Booster zone to bring water to a boiling point quickly. A range of functions that are automatic such as Push&Go lets you create perfectly cooked meals at the touch of a button. And nine power modes including a 'P-boost setting that grants each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily set using the controls, which move along the bottom edge of the hob to follow your pans.

The controls are simple to use, and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it boiled pasta water in a flash and was quick to heat up after placing an oven on the Booster zone. However, it took some time to cool down after it was turned off from the hob. Additionally, our test participants were unable to see the exact temperatures on the control panel.

This Indesit hob also features the bridge function, which allows the user to combine two cooking zones to make larger pans. It also has a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off system which stops the hob from working if it gets too hot. Our test subjects were pleased that there weren't any visible flames that were messy and messy, and the ceramic glass was easy to wipe clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods, vented hobs draw steam and smoke out of the pan and out of the room via an air duct on the surface. Our experts believed that the duct of this hob was simple to keep clean, although it required two people to lift the filter out and change it.

4. GE Induction Hob

When selecting a kitchen appliance think about how it will fit into your kitchen's design and layout, and also your cooking style and life. Induction hobs are a good choice for cooking with children or older people in mind. They are equipped with safety features such as automatic shut-offs as well as a cool-to-touch surface. Alternatively, for those who prefer efficiency and speed an electric hob that has a clean ceramic glass facia is ideal. For those who live in areas that are prone to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs oven in power outages may tip the scales in favour of a gas model.