How to Choose the Best Hob

When choosing the best oven hob there are a variety of factors to take into consideration. From cost to energy efficiency. Determine which features are the most important.

A basic electric ceramic hob can cost as little as PS100, but you'll need to spend more for a feature-packed model. Gas hobs are another popular choice, and offer great temperature control, but they're also pricier.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

This Haier stove has four cooking zones and hobs three 'Push&Go" functions, and will aid in cooking quick meals. It was among the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking only four minutes. It's child-safe and comes with an option to pause the process, so you can quickly stop the process without having to faff around with controls.

Its design is sleek and modern and blends well with modern kitchens. It's typically made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and comes with controls that are on top of the worktop to allow for easy use.

The controls are intuitive to use, and we appreciated the clear display that tells you the current power setting and which of the five zones are active. The "Boost" feature produces high-powered heat in a short time. It is ideal to stir fry and speedily boiling pans. Safety features such as the hob light that is hot and automatic shutoff are beneficial.

However it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs tested in this test. We found that it took nine presses of the control to attain the highest temperature compared with seven or six on other models. It takes a bit longer for the pan to react to changes in temperature. It is possible to adjust the settings several times to achieve the correct heat.

This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones. One of it is a half-flex zone that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. It features a dual-ring design and is able to operate on both normal as well as 'boost' power levels. The Boost is ideal for cooking meat, searing it or quickly bring water to a fast boil.

It is fully integrated with the hOn App, and offers hundreds of recipes, a guide to cooking, and 30 different programs that are divided into different food categories and types of preparation. It has a multislider control panel with a "lockable interface' that can identify the type of pan you're using to set the correct cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans made by third party companies and has 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 searching for hobs a substitute to gas, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have dropped in the last few years, with basic four-zone models starting at less than PS100. If you are looking for the most modern induction technology, it is worth paying a bit more.

This slick-looking model from Smeg boasts the latest induction tech to keep your cooking energy-efficient and convenient. The revolutionary Auto-pot detection technology automatically detects the position of pots with minimum diameters of 9cm, which allows you to activate the appropriate zone without needing to select it manually.

Smeg's focus on energy saving does not leave out flexibility too - this hob is designed to reduce power consumption by altering the maximum operating temperature of the zones to suit your cooking preferences. There are options to save even more energy using the Eco-Logic advance mode, which reduces the power output from 11.1 kW to as little as 2.4 2 kW.

Testers were awed by the user-friendly interface of this hob with easy-to-use controls that slide along the edges of the hob, allowing it to follow your pan. The control panel's color-coded design makes it easy to determine the status of each zone. The 'Flexi Duo" function lets you connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are a variety of useful functions including four automatic cooking settings: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.

In addition the hob comes with an 'FlameSensor' feature that alerts you when there is a risk of a fire or burnt-on food. There are a variety of safety features like a residual heat sensor and an automatic shut-off when the surface becomes too hot.

It also has an anti-corrosive CleanProtect coating to help it resist tough stains and cooking marks. The hob is simple to set up and features nine power levels and a handy 'FlexiDuo' feature for catering for large pans. There are a host of bonus features, like lockable controls and a safety fuse in case 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. This means they can reach temperatures more quickly than gas hobs. They can also reduce energy consumption since the cooking zone only heats up when you turn on a pan. They are generally cheaper to run than gas, and they are also less difficult to clean.

This induction hob by Indesit is packed with features that make it easy to be creative in the kitchen. It comes with two distinct zones which can be combined into a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, and an instant booster zone to quickly bring water to a boil. A range of functions that are automatic like Push&Go allow you to achieve perfectly cooked dishes by pressing a button. The controls are easy to use and allow you to choose nine power modes including a P boost setting which gives the highest power in each zone for five minutes.

The controls are easy to operate and feature modern, minimalist designs that's perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests it quickly heated up a pan once we placed it on the Booster Zone, and boiling pasta water. However, it took some time to cool off after we turned off the hob and our test participants were unable to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel.

This Indesit hob also features a bridge function, which allows you to connect two cooking zones to make larger pans. It has a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off system which stops the hob from operating when it becomes too hot. Our test subjects were pleased that there were no messy, visible flames ovens and hobs the ceramic glass is easy to clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods, vented hobs draw steam and smoke out of the pan and out of the room through an air duct on the surface. The vent on this hob was easy to clean, however it took two people in order to take the filter out.

4. GE Induction Hob

Consider how the stove can 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 choice if you cook with children or the elderly in mind. They have safety features such as automatic shut-offs and a cool to touch surface. Alternatively, for those who prefer efficiency and speed, an electric hob with a clean ceramic glass facia is the best ovens and hobs choice. For those living in regions prone to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs in power outages may make the difference in favor of gas models.