Choosing The Right Hob For Your Kitchen

Choosing The Right Hob For Your Kitchen

Gas or electric? White or black? Simple or technological? These are all questions to think about when you are choosing your new hob. As always, at My Beautiful Kitchen we are the experts when it comes to everything kitchen design related, so read on and find which hob will add that spark in your kitchen.

Gas versus Electric hobs

You may have the choice of gas or electric already decided based on the current fuel supply which runs into your kitchen. If not, then the choice comes down to your personal preference when it comes to cooking.

A gas hob provides instant controllable heat. It needs to be installed by a gas safe registered engineer (of course we’ll make sure that happens) and most will feature a flame failure safety device so if the flame goes out then the gas supply cuts off. It’s a lovely and safe little extra to look out for.

Electric hobs come in 3 varieties – solid plate, ceramic, and induction. Solid plate hobs are a popular choice but don’t look as attractive as the other members of the electric hob family. They are generally cheaper to buy, but can still produce some great meals for the whole family.

Ceramic hobs are easy to clean, as they have a flat surface so they are really easy to simply wipe over. Ceramic hobs also can have knob controls or touch controls. The touch control models are a great choice if you are looking for something a bit ‘techy’ without the heavy price tag. Also, touch controls make the easy cleaning even easier as there are no buttons or knobs in the way when wiping.

Last but by no means least, it’s the king of hobs – the induction hob. Induction cooking is the very latest hob technology and it works by using a magnetic force. The hob ring connects with the magnetic base of the pan to produce the heat – and let us tell you it is the fastest heat on the market. It even heats faster than gas! One more reason the induction hob is so great are the energy savings. The heat goes directly to the pan’s base only through the magnetic force. That means no heat escapes elsewhere, meaning your energy costs will reduce.

Kitchen Hob Colour

There are some cool looking hobs out there. In recent years people have moved away from the more traditional white, and black has become a household favourite. Stainless steel models look fantastic, but as stainless steel isn’t a cheap material it can be more expensive. If you can’t afford to splash out then silver might be a good alternative, but just remember stainless steel is really easy to keep looking clean. Of course, it comes down to your personal choice and what will fit in with the style in your kitchen.

Fabulous Features for a Functional Hob

It’s worth noting that a hob is so much more than a place to heat food – it’s where the magic happens in the kitchen! Don’t be fooled into thinking a hob doesn’t have nice little extras which can make all the difference when cooking. Here are some of our favourites:

• Residual Heat Indicators – Little lights which stay on when you have finished cooking and let you know if the hob ring is still hot. Safe and handy!
• Multi Size Zones – No more fighting to balance the casserole dish among the standard pans! The multi size zones found on some hobs are a really handy extra – plus using the perfect size pan for the zone you are cooking on means you lose less heat, meaning you’ll save energy. Bonus!
• Child Safety Lock – Make sure that those curious little (and big!) fingers are kept safe and out of harm’s way with a safety lock. Your little ones will be unable to mess with the controls and it’s great for a little extra peace of mind.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our hot hob tips!

If you need any more help then please get in touch with us at My Beautiful Kitchen on 0141 771 3640 and we’ll help you find the perfect hob for your home and provide you with a free no-obligation kitchen design quote.