which hob? ladies plllease help

grumbler

Magentasue wrote:

My first cooker was gas, then electric that I hated to start with. When I had the chance of another gas hob I ended up with electric. Why? Because I've got used to ceramic hobs. IMO they're best because:

1) Easy to clean - REALLY easy compared to gas
2) Might not look as good as new after a few years (mine does more or less) but nor do gas hobs
3)You can get induction 'rings' that heat up quickly,cool down almost instantly so safer when kids are around
4) It's extra worktop space - in a small kitchen

I am not lady, but I cook and I agree with Magentasue.
I have AEG frameless ceramic hob with tuch control. Quite expensive but nothing can be easier to clean! Responce is very fast. All rings have timers - very convinient.
And do not forget - burning gas produces not only CO2, but H2O - extra source of humidity at home. You must always use extractor fan/hood with a gas hob.
I think induction hobs (or rings) are even better, but unfortunately they need special pans with magnetic bottom.

Magentasue

grumbler wrote:

I think induction hobs (or rings) are even better, but unfortunately they need special pans with magnetic bottom.

True to an extent. My Le Creuset pans and cheapo cast iron frying pans are fine. My stainless steel aren't. Only two of my rings are induction so I manage fine.

Becles

I've got a ceramic hob which was here when I moved in. I've used it for 9 years, and it isn't chipped or scratched at all. I prefer it to the gas hob I had in my old house.

I like it because it's a doddle to clean. Just a quick wipe over with a damp cloth after use and that's it! Far easier than taking all the bits off the gas hob.

When I'm baking, I lift things straight out of the oven onto the cold hob. It saves damaging worktops, and I rarely use cooling racks now.

One ring is haolgen and that heats up a lot quicker than the others. You might want to consider some or all halogen rings.

culpepper

we have ceramic.Our kitchen is tiny so it is such a useful space when Im not cooking on it. Mine has not scratched or chipped in 11 years. I do find it less controllable than the gas hob we had in the last house and when there was a power cut recently, we just had to lump it (we were in the other house during the gales of the 80's and blessed the gas hob then).

Mado

I would go for gas any day... but I cook a lot.
Ceramics good but you might need new pots & pans.

And if you only cook a little, plain electric is probably cheapest as already set up.

Just do the sums.....

culpepper

as long as the pans are flat bottomed they will be okay for ceramic. All my original pans were fine and I have used an earthen ware casserole on it too with no problems.
Not sure if those pans with the rings embossed in the bottoms would work though.

bosey

i've got a 'stoves' ceramic hob which I have gotten used to after using gas for ages.

one thing i would say is, dont get a white one!! my hob needs cleaning constantly :wall:

Poppy9

I had a gas hob put in when I redid my kitchen. If I had known they were going to channel across the kitchen floor to reach the hob I wouldn't have bothered. Now if anything goes wrong with my hob or the pipe leading to it the blooming thing is buried in concrete.

I do think gas is quicker and more responsive but I don't cook that much really to warrant digging up the floor. Previously I had electric and my mother had a ceramic hob when they first came out. They weren't so easy to clean then you had to buy special cream but now they look like they are a doodle. Couldn't you go for a halogen. Don't they heat up and cool down immediately and glow in the dark so you know they are on?