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How to Choose the Best Hob When deciding on the best hob for your needs there are a variety of factors to take into account. 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 are a popular option and offer excellent temperature control, but they're pricier. 1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob With four cooking zones and three functions called 'Push&Go', this cooker from Haier can help you make quick meals. It was one of the fastest to boil water 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 contemporary, and works well with modern kitchens. It is typically made from glass (which is shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic. The controls are touch-sensitive, and they sit in a flush position on the countertop. The controls were easy to use, and we liked the display that displays the current power level and the zone that is active. The 'Boost” feature generates high-powered heat in a brief time. It is perfect to stir fry and speedily heating up pans. Safety features like the hot hob light or automatic shutdown are also beneficial. However, it's not as responsive to touch as some other hobs tested in this test. We found that it took nine presses on the control to attain the highest temperature as opposed to seven or six on other models. It also takes longer for the pan to respond when you change the temperature. It is possible to adjust the settings a few times before you get the proper heat. This 60 cm model features four cooking zones. One of it is a half-flex zone which allows two areas to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. The dual-ring design allows it to operate on both “normal” and “boost” power levels. The Boost model is great for frying and searing meat, or bringing water pans to a rapid boil. It's fully integrated with the hOn app and comes with 100's of recipes, with cooking instructions and 30 different programs divided into different food categories and preparation types. It has a multislider control panel with a “lockable interface' and can detect the type of pan you're using to set the correct cooking mode. It is also compatible with hOn pans made by third parties and has various safety features like the ability to lock the panel and boil-dry prevention. 2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob If you're working on your kitchen or simply seeking a better alternative to gas induction hobs, induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular. Prices have plummeted over the past few years, with the simplest four-zone models costing less than PS100. But if you want all the bells and whistles that come with induction it's worth paying more for the latest innovations. This sleek model from Smeg comes with the most modern induction technology to make your cooking efficient and easy. The Auto-pot detection system recognises pots that have an overall diameter of at least 9cm and automatically activates the zone that is appropriate. Smeg's focus is on energy savings however, it doesn't overlook flexibility – this hob can be adjusted to save energy based on the maximum temperatures of the zones. Eco-Logic advanced mode allows you to reduce energy consumption, reducing the power output to as low as 2.4kW. The user-friendly interface of this stove impressed testers, thanks to its easy-to-use sliding controls that follow your pan along the edge of it. The control panel's color scheme lets you quickly see the operating status of each zone, while the Flexi Duo function allows you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pots. There are a variety of useful functions, including four cooking presets for automatic cooking (melting boiling, melting slow cooking, keeping warm) and a Power Boost for super-quick results. The hob also comes with a FlameSensor that can alert you when there's a risk of a meal that's been burned or a fire. There are other safety features, like a residual heat indicator and an auto switch-off if the surface gets too hot. It is also resistant to tough stains and features an anti-smudge coating called CleanProtect. This hob has nine power levels as well as an 'FlexiDuo feature' that is perfect to accommodate large pans and is easy to install. There are several bonus features like lockable controls, and a safety fuse to prevent accidental button pressing. 3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They utilize copper plates to generate an electric force when a pan or pot is placed on them. This means that they can heat up more quickly than gas hobs. They also save energy as the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on a pan. They are generally less expensive to operate than gas and they are also easier to clean. This induction hob by Indesit is packed full of features that make it easy to create your own ideas in the kitchen. It comes with two cooking zones that can be combined to create a Dual Zone for larger pans and a rapid Booster zone that can bring water to boiling point quickly. For instance, the Push&Go allows you to cook with perfection by pressing a button. The controls are easy to use and allow you to choose nine power modes including the P boost option that provides maximum power to each zone for five minutes. The controls are easy to operate, and the minimalist design is ideal for a modern kitchen. In our tests, it was able to boil pasta water in a snap and was quick to heat up when we put an oven on the Booster zone. It took some time to cool down after we turned off the hob, and our test subjects could not determine the exact temperature on the control panel. Alongside the Dual Zone and Push&Go, this Indesit hob comes with a bridge function that lets you combine two cooking zones to fit larger pans. It comes with a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off system which prevents the oven from working when it gets too hot. Our test participants were impressed that there were no visible flames or flammable substances and the glass was easy to wipe clean. In contrast 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. Our experts thought this hob's duct was easy to clean, even though it required two people to take the filter out and change it. 4. hobs uk from GE Think about how the hob will work with your kitchen's layout and design, as well as the style of cooking you prefer. For instance, if often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, safety features such as an automatic shut-off or an icy to the touch surface could make an induction cooker a better choice. For those who are looking for speed and efficiency using a ceramic glass facia on an electric hob is the ideal choice. If you live in areas prone to load-shedding, the capability to use gas hobs in power cuts may tip the scales in favour of a gas model.