How to Choose the Best Hob

When deciding on the best hob to buy there are a lot of aspects to take into consideration. From price to energy efficiency. Decide what features are most important.

A basic ceramic electric hob costs as little as PS100. However you'll need to pay more for a model with many features. Gas hobs, which are popular and offer great temperature control, but are more expensive, are a different alternative.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

This Haier hob comes with four cooking zones with three "Push&Go" functions, and will help you prepare quick meals. It was also among the fastest tested to boil water, which took just under four minutes. It has a child lock and an pause feature, so you can stop the process quickly without having to fiddle with controls.

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

The controls were easy to use and we appreciated the display that shows the current power level as well as which zone is currently in use. The "Boost" feature creates powerful heat in a short time. It is perfect to stir fry and speedily heating up pans. Safety features such as the light on the hot hob and automatic shutoff are useful.

It's not as responsive as the other hobs we tested in this test. We observed that it took nine presses on the control to achieve the highest temperature, compared with seven or six on other models. It also takes longer for the pan to react when you alter the temperature. You may need to adjust the settings a few times to achieve the correct heat.

The model measures 60 cm and comes with four cooking zones. One of them is a half-flex zone, where two areas can easily be joined to accommodate larger pots or pans. It features a dual-ring design that can function on both 'normal and boost power levels. The Boost model is great for frying, searing meat or bringing water pans to the rapid boil.

It is fully connected through the hOn App, and offers 100's of recipes, guided cooking, and 30 special programs that are divided into different food categories and types of cooking. It has an intuitive multislider interface as well as a lockable control panel. Additionally, it will automatically recognize the type of pan you're using and set up the proper cooking mode. It also works with third-party hOn pan sets and comes with a variety of safety features, like a lockable control panel and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are increasingly popular, whether you are renovating your kitchen or looking for a gas-free alternative. Prices have plummeted in the last few years, with the simplest four-zone models available for less than PS100. If you want all the bells and whistles that come with induction it's worth paying more to get the latest technology.

This sleek model from Smeg comes with the most advanced induction technology to make cooking more efficient and convenient. The innovative Auto-pot detection system automatically detects the position of pots with minimum diameters of 9cm, which allows you to select the correct zone without having to select it manually.

Smeg's focus is on energy efficiency, but it doesn't ignore the flexibility of this appliance - it can be adjusted to conserve energy based on the maximum operating temperatures of the zones. There are other options to save energy with the Eco-Logic advance mode, which reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as little as 2.4 kW.

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 state of each zone. The "Flexi duo" feature lets you 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 hob also has a FlameSensor that can alert you when there's a risk of a burnt-on meal or a fire. There are several safety features such as a residual heat sensor and an automatic switch-off when the surface is too hot.

It is also resistant to tough stains, and has a CleanProtect protective coating. The hob comes with nine power levels and an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to allow for large pans, and is easy to install. There are also a number of bonus features, like locking controls and a safety fuse in the event of accidental button-pushing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Powered by electricity rather than gas, induction stoves utilize copper plates that create a magnetic field when a pan is placed on the top. This means that they can reach a temperature much quicker than conventional gas hobs, and also save energy as the cooking zone only heats up when you turn on the pan. They are generally cheaper to operate than gas, and they are also simpler to clean.

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 separate zones that can be combined into a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as a rapid booster zone to quickly bring boiling water to. For instance, the Push&Go lets you cook flawlessly by pressing the button. There are nine power modes including a 'P-boost setting that gives each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily set using the controls, which move along the bottom edge of the hob to track the pans.

The controls are easy to use, and the minimalist design is ideal for modern kitchens. In our tests, it swiftly heated up a pan when we placed it on the Booster Zone and boiling pasta water. However it took a long time to cool off after we turned off the hob. Our testers were unable to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel.

This Indesit hob also comes with the bridge function, which allows you 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 oven from operating when it becomes too hot. The ceramic glass is simple to clean and there are no flames visible. Our testers were impressed by the fact that there was no visible flame. Unlike a traditional extractor hood vented hobs draw heat and smoke out of the pan and out read more of the room via a duct in the surface. Our experts thought the duct of this hob was simple to clean, even though it required two people to take the filter out and change it.

4. Induction Hob manufactured by GE

When selecting a hob take a look at how it fits to your kitchen's design and layout, in addition to your cooking style and life. Induction hobs are a great choice for cooking with kids or elderly in mind. They have safety features such as automatic shut-offs and a cool-to-touch surface. If you prefer efficiency and speed, an electric hob with a clean ceramic glass facia is the best choice. Gas hobs are a good choice for those who live in areas susceptible to power outages.