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How to Choose the Best Hob There are lots of factors to take into consideration when selecting the ideal hob, ranging from the price to energy efficiency. Therefore, deciding on the features that are essential is vital. A basic electric ceramic stove could cost as low as PS100, but you'll need to pay more for a model with a lot of 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 functions called 'Push&Go', this cooker from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was one of the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking just four minutes. It comes with the child lock as well as a the ability to pause, which means you can stop the process swiftly without having to fiddle with controls. Its style is sleek and modern and is a great match for contemporary kitchens. It's typically made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and features control buttons that sit in the same place as the worktop for easy use. The controls were easy to use and we loved the display which shows the current power level as well as which zone is active. The 'Boost' feature creates high-powered heat for a brief duration, and is ideal for stir-frying or bringing pans of water to the boil quickly. The hot hob light and automatic shutdown are useful security features, too. It's not as responsive as the other hobs we tested in this test. It took nine presses to reach maximum temperature, compared to six or seven for other models. It also takes longer to react when you alter the temperature of cooking, which means you might have to alter settings multiple times before your pan is ready to cook at the proper temperature. This 60 cm model features four cooking zones. One of them is a half-flex zone which allows two areas to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. Dual-ring design permits it to operate at both “normal” and “boost” power levels. The Boost is ideal for cooking meat while searing it or bringing water to a rapid boiling. It's fully connected through the hOn app, and offers hundreds of recipes that include cooking instructions and 30 different programs that are divided into various food categories and types of preparation. It has an intuitive multislider interface as well as a lockable control panel. In addition, it is able to automatically detect the kind of pan you're using and set up the right cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans made by third party companies and has several safety features such as the ability to lock the panel and boil-dry prevention. 2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob Induction hobs have become increasingly popular, whether renovating your kitchen or looking for a gas-free option. Prices have slashed dramatically over the last few years. Basic four-zone models are now sold at less than PS100. If you're looking for the latest induction technology, it is worth the extra cost. This sleek model from Smeg has the latest induction technology to make cooking more efficient and energy efficient. The Auto-pot detection system recognises pots with an overall diameter of at least 9cm and then automatically selects the appropriate zone. Smeg's main focus is on energy efficiency, but it doesn't ignore flexibility – this hob can be adjusted to conserve power based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to reduce energy consumption by reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW. Testers were impressed by the hob's user-friendly design with easy-to-use controls that slide along the edge of the hob to follow the pan. ovens -coded scheme makes it easy to determine the status of each zone. The “Flexi Duo” function lets you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are plenty of useful functions, including four cooking presets for automatic cooking (melting boiling, melting slow cooking, and keeping warm) and a Power Boost for super-quick results. The hob also has a FlameSensor which will alert you when there's a risk of a food item being burned or an igniting fire. There are other safety features, including a residual heat indicator as well as an automatic shut-off when the surface is too hot. It's also hard-wearing with an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to help it resist hard marks and stains from cooking. This hob has nine power levels, the FlexiDuo feature to accommodate large pans and is easy to put in. There are a host of bonus features, including locking controls and a safety fuse in case of accidental button-pushing. 3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob Powered by electricity rather than gas, induction hobs use copper plates that create a magnetic field when the pan is set on the top. Best place to buy oven and hob means that they can reach temperatures more quickly than gas hobs, and also save energy as the cooking zone only is heated when you turn on the pan. They are generally less expensive to operate than gas and they are also simpler to clean. Indesit's induction hob is full of features to help you get creative in the cooking. It has two separate zones which can be combined into the Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, as well as a speedy booster zone that can quickly bring water to a boil. For instance, the Push&Go allows you to cook with perfection at the touch a button. And nine power modes that include a 'P boost setting that gives each zone maximum power for five minutes, are easily set using the controls, which are positioned along the bottom edge of the cooktop to follow your pans. The controls are also simple to use and have modern, minimalist designs that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests, it was able to boil pasta water in a snap and quickly heated up when we put an oven in the Booster zone. However, it took a long time to cool down once it was turned off from the hob and our testers found it difficult to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel. This Indesit hob also features the bridge function, which allows the user to combine two cooking zones to make larger pans. It comes with a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off feature that stops the hob from working if it gets too hot. The ceramic glass is easy to clean and has no visible flames. Our test subjects were pleased with that. Ventilated hobs unlike traditional extractors draw steam and smoke from the pan out of the room via an air duct that is located on the surface. Our experts thought the duct of this hob was simple to keep clean, although it took two people to lift the filter out and change it. 4. Induction Hob from General Electric Consider how the stove will be able to fit into the layout and design of your kitchen as well as the style of cooking you prefer. Induction hobs are an excellent option if you cook with kids or elderly in mind. They have safety features such as automatic shut-offs and a cool-to-touch surface. For those who value speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass front on an electric hob is the best alternative. Gas hobs are a great option for those who live in areas susceptible to power outages.