Gas or Ceramic Hob

pattycake

My ceramic hob was already installed when we bought this house 18 years ago. It still looks as good today as it did then. I find it easy to use although I admit it is slower to heat up than gas. However, I like the fact that it retains heat and it is very easy to keep food hot until everything is ready to serve.

I am thinking of a revamp of the kitchen next year and I am sure I will wish to have ceramic again.

richardw

Gas on glass hobs look good http://www.aeg-electrolux.co.uk/node146.asp?ProdID=21655

superstylin

what exactly is an induction hob? I've looked them up and they seem to look just like ceramic hobs to me. We have the glass hob in the flat but I'm unsure whether it's ceramic or induction since they both look the same!

TomsMom

superstylin wrote: »

what exactly is an induction hob? I've looked them up and they seem to look just like ceramic hobs to me. We have the glass hob in the flat but I'm unsure whether it's ceramic or induction since they both look the same!

An induction hob is where the ring reacts instantaneously just as gas does, i.e. you put a pan of water on, turn induction ring on and it heats up as quickly, if not quicker, than if you'd put it on a gas ring. Ceramic hobs and other electric hobs are a lot slower to heat up and react to you turning it up or down.

Also, only pans that are magnetic will work on an induction hob so if you have an aluminium or copper bottomed pan it wont work. You can read about them here. Scroll down and the technical bit is under "Induction hobs are efficient".

Inactive

daveyjp wrote: »

Gas - it's a cheaper fuel than electricity.

Not so sure that is true any more.

Gas prices have risen far more than electricity.

lagi

I have always been a gas man, but need to futureproof and i see that gas will be more expensive than electricity. So will be going electric.

superstylin

TomsMom wrote: »

Also, only pans that are magnetic will work on an induction hob so if you have an aluminium or copper bottomed pan it wont work. You can read about them here. Scroll down and the technical bit is under "Induction hobs are efficient".

I suppose i better find out which mine is then!

amtrakuk

I would highly recommend induction hobs!

I was introduced to them by a friend who has bought a couple off ideal world tv shopping channel.

His wife seems very happy with them so I thought Id give them a go. At £70 for a countertop hob I thought it was a bit pricey so looked on ebay - highly recommended.

I got one from germany for £30, brand new boxed and never looked back.

To test if you're pans are induction hob safe just get you're fridge magnet and if it sticks it is compatible.

I used to use gas but moved to the induction hob due to:

The glass doesn't get hot, it only warms up from the heat from the pot on it.

Quick! Like a bullet! Induction technology basically uses the pan or pot to heat the contents. Unlike electric ring/ceramic/halogen/gas that heats from the bottom. Its almost like the pan itself is the heating element

Much more efficient. Gas is something like 45% efficient, electric 65%, induction 90%.

George_Bray

pattycake wrote: »

My ceramic hob was already installed when we bought this house 18 years ago. It still looks as good today as it did then. I find it easy to use although I admit it is slower to heat up than gas.

I did a test, heating a stainless saucepan filled with exactly 2 litres of cold tap water. My gas cooker took 13 mins to bring the water to boiling point, with the flames set to reach the outer edge of the pan - not full blast at all, which would have been even faster, presumably.

I then tried the same pan and another 2 litres of water in a relative's house on a ceramic hob. There are various types of ceramic hob. This one has traditional heating elements (not induction or halogen). It took 20 minutes to bring the water to boilingwith the hob on maximum.

Conclusion: ceramic hobs take 50% longer to bring anything to the boil, than gas. How can anyone live with that? I would never change to heating element based ceramic!

pattycake

I rarely heat water from cold on my ceramic hob. For example, if I am boiling potatoes, I cover them with boiling water from my kettle. I always use my microwave to heat stuff like baked beans or soup.

I suppose it is something you get used to and factors such as ease of cleaning outweigh the disadvantages IMHO.