How to Choose the best ovens hob, from the Metooo blog,

There are a lot of aspects to take into consideration when selecting the best hob, from the price to energy efficiency. Choose the features that are the most important.

A basic ceramic electric hob and oven costs as little as PS100. However, you will need to pay more for a model that comes with numerous features. Gas hobs are also a popular option and offer excellent temperature control, however they are more expensive.

1. Haier I-Flex Induction Hob

With four cooking zones and three functions called 'Push&Go', this stove from Haier will allow you to cook quick meals. It was also among the quickest on test to boil water, taking less than four minutes. It's child lock-compatible and features an pause feature, meaning you can quickly stop the process without having to faff around using controls.

Its style is sleek and modern and is a great match for contemporary kitchens. It is usually made of glass (shatterproof and heatproof) or ceramic, and features touch controls that sit in the same place as the worktop for easy use.

The controls were easy to use, and we liked the display that displays the current power level and which zone is currently in use. The "Boost" feature creates high-powered heat in a brief time. It is perfect for stir-frying and quickly boiling pans. The hob's light that is hot and the automatic shutoff are helpful safety features, too.

However, it's not as sensitive to touch as other ovens hobs in this test. It took nine presses to reach the maximum temperature, in comparison to seven or six for other models. It takes longer to react when you alter the cooking temperature, meaning you may have to change settings several times before the pan is at the right temperature.

This model is 60cm long and has four cooking zones. One of them is a half-flex zone that allows two zones to easily be joined to accommodate larger pans or pots. The dual-ring design allows it to be operated on both "normal" and "boost" power levels. The Boost is ideal for cooking meat, searing it or quickly bring water to a fast boiling.

It's fully connected via the hOn app, and offers 100's of recipes with cooking instructions and 30 different programmes split into different food categories and preparation styles. It comes with a user-friendly multislider interface and a 'lockable control panel. In addition, it will automatically recognize the kind of pan you're using and set the correct cooking mode. It also works with hOn pans made by third party companies and has a number of security features, including a lockable panel as well as boil-dry prevention.

2. Smeg I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular, whether you're renovating your kitchen or are looking for a gas-free alternative. Prices have dropped in the last few years, with basic four-zone models starting at less than PS100. But if you want all the bells and whistles that include induction it's worth paying more for the latest innovations.

This sleek model from Smeg features the latest induction technology that makes cooking more efficient and convenient. The Auto-pot detection system recognizes pots that have a diameter of at least 9cm and then automatically activates the appropriate zone.

Smeg's emphasis on energy efficiency does not leave out flexibility too The hob is built to reduce power consumption by adjusting the maximum operating temperature of the zones to meet your cooking requirements. Eco-Logic advanced mode lets you to reduce energy consumption by reducing power output to as low as 2.4kW.

Testers were impressed with the hob's user-friendly design with easy-to-use controls that slide along the edge of the hob in order to follow your pan. The control panel's color-coded layout makes it easy to identify the state of each zone. The "Flexi Duo" function allows you to connect two zones to accommodate larger pans. There are plenty of useful features, including four cooking presets for automatic cooking (melting boiling, melting slow cooking, and keeping warm) and a Power Boost for super-quick results.

The hob also has an alarm system that will notify you if there's a danger of a food item being burned or a fire. There are also several safety features, such as an indicator of residual heat and an auto shut-off feature if the surface gets too hot.

It is also resistant to hard stains and comes with a CleanProtect protective coating. The hob is simple to set up and features nine power levels and an excellent 'FlexiDuo' feature that allows catering for large pans. There are also a number of additional features, including lockable controls and an emergency fuse in the event of accidental button-pushing.

3. Indesit I-Flex Induction Hob

Induction hobs are powered by electricity and not gas. They make use of copper plates to generate an electric force when a pot or pan is placed on them. They can heat up much faster than gas hobs and they also use less energy since the cooking area only gets hot when you turn on the pan. They're generally less expensive than gas, and they're easier to clean making them a popular choice.

Indesit's induction stove is packed full of features to help you be creative when cooking. It has two cooking zones that can be combined to create the Dual Zone for larger pans and a rapid Booster zone to bring water to a boiling point quickly. A range of functions that are automatic such as Push&Go let you cook your food perfectly at the touch of a button. Nine power modes that include a 'P boost setting that grants each zone maximum power for five minutes, can be easily set using the controls, which are positioned across the bottom of the hob to follow the pans.

The controls are easy to operate and feature a modern, minimalist design that's ideal for a contemporary kitchen. In our tests it quickly heated up a pan after we put it on the Booster Zone, and boiling pasta water. However, it took a long time to cool down after we turned off the hob. Additionally, our test participants were unable to determine the precise temperature on the control panel.

This Indesit hob also features a bridge function, which allows you to connect two cooking zones for larger pans. It also has a child lock, an overheating block and an automatic switch-off system which prevents the oven and hob from working when it gets too hot. The ceramic glass is simple to clean and has no flames visible. Our test subjects were pleased with the fact that there was no visible flame. Ventilated hobs in contrast to traditional extractors draw steam and smoke from the pan out of the room by a duct located on the surface. The vent on this hob was easy to clean, best hob but it required two people in order to remove the filter.

4. Induction Hob by General Electric

When selecting a hob, consider how it fits to your kitchen's style and layout, and also your cooking style and life. For instance, if often cook with small children or elderly people in mind, security features such as an automatic shut-off feature and cool to the touch surface may make an induction cooker the best ovens choice. If you're looking for speed and efficiency, a ceramic glass fascia on an electric hob is the best choice. For those who live in areas susceptible to load-shedding, the ability to use gas hobs in power cuts may make the difference in favor of gas models.