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How to Choose the Best Hob

There are lots of factors to take into consideration when selecting the best hob, from cost to energy efficiency. Determine which features are the most important.

A basic ceramic electric stove costs just PS100. However you'll need to pay more for a model with numerous features. Gas hobs are a popular choice, and offer great temperature control, but they're more expensive.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

This Haier hob comes with four cooking zones with three "Push&Go" functions, and will aid in cooking quick meals. It was one of the fastest boiling water hobs in our tests, taking only four minutes. It comes with a child lock and pause function so you can stop the process swiftly without having to mess with controls.

Its style is sleek and contemporary, and works well with contemporary kitchens. It is usually made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and comes with controls that are flush with the worktop for easy use.

The controls are easy to use, and we appreciated the clear display that tells the current power setting and which of the five zones are active. The 'Boost' feature produces high-powered heat for a short period of time, and is ideal for stir-frying or bringing pans of boiling water to a boil quickly. Safety features such as the hot hob light or automatic shut-off are also useful.

However it's not as responsive to touch as other hobs we tested. We found it took nine presses on the control to achieve the highest temperature, compared with six or seven on other models. It takes a bit longer for the pan to react when you change the temperature. It is possible to adjust the settings a few times to get the right heat.

This 60 cm model features 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. Dual-ring design permits it to be operated with both "normal" and "boost" power levels. Boost is ideal for frying, searing meat or bringing pans of water to the rapid boiling point.

It's fully integrated with the hOn app, and offers hundreds of recipes that include guided cooking and 30 special programmes split into different food categories and types of preparation. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface, baking as well as a lockable control panel. In addition, it can automatically detect the type of pan you're using and set up the proper cooking mode. It's also compatible with third-party hOn pan sets and comes with a variety of safety features, like the control panel that can be locked and boil-dry protection.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

If you're working on your kitchen or simply seeking a better alternative to gas induction hobs, they are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have slashed dramatically over the last few years. The basic four-zone models are now available for less than PS100. If you want all the bells and whistles that include induction, it's worth paying extra for the most up-to-date technology.

This sleek model from Smeg features the latest induction technology that makes cooking more energy-efficient and convenient. The Auto-pot detection system detects pots that have dimensions of at least 9 cm and automatically will activate the appropriate zone.

Smeg's emphasis on energy efficiency does not mean that they don't offer flexibility - this hob is designed to conserve power by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones to suit your cooking requirements. Eco-Logic advanced mode lets you to conserve more energy by reducing the power output to as little as 2.4kW.

The user-friendly interface of this cooker impressed testers, with its intuitive sliding controls that follow your pan along the edges of it. The control panel's color scheme lets you quickly see the operating 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 automated cooking presets: melting, boiling, slow-cooking, and keeping warm.

The hob also has a FlameSensor which will alert you when there's a risk of a food item being burned or a fire. There are also several safety features, including an indicator of residual heat and an auto shut-off feature if the surface becomes too hot.

It is also resistant to tough stains, and has a protective coating of CleanProtect. The hob comes with nine power levels and an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to accommodate large pans and is easy to install. There are a few bonus features like control locks, as well as a safety fuse to protect against accidental button pressing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity, not gas. They make use of copper plates to create an electric force when a pot or pan is placed on them. This means they can reach a temperature faster than gas hobs and also save energy as the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on a pan. They are generally cheaper to operate than gas, and they are also simpler to clean.

Indesit's induction cooktop is packed of features to allow you to get creative in the cooking. It comes with two distinct zones which can be combined into a Dual Zone to accommodate larger pans, and a rapid booster zone to quickly bring the water to a boil. For instance, the Push&Go lets you cook flawlessly at the touch one button. The controls are easy to operate and let you select nine power modes including the P boost option that gives maximum power to each zone for five minutes.

The controls are also simple to use and have modern, minimalist designs that's perfect for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it swiftly heated up a pan after we placed it on the Booster Zone and boiled pasta water. However it took a long time to cool down once we turned off the hob and our testers found it difficult to pinpoint the exact temperature on the control panel.

In addition to a Dual Zone and Push&Go, the Indesit hob has a useful bridge function that allows you to combine two cooking zones to accommodate larger pans. It also comes with a child lock and overheating block and an auto shut-off feature that shuts down the hob when it's overheated. Our test participants were impressed that there were no messy, visible flames and the glass was easy to wipe clean. Contrary to traditional extractor hoods vented hobs draw steam and smoke away from the pan and out of the room via an air duct on the surface. The duct on this hob was easy to clean, however it required two people in order to remove the filter.

4. GE Induction Hob

When selecting a hob think about how it will fit into your kitchen's design and layout, in addition to your cooking style and lifestyle. For instance, if you frequently cook with children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as an automatic shut-off or cool to the touch surface could make an induction cooker the best ovens and hobs uk option. For those who are looking for speed and efficiency using a ceramic glass facia on an electric hob is the ideal option. For those who live in areas prone to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs oven in power outages may tip the scales in favour of a gas model.