What is it?
The hob is the cooking surface set into the worktop, where pans are heated for everything from boiling and frying to simmering. It sits over a base unit, usually with a drawer or an oven below, and comes as a self contained unit that drops into a cut out in the worktop. In most UK kitchens the hob and the oven are separate appliances, so the hob is just the top surface, with the oven a separate element below or elsewhere.
Hobs differ mainly in how they make heat, from a gas flame to electric elements to induction, and this decides the look, the running cost, the pans you can use and the power or gas supply needed. They come in a range of widths, most often 600mm for four zones and up to 900mm for five or more, in black glass, ceramic or stainless steel.
- 1Worktop
- 2Electric Hob
What does it do?
Heating pans for cooking
The hob is where food is cooked in pans on the worktop, giving controllable heat across several zones so you can boil, fry and simmer at the same time.
Controlling the heat
Each zone is adjusted on its own, by a flame on gas or touch controls on electric and induction, letting you match the heat to the pan and the dish quickly and precisely.
Fitting into the worktop
As a drop in unit, the hob sits flush or slightly proud in a cut out, keeping the worktop as a continuous surface with the cooking built into it.
Where is it used?
The usual spot, dropped into the worktop over a base unit, often with the oven built in below.
A popular spot so the cook faces into the room. For gas or standard induction this needs an extractor above, or a venting hob to avoid one.
A simple hob is sometimes added in a utility or annexe to give extra cooking space.
Types
Hobs are grouped by how they make heat, and this is the choice that shapes everything else, the running cost, the pans, the supply needed and the look.
Gas
Burners with a flame, giving instant, visible heat that responds the moment you adjust it, which is why many keen cooks prefer it. It needs a gas supply, and the burners and pan supports take a little more cleaning.
Induction
An electric hob that heats the pan directly through a magnetic field, so the surface itself stays cool. It is the fastest, most efficient and safest to use, and easy to clean, but it works only with magnetic pans and needs a good power supply.
Ceramic electric
Radiant electric elements under a smooth glass top. It looks much like induction and works with any pan, but the glass itself gets hot and it is slower to heat and cool than induction.
Domino and modular
Narrow units, often 300mm wide, that combine to build a custom hob, such as two induction zones next to a gas wok burner or a griddle. It suits keen cooks who want a tailored layout.
Venting hob
An induction or ceramic hob with an extractor built into the middle, drawing steam and smells straight down through the hob. It removes the need for a hood above, which is popular on islands, but it is deeper and takes up cabinet space below.
Typical sizes
Hob sizes follow standard widths, with the supply set by the heat type.
| Feature | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Standard width | 600 mm, four zones |
| Larger width | 700 to 900 mm, five or more zones |
| Domino module | 300 mm |
| Depth | around 520 mm |
| Supply | gas point, or a dedicated high power electric circuit |
How to specify
Choose the hob alongside the worktop and the extraction, since it needs a cut out, the right supply, and a way to clear steam and smells.
Heat type and supply
Pick the heat technology, gas, induction or ceramic, and confirm the supply it needs, a gas point or a dedicated high power electric circuit, which an electrician or gas engineer must provide.Size and layout
Choose the width and number of zones for the way you cook, and set the worktop cut out to the maker's template, leaving the clearance needed to any oven or drawer below.Extraction and pans
Decide how steam and smells are cleared, an extractor hood above or a venting hob, and for induction check the pans are magnetic or plan to replace them.
Other considerations
Interacting elements
The hob works closely with the elements around it.
- Worktop holds the hob in a cut out, which must suit the heat type and be cut to template.
- Oven usually a separate appliance below or nearby; the hob is only the surface.
- Extractor clears steam and smells above the hob, unless a venting hob does it through the middle.
- Base unit carries the hob and houses the supply and any oven below.
- Plumbing and electrics the hob needs a gas point or a dedicated power circuit run to it.
Popular manufacturers
Bosch
A German maker with a long reputation for reliable, well engineered hobs across gas, induction, ceramic, domino and venting, in a wide range of sizes and finishes. A default specified brand, backed by strong service.
Neff
Part of the same group as Bosch and popular in fitted kitchens for its design led hobs, including Flex Induction and the removable TwistPad control, plus venting hobs for islands.
AEG
A German brand, part of Electrolux, strong on induction with features like SenseBoil and its scratch resistant SaphirMatt glass, and a good range of venting hobs.