What is the difference between cooktop and hob?
While a freestanding cooktop is portable and is most commonly used, a built-in hob is permanently fixed to the kitchen countertop with screws. It is essential to check for the ease of use, efficiency and maintenance required for the smooth functioning of the appliance before you make a choice.
The word "hob" is very old and originated from a time when cooking was done over open fires in large fireplaces. The hob was a shelf or grate that was placed at the back or to the side of the fire. It was intended to keep pots warm via indirect heat, rather than in the direct heat over the fire.
Most built-in hobs have European standard burners, and flame intensity is quite low compared to Indian cooktops. This results in increased cooking time. Greater flame intensity results in reduced cooking time for Indian cook-tops. Consequently, their fuel efficiency is greater than that of in-built hobs.
A hob is a cooking appliance that is built to be perfectly integrated onto your kitchen top. The slab of the kitchen is cut and the hob is installed in such a way that all the gas pipes and electrical wires are concealed well. 2. How to use a hob? Built-in hobs are very easy to use.
- The hob is at a lower level than a traditional stove, so it is within easier reach of little children. ...
- There will be a permanent cut in the countertop, and you cannot move around the position of the hob at all.
We don't call a stove a hob, we would call what is known in the US as a stove, a cooker. A kitchen appliance that is used for cooking. The only part of a cooker we call a hob is the part on the top with the burners or electric rings as part of it.
There are five types of hobs to choose from; electric, ceramic, gas, induction and domino. Here's some advice to help you decide which one to buy for your kitchen.
“Induction stovetops are easier to clean, they're more responsive, and they are just as powerful, if not more powerful, than gas.
Ceramic hobs have residual heat indicators to let you know when the surface is safe to the touch. Whilst induction hobs are the safest choice as their surface remains safe to the touch throughout cooking, the surface will get hot but not hot enough to burn.
Chefs love induction cooking because of the extremely fast heating and precise heat control provided through a high-performance glass-ceramic surface. Also, induction technology warms the pan and not the surface or surrounding area, so very little heat escapes into the room.
What are the different types of hob?
- Induction Hobs. While it may seem unfamiliar by name, chances are you've crossed paths with this stylish surface once or twice before. ...
- Gas Hobs. The old faithful, gas hobs are a tried and true classic kitchen staple. ...
- Electric Plate Hobs. ...
- Ceramic Hobs. ...
- Gas on Glass Hobs.
range | cookstove |
---|---|
caboose | hob |
cooktop | hot plate |
stovetop | furnace |
boiler | burner |

Gas and ceramic/electric plate hobs work by using a flame or a heated coil to generate heat that then heats up your pots and pans. Induction hobs work by causing the pots and pans themselves to heat up. They work by using copper coils (also called heating elements) that have an electric current passed through them.
“Items on top of, or near to, a cooker can easily catch fire and put your and your family's lives at risk.
Excessive Heat and Temperature Changes
Certain cookware sustains heat longer. This extended heat exposure can create enough stress to crack the glass. Food that has been cooked onto the surface can create hot spots that cause cracking.
It is extremely unusual for a ceramic hob to crack on its own; most of the time, glass cooktops break because of improper use. Ceramic hobs are made using 'glass-ceramic'. Ceramic is a strong material, but it is quite brittle, and it cannot be heat treated for additional strength.
Modern kitchen stoves often have a "stovetop" or "cooktop" in American English; known as the "hob" in British English as well as an oven. A "drop-in range" is a combination stovetop-and-oven unit that installs in a kitchen's lower cabinets flush with the countertop.
A range is the common kitchen appliance you'll find in most American kitchens. It combines a stovetop, also called a cooktop, and an oven. A cooktop is the flat, open surface you sear and saute on that does not have an oven below it, but instead integrates into countertops.
A cooktop (American English), stovetop (American English) or hob (British English), is a device commonly used for cooking that is commonly found in kitchens and used to apply heat to the base of pans or pots.
Gas hobs are one of the most popular type of hobs. They are known for their accurate heat distribution, responsiveness, and versatility. Gas hobs heat up pans through a gas fuelled flame, which is produced by a gas burner.
Is a stove the same as a hob?
Basic differences between a gas stove and a hob
Traditional gas stoves have a freestanding body type while modern hobs have a built-in design. Traditional gas stoves are limited to basic functions such as on and off. On the other hand, modern hobs come with an array of features that make cooking easy.
The fact is that you do need special pans for an induction hob. Induction cooking heats a pot or pan via electrical induction, instead of through thermal conduction from a flame or electric element.
An induction hob works by passing an alternating electric current through its copper coils. If a magnetised pan is then placed on the hob, the magnetic field causes the pan to heat up. Unlike other hob technologies, with an induction hob, it's the pan, not the hob surface that gets hot.
They Prefer Gas
Professional chefs know what it takes to deliver so take some tips from the experts. To start cooking like a pro, start with their preferred tool - a gas stovetop. Gas stoves offer an incredible experience with every use.
'Where possible, it's best to keep the hob as far away as you can from the edge of the unit run or any tall units,' says Conrad Hendrick of LWK Kitchens London – at least 60cm from the end of a unit run and 30cm from a tall unit.
60 cm – This is the most common hob size and will suit most households, offering 3 or 4 cooking zones. 70, 75, 80 or 90 cm – Ideal for a larger family or an aspiring home cook, these widths cater for hobs with up to 6 cooking zones. Hobs of this size can also offer flexible cooking zones.
Induction cooktops create heat through contact between a copper coil in the cooktop and a magnetic pan. As a result, heating occurs faster than both gas and electric cooktops, making it more efficient. Additionally, this is the safest cooktop due to its electromagnetic heat source.
There are four types of cooktops: gas, electric, induction and downdraft. Each option has features and benefits that you may want to consider when choosing a new cooktop for your kitchen. Read on to learn more about different types of cooktops.
Use an Induction Cooktop, Not Gas
This chemical irritates children's breathing passages, especially kids with asthma. Choose an induction cooktop instead. They don't emit any chemicals into the air in your home. The smooth surfaces make them a snap to clean, too.
The 'ceramic' part of the name refers to the glass finish of the hob. It's not referring to the same ceramic that you would expect a plate to be made of. Ceramic glass is shatterproof, tough, able to withstand large amounts of heat (it would be pretty useless if it couldn't) and easy to clean.
What is the English word hob?
/ (hɒb) / noun. British the flat top part of a cooking stove, or a separate flat surface, containing hotplates or burners. a shelf beside an open fire, for keeping kettles, etc, hot.
An extractor hood is a device which contains a mechanical fan that is fitted directly above the stove or hob located in the kitchen. Its sole job is to remove smoke, heat, steam, grease, fumes and combustion products from the air.
Grates. Grates are stove parts that sit above burners. A cooktop's grates distribute and dissipate heat evenly below the pan. In the case of a gas oven, grates are made of cast iron. For electric or smooth surface gas cooking surfaces, such as induction stovetops, grates are ceramic-glass.
To ensure your ceramic hob remains in good condition and easy to clean, we recommend heavy gauge coated aluminium or hard anodized stainless-steel pans with a thick base. You can also use good quality enamel on steel or cast-iron pans, but these may scratch the hob surface.
It prevents any oil splatter or other types of spills from baking in to the stove top.
Built-in hobs are easy to clean since they are low maintenance and have a flat surface. In-case of any spillage one can easily lift the stove and clean the counter.
The weight of a canner filled with jars and water may crack the cooktop. The manual for the All-American pressure canner states that "All-American Pressure Cooker/Canners are not recommended for use on glass top/flat ranges because its weight may cause the glass/ceramic to break.
Try to keep the oven, hob, cooker hood, extractor fan and grill clean – built-up fat and grease can ignite and cause a fire. Use spark devices to light gas cookers – they're much safer than matches or lighters, as they don't have a naked flame. They're safer around children, too.
Induction hobs require a divider panel between the underside of the hob and drawer below to remove the possibility of accidentally touching the underside of the hob which can become very hot when is use.
Also, leaving your stove on for an extended time can be a fire hazard [1]. If a pot or pan is left on the burner, it can overheat and start a fire. In some cases, this fire may spread to other parts of the house, causing extensive damage.
What is the life expectancy of a hob?
Range and Oven Hoods
Cooktop, stove, and oven hoods are fairly simple appliances that can be expected to last 14 years or more with regular maintenance. Hoods bear the brunt of cooking grease and food splatters. Clean the top and inside with hot water, a sponge, and a mild detergent.
An induction hob works similarly to an electric hob, but it has coils beneath its surface that induce electrical current to generate heat in the pan or metal object. It uses less power and remains cold until you place a pan on it, meaning it uses less energy than other types of electric hobs.
If you place heavy weight upon the cooktop and later choose to heat it, the glass or ceramic could shatter. Be careful when placing bakeware on the cooker top surface too, as when it is fresh out of the oven and extremely hot, it could also cause the top to break.
dialectal, England : hobgoblin, elf. : mischief, trouble.
Hob as a boy's name is of Old English origin, and the meaning of Hob is "bright fame".
"Hob" is a diminutive form of the name "Robin", which is itself a diminutive form of the name "Robert". "Hob" is sometimes a generic term given to a goblin, bogle or brownie.
(British English also cooker) (North American English also range) a large piece of equipment for cooking food, containing an oven and gas or electric rings on top. She put a pan of water on the stove.
[ˈhɒb ] (on cooker) (= ring) plaque f chauffante.
An hob is traditionally a range, however, its modern day meaning is that of what I'd imagine you call a stove - gas, ceramic, electic or otherwise. janis , Feb 16th, 2004 11:47 AM. It is a cooktop - an electric stove.
Also known as a pasta arm or a kettle faucet, the tap is installed over a stove to allow for easy pot filling without having to lug any heavy pans to and from the sink.
What cooktop do chefs use?
Chefs love induction cooking because of the extremely fast heating and precise heat control provided through a high-performance glass-ceramic surface. Also, induction technology warms the pan and not the surface or surrounding area, so very little heat escapes into the room.