What are the main parameters when choosing a good electric hob
For every housewife, the stove is the main helper in the kitchen. Now cumbersome, inconvenient and dangerous old as gas, and electric stoves are a thing of the past. They are replaced by various cooking surfaces, which, like a sink, crash into the countertop in any convenient place.
There are different types of them for sale: gas, electric, combined. If for some reason the gas surface is not possible to install or do not want to, then you should stop your choice on an electric hob.
To begin with it is necessary to define what cooking surface it would be desirable to get: dependent or independent.
Dependent - this is when you buy a ready-made kit, electrical panel together with the oven, where all control takes place from the panel on the oven.
Independent is when the electrical surface can be located anywhere, regardless of the availability and location of the oven, and has self-management.
Types of electric hobs
Also, before buying a hob, you need to choose its type of heating element. They happen:
-
Panel with cast iron burners, as in old plates on a steel or enameled basis the disk fastens, inside which is an electric spiral. They are the cheapest on the market. ? All the following models are developed with use of glass ceramics and under it other types of heating elements will fasten.
- Rapid burner model, they are ordinary, with a spiral, which emits a lot of heat, heat up quickly and cool down quickly.
- Panel with halogen burners, more effective due to the presence in it in addition to the spiral of a powerful halogen lamp or gas-filled tube, which when turned on glow red and emit a lot of heat. The rate of cooling and heating in them is higher, than in rapid burners. However, the big disadvantage of such panels is that, that during their work the whole surface of the plate is heated. Also, these lamps have a short service life, therefore, they need to be changed periodically.
- Cooking surface with Hi-Light burners, even better than the previous model. Here the tape heating element in an asbestos basis and smooth regulation of temperature of heating. This is the most common version of the heating element for electrical panels.
- Induction hob - is the most expensive and safest of all types, because due to the installed induction unit only the bottom of the dish is heated, and she herself remains cold. But the utensils for such a plate need special, with ferromagnetic properties.
But still, halogen lamps are built into most of these surfaces, illuminating the worktop, to protect users from accidental burns due to inattention.
What material are electrical panels made of?
This is one of the main parameters when choosing a hob, to which you need to pay attention. There are three material options:
-
Enamel. Today it is very rarely used for electric hobs, because it is difficult to clean and you can easily leave a scratch or chip. There are few such models on sale, they are simple, without any additional features and the cheapest.
- Stainless Steel. It is much more often used by manufacturers, because it is durable and easier to clean, than enamel. Due to the wide range and price range, you can choose a stainless steel hob for every taste.
- Glass ceramics. This is the most popular, beautiful and at the same time the most expensive material. It conducts heat well, which instantly heats the dishes. Easy to clean, but only special tools can be used. For such ideally smooth surface modern ware with a smooth bottom is necessary also, because the conductivity of heat depends on it. The stores offer a huge selection of this material cooking surfaces.
However, the glass-ceramic panel requires careful treatment. She is afraid of hitting small and sharp objects, but relatively resistant to large frying pans and saucepans. It is impossible to use dishes from aluminum and other with a thin bottom. By the way, the bottom of the used utensils must be dry.
Let's pay attention to the burners
Manufacturers of such equipment are trying to please and guess the needs of every housewife and, so, there are many different types of burners on the market.
In addition to the usual round burners there are oval and two-, three-circuit. For those, who likes to cook in a casserole, oval products will be perfect. And two - and three-circuit - will adjust the heating radius for large and small pans.
The number of burners can vary from two to six pieces. They can also be hexagonal, they can be called "honeycombs" because they resemble honeycombs. Accordingly, the shape and size of the hob will be different. So, rectangular - the width is from 25 to 90 cm with a depth of about 60 div.
Control in electric hobs
Control can be as electromechanical, and completely electronic. Handles on the panels are installed in the front, side or on the hob in the corner. You can adjust the power yourself.
With electronic control with a touch board, there are several power options, light and sound alert system. Thanks to touch sensors, control of various functions will be easy and with high accuracy of parameters.
In the presence of touch control the display can be built in also, which will display all active functions and enabled operating parameters.
There are also automatic burners, they are marked with a white circle in the center. Built-in special sensor monitors the temperature and determines the boiling point of the liquid and automatically reduces the heating power.
Manufacturers are trying to create "smart plates", thanks to electronic sensors it is possible to define not only the size of ware, but also the amount of fluid in it. If there are empty dishes on the surface, the heating zone will switch off automatically.
The following additional features can be used:
- Timer function, can be separate for each burner, beeps and can turn off the burner automatically.
- Overheat protection, the power supply is switched off independently when the heating temperature increases.
- Recognition of material and size of utensils.
- Child lock control panel.
- The function of recording in memory of the surface of the cooking modes of various dishes.
- Function of keeping ready dishes in a hot condition.
- Defrosting and heating speed control.
- Power failure in case of liquid overflow.
This is a non-exhaustive list of possible additional and very useful features, which are offered by manufacturers in various models of cooking surfaces for their consumers.
Which manufacturer is better
There are many different manufacturers of cooking surfaces on the market. All of them can be divided into three categories in terms of price and quality.
The first category includes elite equipment of excellent quality, these are firms:
-
Gaggenau and Miele are well-known German companies, which have established themselves as manufacturers of exclusive products with impeccable style, quality and ergonomics. Their cooking surfaces and not only them, will decorate any kitchen. But the price is correspondingly high, within 92 000-350 000 UAH. and 30 000-106 000 UAH. in accordance.
- AEG and Kuppersbusch are also German manufacturers of excellent quality products, but at more affordable prices about 27 000-150 000 UAH.
The second category includes manufacturers of middle-class equipment:
-
Electrolux, this Swedish concern, manufactures products under this brand, as Zanussi, their cooking surfaces do not lag behind other well-known firms in their innovative functions, but their prices are quite democratic from 7 000 to 62 000 $
- Bosch and Siemens are well-known German companies with quality products and pricing policies within 8 000-65 000 UAH.
- Gorenje is one of the largest companies in Slovenia, known far beyond, good quality and price ranges 10 000-37 000 UAH.
- Whirlpool is a reliable American manufacturer with a long-standing good reputation. Prices are small within 12 000-50 000 UAH.
The last category includes budget firms, producing hobs with a limited set of functions:
-
Hansa is a Polish manufacturer, on the market already more 14 years presents its simple and inexpensive technique, but of good quality. The hob of this brand can be purchased at a price of 4 000 to 35 000 $
- Ardo Ariston and - Italian companies, their panels are famous not only for good quality, but also a design with the most necessary features. In the market you can find prices within 6 000-34 000 UAH.
Of course, not all manufacturers of electric hobs are represented here, there are a lot of them, and choosing, each buyer is guided by the feedback of other users and their opinion about the brand.
Let's summarize
Planning to replace the old stove with a beautiful and economical electric hob, it is necessary to study well the models offered in the market and to be defined proceeding from the needs with such parameters below:
- What she will be: dependent or independent.
- By type and component of burners.
- What material will be the cooking surface.
- Its size and number of required burners.
- Type of control mechanical or touch.
- What additional features are needed.
And keep in mind, that so popular previously cast iron plates are a thing of the past and they are less and less produced. They are replaced by relatively cheap and beautiful panels with glass-ceramic base and additional features.
But if you still have the opportunity not to save on this technique, then the best option will be an elegant and completely safe induction surface with a wide variety of shapes and functions.
