How to Choose the Best Hob

When choosing the best ovens hob to buy, there are many factors to take into consideration. From price to energy efficiency. Choose the features that are the most important.

A basic ceramic electric hob can cost less than PS100. However, modern kitchen you will need to pay more for a model with many features. Gas hobs are a popular option and offer excellent temperature control, but they're also more expensive.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

With four cooking zones and three functions called 'Push&Go', modern kitchen this stove from Haier can help you make quick meals. It was one of the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking only four minutes. It comes with an child lock and the ability to pause, which means you can stop the process swiftly without having to fiddle with controls.

Its style is modern and sleek, blending in well with contemporary kitchens. It is usually made of glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and sit in a flush position on the countertop.

The controls are simple to use, and we appreciated the clear display that informs the current power setting, and which of the five zones are in use. The 'Boost" feature generates high-powered heat in a short time. It is ideal to stir fry and speedily bringing pans to boil. Safety features like the hot hob light and automatic shutoff are useful.

However it's not as sensitive to touch as other hobs in this test. We observed that it took nine presses of the control to reach the highest temperature, as opposed to six or seven on other models. It takes longer to react when you alter the cooking temperature, so you may need to alter settings several times before your pan is at the right temperature.

This 60 cm model features four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. It comes with a dual-ring design and can function on both 'normal' and 'boost power levels. It is perfect for cooking meat, searing it or bringing pots of water to a rapid boiling point.

It's fully connected via the hOn app and boasts 100's of recipes with cooking instructions and 30 different programs that are divided into various food categories and preparation types. It has a multislider control panel that has a lockable interface' and can detect the type pan you are using to determine the appropriate cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn sets and has a range of safety features, like a lockableevels as well as an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to accommodate large pans and is simple to set up. There are a host of additional features, like locking controls and a safety fuse in the event of accidental button-pushing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Electricity is the primary source of power, rather than gas, induction hobs use copper plates that create a magnetic field when a pan is placed on the top. They can heat up much quicker than gas hobs, and they also consume less energy since the cooking zone only gets hot when you turn on the pan. They are generally less expensive to operate than gas and they are also simpler to clean.

The induction hob made by Indesit is packed full of features that make it easy to get creative in the kitchen. It has two separate cooking zones that can be combined to create a Dual Zone for larger pots and an accelerated Booster zone that can bring water to boil quickly. A range of automatic functions like Push&Go allow you to create perfectly cooked meals with the click of one button. best ovens and hobs uk nine power modes, including a 'P boost setting that grants each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily selected with the controls, which move along the bottom edge of the hob to track your pans.

The controls are easy to operate, and the minimalist design is perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it boiled pasta water in a snap and was quick to heat up once we placed an oven on the Booster zone. It took some time to cool down after turning off the hob, and the testers were unable to determine the exact temperature on the control panel.

This Indesit hob also has a bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to make larger pans. It comes with a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic switch-off feature that stops the hob from operating when it becomes too hot. Our testers appreciated the fact that there weren't any messy, visible flames and the glass is easy to clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods, vented hobs draw steam and smoke away from the pan and out of the room through a duct in the surface. Our experts thought this hob's duct was easy to keep clean, although it required two people to take the filter to change it.

4. Induction Hob from General Electric

When selecting a kitchen appliance think about how it will fit to your kitchen's design and layout, in addition to your cooking style and lifestyle. Induction hobs are an excellent choice 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. For those who value speed and efficiency an electric hob that has a clean ceramic glass facia is a great choice. If you live in areas prone to load-shedding, having the ability to use gas hobs during power outages may tilt the balance in favor of a gas model.