Responsible For A Best Hob Budget? Twelve Top Ways To Spend Your Money

How to Choose the Best Hob

There are many factors to take into consideration when selecting the ideal hob, ranging from cost to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding on the features that are important is crucial.

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

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 to boil water in our tests, taking only four minutes. It comes with an child lock and an pause feature, so you can stop the process swiftly without having to mess with controls.

Its design is sleek, contemporary, and works well with contemporary kitchens. It is typically made from glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive and rest directly on the worktop.

The controls are simple to operate and we loved the clear display that tells the current power setting and which of the five zones is active. The 'Boost" feature creates powerful heat in a short time. It is perfect to stir fry and speedily bringing pans to boil. Safety features like the hot hob light or automatic shut-off are also beneficial.

It's not as responsive as other hobs we tested 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 respond when you change the temperature. You may have to adjust the settings a few times to get the right heat.

The model in 60 cm has four cooking zones, including a half-flex zone that two areas can be joined together to accommodate larger pans and pots. It has a dual-ring design that can operate on both 'normal as well as 'boost power levels. Boost is perfect for frying meat and searing it, or making water come to a quick boiling.

It is fully connected to the hOn App and has hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 special programs that are divided into different food categories and types of preparation. It features a simple multislider interface and a 'lockable control panel. In addition, it can automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set up the correct cooking mode. It's also compatible with hOn cookware from third-party manufacturers and comes with a number of security features, including a lockable panel and boil-dry prevention.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

When you're doing work on your kitchen or simply looking for an alternative to gas, induction hobs are becoming more popular. Prices have dropped drastically in the last few years. The basic four-zone models can be found at less than PS100. But if you want all the bells and whistles that come with induction, it's worth paying extra for the most up-to-date technology.

This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology to make cooking more efficient and energy efficient. The Auto-pot detection system recognizes pots that have dimensions of at least 9 cm and automatically selects the appropriate zone.

Smeg's main focus is on energy savings, but it doesn't ignore flexibility - this hob can be adjusted to conserve 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 cooker was a hit with testers, thanks to its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan's contours along the edge of it. The Best ovens UK control panel's color-coded design makes it easy to determine the state of each zone. The "Flexi Duo" feature lets you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are numerous useful functions, including four automated cooking presets: melting boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.

The oven also comes with a FlameSensor which will alert you in the event of a food item being burned or the possibility of a fire. There are also several safety features, like a residual heat indicator and an auto shut-off feature if the surface becomes too hot.

It also has an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to help it resist hard stains and cooking marks. This hob has nine power levels and the FlexiDuo feature for accommodating large pans and is simple to set up. There are several bonus features such as lockable controls, and an emergency fuse to stop accidental pressing of buttons.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity, not gas. They use copper plates to create a magnetic force when a pan or pot is placed on them. They can heat up much faster than gas hobs, and they also use less energy since the cooking zone only gets hot when you turn on your pan. They're generally less expensive than gas and are easier to clean, which makes them an extremely popular choice.

This induction hob by Indesit is packed full of features that allow you to create your own ideas in the kitchen. It has two separate cooking zones that can be combined to create an Integrated Zone for larger pans and the Booster Zone is quick to bring water to the boil quickly. The Push&Go feature, for instance, lets you cook flawlessly by pressing a button. The controls are simple to operate and allow you to select nine power modes, including the P boost option that provides maximum power to each zone for five minutes.

The controls are also easy to operate and feature an elegant, minimalist design that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it boiled pasta water in a snap and quickly heated up when we put a pan on the Booster zone. It took a while to cool down after we turned off the hob, and our testers could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel.

As well as a Dual Zone and Push&Go feature, this Indesit hob comes with a bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It also has a child lock and an overheating block as well as an automatic switch-off system which prevents the oven from working if it gets too hot. Our test participants were impressed that there weren't any messy, visible flames and the glass is easy to clean. Ventilated hobs in contrast to traditional extractors draw steam and smoke from the pan and out of the room via a duct located on the surface. Our experts thought this hob's duct was easy to clean, even though it took two people to take the filter out to change it.

4. Induction Hob by General Electric

Consider how the stove can be able to fit into the layout and design of your kitchen, as well as what your cooking style is. For instance, if you frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as an automatic shut-off feature and an icy to the touch surface may make an induction stove an ideal choice. Alternatively, for those who value efficiency and speed, an electric stove with a glass face that is wipe-clean is a great choice. Gas hobs are a good alternative for those living in areas prone to power outages.