How The 10 Worst Best Hob Fails Of All Time Could Have Been Prevented
How The 10 Worst Best Hob Fails Of All Time Could Have Been Prevented
Blog Article
How to Choose the Best Hob
There are lots of factors to take into consideration when selecting the ideal hob, ranging from price to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding which features are essential is vital.
A basic ceramic electric hob costs just PS100. However you'll have to pay more for a model with many features. Gas hobs are also a popular choice and provide great temperature control, however they are more expensive.
1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob
This Haier hob has four cooking zones and three "Push&Go" functions, and can aid in cooking quick meals. It was one of the fastest to boil water in our tests, taking just four minutes. It comes with the child lock as well as a pause function so you can stop the process quickly without having to fiddle with controls.
Its style is sleek and modern and blends well with contemporary kitchens. It's usually made from glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and features controls that are on top of the worktop to allow to make it easy to 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 active. The "Boost" feature produces high-powered heat in a brief time. It is perfect to stir fry and speedily bringing pans to boil. Safety features such as the light on the hot hob and automatic shutoff are useful.
It's not as responsive as other hobs tested in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, in comparison to six or seven for other models. It also takes longer to respond when you change the cooking temperature, so you might have to alter settings multiple times before your pan is at the right temperature.
The model in 60 cm comes with four cooking zones including a half-flex zone where two areas can be joined together to accommodate larger pans and pots. The dual-ring design allows it to operate on both "normal" and "boost" power levels. Boost is ideal for frying and searing meat, or bringing pans of water to the rapid boiling point.
It's fully connected via the hOn app and boasts hundreds of recipes that include guided cooking and 30 special programs that are divided into various food categories and preparation styles. It features a multislider controls panel that has a lockable interface' that can identify the type pan you are using to determine the appropriate cooking mode. It's also compatible with hOn pans from third-party manufacturers and comes with a variety of safety features, such as a lockable control panel and boil-dry protection.
2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob
When you're doing work in your kitchen, or looking for an alternative to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped dramatically in the last few years. The basic four-zone models are now available at less than PS100. If you are looking for the most modern induction technology, it is worth paying a bit more.
This sleek-looking model from Smeg features the latest induction technology to make your cooking efficient and easy. The Auto-pot detection system recognises pots with a diameter of at least 9cm and automatically selects the appropriate zone.
Smeg's main focus is on energy savings but it doesn't forget the possibility of flexibility. The hob can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode lets you to conserve more energy, reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW.
Testers were impressed with the user-friendly interface of this hob with easy-to-use controls that slide across the edge of the hob in order to follow your pan. The control panel's colour scheme allows you to quickly determine the operating status of each zone, while the Flexi Duo function allows you to connect two zones to cater for larger pans. There are a variety of useful functions including four automatic cooking settings: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.
The hob also comes with a FlameSensor which will alert you in the event of a burnt-on meal or an igniting fire. There are also several safety features, like a residual heat indicator as well as an auto shut-off feature if the surface gets too hot.
It's also hard-wearing with an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to help it resist tough staining and cooking marks. The hob comes with nine power levels and an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to allow for large pans, and is simple to set up. There are also a number of extra features, including locking controls and an emergency fuse in the event of accidental button pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Powered by electricity rather than gas, induction hobs best ovens and hobs use copper plates that create an electric field when the pan is set on the top. This means that they can heat up more quickly than gas hobs and also save energy as the cooking area only heats up when you turn on a pan. They are generally less expensive to run than gas, and they are also easier to clean.
Indesit's induction cooktop is packed of features to allow you to develop your cooking ideas. It has two separate cooking zones that can be combined to form the Dual Zone for larger pans and an accelerated Booster zone to bring water to a boiling point quickly. The Push&Go feature, for instance, allows you to cook with perfection with the click of a button. The controls are easy to use and allow you to select nine power modes including the P boost option that gives maximum power for each zone for five minutes.
The controls are easy to use and have modern, minimalist designs that is perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it boiled pasta water in a snap and quickly heated up once we placed an oven in the Booster zone. It took a while for it to cool down after turning off the hob, and our testers were unable to determine the exact temperature on the control panel.
This Indesit hob also has a bridge function, which allows the user to combine two cooking zones to make larger pans. It comes with a child lock as well as an overheating block. It also has an automatic shut-off mechanism that prevents the hob from working when it gets too hot. Our test subjects were pleased that there weren't any visible flames or flammable substances and the ceramic glass was easy to clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw steam and smoke away from the pan and out of the room via a duct in the surface. Our experts believed that the duct of this hob was simple to clean, even though it took two people to lift the filter out and change it.
4. GE Induction Hob
Consider how the hob can be able to fit into your kitchen's layout and design and the style of cooking you prefer. For instance, if frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, security features such as automatic shut-off and a cool to the touch surface can make an induction hob the best choice. For those who value speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass fascia on an electric hob is the ideal choice. Gas hobs are a good alternative for those living in areas prone to power outages.