10 Misconceptions Your Boss Has About Oven
Leave a Pot on the Hob
The recipes of Nigella often advise you to 'leave a pot on the hob' but what does this mean? A stovetop, also known as a hob or cooktop in British English, could be either gas or electric.
Dual fuel cookers mix gas hobs with an electric oven to provide the best of both. They provide instant heat, but are more expensive to run than single fuel models.
Hobs made of solid plate
Solid plate hobs are a common feature in many homes. They are a great choice for those who want to save money. Their design is made of flat metal plates which heat up by using electricity. However, their modest initial cost can cause higher electricity costs over time due to their inefficient energy usage. These hobs also require a significant amount of residual heat and take longer to heat up and cool down than their modern counterparts.
Ceramic hobs are an extremely popular alternative to solid-plate hobs. It is more expensive initially, but is much cheaper in the long run. These hobs come in many different styles including flat and curvy. They can be combined with ovens of a variety of sizes and shapes to match any kitchen layout. Moreover, they're easy to clean and blend well into most modern homes.
The next step is the induction hob, which uses electromagnetic fields to warm your cookware directly. The surface of the hob is cool, which minimizes the chance of burning. It is also safer for children to touch. In addition induction hobs are the fastest of all the kinds to heat up and cool down.
When you are deciding on which hob to buy it is essential to take into consideration your cooking habits and energy requirements. Solid plate hobs are cheap, but they are not efficient. Ceramic and gas hobs, on the other they are more costly but are more efficient. Induction hobs are an intermediate option, combining efficiency with a elegant design.
Gas hobs
The most efficient gas hobs are simple to use, have a sleek and attractive appearance and are made of sturdy materials. They should come with a solid warranty and be easy to clean. Additionally, they should be compatible with a wide range of cookware and offer instant heat control.
Gas hobs work by connecting each burner to a gas supply which then ignites the fuel, causing the flame. The flame is able to heat the pan as well as the air, allowing for precise temperature control. Some models have a visual flame indicator, which makes it easy to determine if the burners are turned off or on. Other features that are available on gas hobs include multiple burners in a variety of sizes, an automatic ignition system and a removable drip tray.
Many modern gas hobs have a stainless steel or ceramic top, and some even have sleek black glass finishes. Depending on the style of your kitchen it is also an possibility of choosing vented or open-burner gas cooktops. Hobs vented have an integrated extractor that takes steam and smoke from cooking pans, and then releases them to the outside, while open-burner gas hobs don't.
Open-burner hobs sport a classic design with metal knobs and grates while vented hobs look more modern with flat, glass surfaces. Some models come with extra-wide pan supports, which are great for large pans and pots.
Despite the increasing popularity of electric hobs such as ceramic and induction hobs however, there is a significant number of gas hobs users. This is due in part to consumer preferences and the familiarity with gas cooking. However, a variety of government regulations are encouraging the phase out of appliances that use fossil fuels in favour of energy-efficient alternatives.
Gas-powered hobs are all electrical components to function. It is therefore essential to install them by a qualified electrician and carpenter who will make sure that the installation is safe and meets industry standards. If you are installing a gas hob your electrician will have to route the power cable and gas pipe into your kitchen. This is usually a simple process that doesn't impact the existing electrical or piping connections.
Ceramic hobs
Ceramic hobs have a elegant and attractive appearance and are easy to maintain and are more efficient than gas. They work by using powerful heating elements under the surface of each zone. These then transmit the heat from the glass to the pan above. This can reduce energy consumption since it only directly heats the pan and not the air around it. They are also easy to regulate, and react quickly to temperature changes.
The flat surface of a ceramic stove is easy to wipe down, so spills and splatters are easily cleaned away with a cloth once they cool. It's important to remember that they're not suitable for a hot or steamy kitchen in hot or humid conditions, as the glass could discolour and crack when it gets too hot.
Some people might be put off by the fact that ceramic hobs generate some amount of heat beneath the surface however, this isn't a problem to the majority. In fact, many models are equipped with cooling fans that are integrated to help regulate this heat and keep it from affecting your workspace or kitchen. They are also insulated to help reduce heat transfer from your hob to your kitchen.
Ceramic hobs can also be more versatile than induction hobs, which require certain kinds of magnetically conductive cookware. However, it's recommended to avoid using any cast iron cookware on a ceramic stove, because it could scratch the surface.
A lot of ceramic hobs are fitted with a variety of safety features including residual heat indicators, as well as locking functions to prevent accidents in the kitchen. Certain ceramic hobs feature an overflow prevention feature which detects when a pan is boiling over and automatically reduces the power to the area it is in to minimise the damage. It's just as important to ensure that a ceramic hob has been installed correctly and set up with the correct cables and breakers. This is something that should be left to a professional electrician and you can be confident that your hob will be safe and reliable to use.
Hobs with induction
Induction hobs, as the name suggests have coils beneath the surface that produce magnetic fields. These fields produce heat in the pan or in the metal object placed on the hob. They consume less energy than other types of hobs since they are cold until you are surrounded by a pan. They also heat more efficiently because the heat is generated from the bottom of a pan and not the entire cooktop surface.
Like gas hobs, induction models come with a control panel where you can choose your settings and see how much power you're using. They can only be used with cookware compatible with the electromagnetic heating mechanism. This means that it has to be made of ferrous metal or cast iron. Stainless steel and a few non-stick cookwares work, but always check the label or use a magnet on the base to confirm that your cookware is compatible with induction.
A popular option in shared student halls and penthouses in iQ Student Accommodation, induction hobs have sleek LCD displays and modern design that blend seamlessly into modern kitchens. They're more secure than traditional gas hobs because they only get hot when they are placed on them, and then they turn off automatically when the pan is removed.
Induction hobs are controlled like the controls on an iPhone. A swipe on the slider will adjust your preferred heat level. There are also usually up and down oven hob on the control panel, which allow you to adjust the power level, or use a dial to control the temperature precisely.
As well as nine power levels, certain models come with a dual flex zone that allows you to join two zones to create a larger cooking area for larger pots. Certain models come with an automatic switch-off and an indicator of residual heat. Other models also have a timer that will alert you when food is ready. Induction hobs all emit an extremely low-level magnetic field with frequencies in the kilohertz range which can cause problems for certain medical equipment such as pacemakers, and it is important to keep them from your body when not in use.