Gas hobs use either mains gas or bottled gas as a source of fuel. Many users prefer to cook with gas hobs as the heat is more immediate than most types of electric hobs, although other users find electric hobs easier to clean. Gas hobs can come in different sizes, including 2 burner, 4 burner and 5 burner hobs. Most gas hobs feature a flame failure device which cuts the gas supply if the flame goes out.
Induction hobs are electric hobs which use an induction coil to directly heat the saucepan rather than producing heat in the actual hob surface. The benefits of induction hobs are that they are very energy efficient, they heat up the pan extremely quickly and the heat is also very adjustable. They are also safer to use than conventional gas and electric hobs as the pan becomes hot but the hob does not, however they are only suitable to use with ferromagnetic pans, such as steel or cast iron. Induction hobs come in various widths, with 2 to 5 zones, for different size pans and many have touch controls for easy adjustment.
Ceramic hobs have electric heating elements, halogen, radiant, or semi-halogen, installed below a glass surface. Many users prefer them as they are so easy to clean and also because they heat up extremely quickly, especially those with halogen elements. Many ceramic hobs have a residual heat indicator, a safety feature which indicates when the hob surface is still hot. Ceramic hobs come in various widths, with 2 to 5 electric heating zones.
Electric hobs are any type of hob which use electric as the source of energy, including induction hobs, ceramic hobs, halogen hobs and electric plate hobs. Electric hobs are the preferred choice of many users as they are easier to install than gas hobs and most are far easier to clean.
Glass hobs are any type of hob which uses a glass surface between the induction or heating element and the saucepan. Many users prefer glass hobs as they look more stylish and are far easier to clean than other types of hob. Induction hobs and ceramic hobs are both examples of glass hobs.
Halogen hobs are a type of ceramic hob which have halogen zones beneath the glass surface and which heat the glass surface more quickly than standard ceramic hobs, however they are more expensive than standard ceramic hobs.
Kitchen hobs are gas or electric appliances which are installed into the top of the kitchen work-surface for cooking food. They are often installed in conjunction with an electric or dual fuel oven which is purchased separately and installed below the work-top. They are available in various widths and sizes, from 2 burners or zones up to 5 or more burners or zones.
LPG hobs are gas hobs which use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), or bottled gas, as its source of fuel. Some people prefer gas hobs to electric ones as the heat is instantaneous but they are more difficult to clean than ceramic electric hobs. Some gas hobs use mains gas, but LPG hobs may be the only option where there is no source of mains gas available.
Ceramic gas hobs have gas burners on top of ceramic glass. They differ from electric ceramic hobs in the fuel used, as they use gas instead of electricity and also because the electric ceramic hobs have the heating element under the ceramic or glass surface whereas the ceramic gas hobs have the gas burners on top of the ceramic glass.
Glass gas hobs are the same as ceramic gas hobs and have the gas burners installed on top of a ceramic glass surface.
Single hobs are usually small hobs with just one burner which are suitable for use in small spaces such as a studio apartment or campervan or as a backup hob when the user needs to do a lot of cooking. They are not suitable for extensive cooking as you can only cook with one saucepan at a time. A Domino hob can also be a single hob, which is a modular hob which can contain one or two cooking zones and which can be used in conjunction with other domino hobs to make a full hob set.
Built in gas hobs are cooking hobs which use mains or bottled gas as the source of energy and which are built into the kitchen unit, so that the surface is flush with the work-surface. The vast majority of gas hobs on the market today are built-in.
Built in electric hobs are any type of electric hob, induction, ceramic or sealed plate, which is built into the kitchen worktop. The vast majority of electric hobs on the market today are built in although there are a few portable electric hobs which sit freestanding on top of the work-top and are not integrated.
Built in ceramic hobs are electric ceramic hobs, with radiant, halogen or semi-halogen elements which are positioned below a ceramic glass surface and which transmit the heat through the glass to the saucepan. Most ceramic hobs are built in which means that they are installed into the work-top, with the glass surface flush with the work-surface.