How to Choose the Best Hob
When selecting the ideal hob to buy there are a variety of factors to take into consideration. From cost to energy efficiency. Choose the features that are the most important.
A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to pay more for a model with a lot of features. 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
This Haier hob has four cooking zones and three 'Push&Go" functions, and can assist you in making quick meals. It was also among the quickest on test to boil water, taking less than four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and has a pause function, so you can quickly stop the process without having to mess around with controls.
Its design is sleek and modern and blends well with modern kitchens. It is usually made of glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and rest in a flush position on the countertop.
The controls are easy to use, and we appreciated 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 for a brief duration, and is ideal for stir-frying or bringing pans of boiling water to a boil fast. The hob's light that is hot and the automatic shutoff are helpful safety features, too.
However it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, as opposed to seven or six for other models. It takes a bit longer for the pan to respond to changes in temperature. You may need to adjust the settings several times to achieve the correct heat.
This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones. One of the zones is a half-flex, where two areas can easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. Dual-ring design permits it to operate at both "normal" and "boost" power levels. Boost is ideal for frying, searing meat or bringing water pans to a rapid boil.
It's fully integrated with the hOn app, and offers 100's of recipes, with guided cooking and 30 unique programs divided into different food categories and preparation styles. It features a multislider controls 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 a lockable control panel and boil-dry protection.
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, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have dropped dramatically in the last few years. The basic four-zone models can be found for less that PS100. But if you want all the bells and whistles that include induction, it's worth paying extra for the latest innovations.
This sleek model from Smeg features the latest induction technology to make your cooking energy efficient and convenient. The innovative Auto-pot detection system automatically recognises the position of pots that have minimum diameters of 9cm, which allows you to select the correct zone without having to manually select it.
Smeg's focus on energy saving does not leave out flexibility too This hob is designed to save power by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones to meet your cooking requirements. Eco-Logic advanced mode enables you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW.
The user-friendly interface of this hob impressed testers, with its simple sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edges of it. The control panel's color scheme helps you quickly identify the status of each zone, and the 'Flexi Duo' feature allows you to connect two zones together to accommodate larger pans. There are many useful functions including four automatic cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.
The hob also comes with a FlameSensor which will alert you when there's a risk of a food item being burned or the possibility of a fire. There are a variety of safety features, including a residual heat sensor and an automatic shut-off when the surface becomes too hot.
It also resists tough stains, and has a protective coating of CleanProtect. This hob has nine power levels as well as the FlexiDuo feature to accommodate large pans and is easy to put in. There are a host of extra features, like locking controls and a safety fuse in the event of accidental button pushing.
3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob
Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They use copper plates to create an electric force when a pot or pan is placed on them. This means that they can reach a temperature more quickly than gas hobs and also save energy as the cooking zone only is heated when you turn on the pan. They're generally less expensive than gas read more and are easier to wipe clean too making them an extremely popular option.
The induction hob made by Indesit is packed full of features that allow you to get creative in the kitchen. It has two cooking zones that can be combined to create the Dual Zone for larger pans as well as the Booster Zone is quick to bring water to the boiling point quickly. A range of automatic functions like Push&Go allow you to create perfectly cooked meals at the touch of one button. The controls are simple to use and allow you to select nine power modes, including the P boost option which gives the highest power to each zone for five minutes.
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 snap and was quick to heat up when we put an oven in the Booster zone. It took a while to cool down after we turned off the hob, and our test subjects had difficulty seeing the exact temperature on the control panel.
As well as a Dual Zone and Push&Go, this Indesit hob also has a bridge function that lets you connect two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It comes with a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic shut-off mechanism that prevents the oven from operating when it becomes too hot. Ceramic glass is easy to clean and has no visible flames. Our testers liked that. In contrast to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw heat and smoke away from the pan and out of the room through a duct in the surface. Our experts believed that the duct on this hob was easy to clean, even though it took two people to take the filter to change it.
4. GE Induction Hob
Consider how the stove will be able to fit into your kitchen's layout and design as well as the style of cooking you prefer. Induction hobs are a good option if you cook with kids or elderly in mind. They come with safety features like automatic shut-offs and a cool to touch surface. If you're looking for speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass fascia on an electric hob is the best alternative. For those living in regions that are prone to load-shedding, having the ability to use gas hobs during power outages may make the difference in favor of a gas model.