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Electric hobs - which are better?

Content:

Criterias of choice
The best electric hobs
Stock footage

Recently, embedded technology is becoming increasingly popular. It is compact, takes up a minimum of space, it is easy to look after it, plus it harmoniously fits into the kitchen interior. Cooktops and independent ovens replace conventional stoves. This article will help you to understand what kind of electric hobs are, what are the best models to choose, so that they will suit both functionality and the overall design of the kitchen.

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Criterias of choice

A hob is the top of a stove equipped with hobs. Products differ in size, shape, nutrition methods. When choosing equipment, it is necessary, first of all, to take into account precisely these factors.

Installation principle

Distinguish between hobs dependent and independent:

In the first version, the panel and the oven have a common control. The control buttons can be located on the oven or on the hob itself. Due to the specifics of operation, these parts of the plate are located one above the other.
An independent hob can be placed anywhere convenient for the owner. The control buttons are located on the surface.

Important! If you plan to independently connect a new hob, use our useful tips that we have collected in separate posts:

Hob installation.

Induction hob installation.

Materials of manufacture

When deciding which electric hobs are better, pay attention to this factor. From what material the hob is made of, its cost and service life depend. Here you can choose from the following options:

Enameled surface - a traditional option. In this case, various color variations are possible. Such surfaces are resistant to mechanical stress and high temperatures, have a low price, and therefore are available to almost all customers.

Important! The disadvantages include difficult care, since it is difficult to remove greasy stains.

Aluminum. This surface is resistant to mechanical damage, but prone to scratches. Therefore, to clean the aluminum hob, do not use tools with abrasive particles. It is advisable to buy a special detergent, in order to avoid ugly stains.
Stainless steel. This is a strong, reliable, durable material, which is not afraid of any scratches. The stainless steel is easy to care for and looks stylish.
Glass ceramics are the most expensive option. Glass-ceramic panels are used for the manufacture of gas and electric stoves. Glass ceramics look very stylish, have an original design. The advantage of glass ceramics is that it quickly heats up and cools. The main disadvantage is increased fragility. The surface may be damaged by the falling of kitchen utensils weighing more than 2 kilograms, as well as by a point impact (for example, a fork or knife falling).

Important! Due to its smooth surface, glass ceramic care is not particularly difficult. All dirt can be removed with a soft cloth or a special scraper.

To care for glass ceramics, it is undesirable to use ordinary detergents, since paint fades from them. When using specialized tools, they do not need to be washed off. It is enough to wipe a paper towel.These substances create a special protective layer on the surface.

Important! When the hob has been selected, the following problem arises: how to connect the hob to electricity? We have prepared a separate review, which examined in detail what are sockets for electrical panels.

Which hob is better - gas or electric?

Depending on the type of food, cooking equipment differs into classes:

Electric.
Gas.
Combined.

What to give preference to?

If the house is gasified, then the gas option is justified. Gas technology is quite simple to operate, provides quick heating. If on the contrary, you need to buy an electric stove. However, electric stoves are also purchased for houses with gas, due to the beautiful appearance and functionality. When a power outage occurs, the best option is a combination hob. If there is no electricity, then food can be cooked on a gas burner.

Important! Planning to buy a gas panel rather than an electric one? Our site has an article on this topic. Follow the link and find outhow to choose a gas hob.

Types of management

There are 2 types of control:

Sensory.
Mechanical.

It’s not difficult to decide which hob is the best for you according to this principle:

When using mechanical control, a knob is used to turn the device on and off, to control the heating temperature. This option is more reliable.
With touch control, just touch the panel with your finger. This is a very convenient way to use the stove, especially if you get used to it. In addition, the maintenance of such a panel is very simple, as the surface is absolutely smooth.

Types of burners

Cooktops vary in appearance and configuration of burners, as well as in their number:

The gas model is equipped with burners. In standard models of stoves, 2 burners of medium power are provided, the first is powerful and one with minimal power.
In electric stoves of traditional design, cast-iron “pancakes” with heating elements are used. The main advantage of such models is low cost.

Glass-ceramic hobs are equipped with hobs of one of the types:

Halogen. They are most effective because they are equipped with a spiral and a halogen lamp. The lamp is the main source of heat. Thanks to the combination of elements, heating and cooling of the surface occurs in literally seconds.

Important! The disadvantage is the short life of the lamps and the fact that the entire surface of the stove is heated.

Rapid. The burners are made in the form of spirals that heat up and generate heat. It takes a little time to heat and cool the burners - only 10-12 seconds.
Induction. The hotplate does not heat up. They have inductance coils that create an electric field. The resulting eddy currents only heat the bottom of the dishes.

Important! A feature of these devices is that you can only use special dishes with a ferromagnetic bottom. Do not use cookware made of copper, aluminum or heat-resistant glass.

Hi-Lite - burners with a tape heating element placed in an asbestos base. Stepless regulation makes it possible to set the desired heating temperature.

A well-chosen cooking surface makes routine work in the kitchen a real pleasure.

Important! The repair work in the kitchen is over, the equipment is purchased, and at the time of installation you found out that there are not enough sockets? Do not worry! On our site of useful tips you will find instructions,how to connect the oven and hob to the same outlet.

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The best electric hobs

This rating is based on customer reviews and quality-price ratio.

Kitfort CT-104

Compact induction cooker. This is a good option for small kitchens:

The stove has 2 heating zones.
The panel is equipped with 10 modes and preset programs (including “delayed start” and a cooking time timer).
There is protection against power surges, overheating and accidents.

Benefits:

Fast heating and cooling.
Low price.
Compact size.

Disadvantages:

Uneven heating.
Special dishes made of ferromagnetic material are needed.

LEX EVH 642 BL

Plate with glass-ceramic surface and touch control surface. There are 4 rings of different types:

Single-circuit - 2 pcs.
Bypass - 1 pc.
Oval - 1 pc.

Important! Simple mounts make it possible to install the equipment yourself. There is protection against children and 9 levels of heating. All this makes it possible to choose an individual program for preparing different dishes.

Benefits:

The presence of different burners.
Fast heating.
Touch control.
Ability to block the panel.

Disadvantages:

Not rich functionality.
Big power consumption.

Hansa BHCI65123030:

Glass-ceramic hob with 4 burners of different sizes and power.
The advantage of this model is quick heating and easy care.
Additional advantages are the presence of indicators of residual heat, protection against overheating, a beautiful and stylish appearance.

Important! Disadvantage: the lack of a power cord in the kit. In addition, the stove is not very convenient to wash in the area of the switches.

Zanussi ZEV 6646 XBA:

Model with a glass-ceramic surface, resistant to damage.
The touch panel, equipped with indicator lights, allows you to control the operation of the device and set the appropriate heating temperature.
The hob has 4 burners, varying in power and size. One of them is oval, which makes it possible to use dishes of a non-standard shape.
The child lock function makes the appliance safe.

Benefits:

Different types of burners.
The convenience of use.
Sleep timer
Shutdown in the automatic mode when spilling liquids.

Disadvantages:

Difficulty removing contaminants.
The need to purchase special dishes with a thick bottom made of metal.

Electrolux EHF 96547 XK

This model got a well-deserved place in our ranking:

The hob is made in dark colors, which allows you to fit it into a modern interior. The silver metal frame is not just a decorative element, but also protects the glass surface from damage. Also, the frame is able to hold up to 0.5 l of liquid spilled during cooking.
Each burner has an individual slider, with which you can set the desired power.
There is also an automated boiling function, which speeds up the heating process, makes using the stove more convenient.
Using the “pause” function, you can delay the start of cooking for a while, the timer sets the desired cooking time. At the end of this time, the stove turns off automatically.
There is also a security system that turns off the device if liquid enters the sensors.

Benefits:

Simple and quick installation.
Automated “Boiling” function.
Security.
Ease of care.

Disadvantages:

There is no blocking plate from children.
The device cools down for a sufficiently long time.

Midea MC-HF661

This stove is one of the leaders in sales, one of the best electric hobs:

The device features a stylish concise design that allows you to fit it into a modern “high-tech” interior.
4 burners of different sizes make it possible to cook in a convenient dish for you. There is also an oval burner for cooking dishes in a gooseneck or non-standard shape dishes.
A useful feature is the triple expansion zone, thanks to which you can change the cooking program, depending on the dimensions of the dishes.
There are modes of fast, accelerated and ultrafast heating.
The touch panel makes controlling the device extremely easy.
Safety features extend the life of the device and protect equipment from breakdowns.

Benefits:

Child protection.
Diverse functionality.
Automatic shutdown when boiling liquid.
Extreme ease of management.

Minuses:

No wok burner.
There is no frame holding escaped fluid.

Zigmund & Shtain CNS 95.6 DX

This is not only a useful appliance for the kitchen, but also an interior decoration. This is a real find for those who want to choose an electric panel for a modern interior:

The stove has 4 rings. The largest of them is equipped with a double extension, which allows the use of dishes of different sizes.
The controls are extremely simple using touch buttons.
The timer can be used for all burners at once, setting an individual time for each.
So that the settings do not go astray, there is the option to lock the panel.

Benefits:

Attractive original design.
Possibility of individual use of a timer for each burner.
Control Panel Lock.
The presence of an indicator of residual heat.

Disadvantages:

Inconvenient location of burners.
Using touch controls requires habit.

Siemens ET675MD11D:

A hob with a glass-ceramic coating and four heating zones. One of them has an additional oval zone for dishes of non-standard shape and gooseberries.
Touch controls are located in front of the panel.
There is also a control lock button.
The stove is equipped with a timer, as well as a system of sensors: boiling, recognition of the presence of dishes and residual heat.
The stove is equipped with overheating protection.

Benefits:

Simple connection.
The ability to use any dishes.
Even warming up the dishes.
Convenient control with sensors.

Disadvantages:

Turn off the auto-boil mode after half a minute.
Imprints remain on the glass surface.

Bosch PIC645F17E

This hob is made of tempered glass in black with a silver frame. There are 2 ceramic and 2 induction hobs with a touch switch.

One of the heating zones is equipped with an additional element that turns it into an oval from a round one. This makes it possible to use special dishes.

Important! Touch-type switches are located below the burners. There is a button to block the surface. The residual heat indicator reduces the risk of burns.

Benefits:

Self-timer, designed for signal on or off.
Burners combined type.
The metal frame holds the spilled liquid.
Very fast heating.

Disadvantages:

Inexpensive maintenance.
There is no button illumination.

Kuppersberg FA6IF01:

This is an electric hob with four heating zones. At the same time, each is equipped with a digital display and a separate indicator of residual heat.
Control is provided by ordinary touch of the sensor and selection of the desired function.
For safety, there is a recognition mode dishes. This means that without cooking, heating does not work.
For this plate, the use of utensils made of ferromagnetic materials is recommended.