In last week’s blog post, we talked about the most common types of electric hobs. This week, we’ll discuss a few issues that you might want to consider when you choose between sealed plate hobs, ceramic hobs and induction hobs. Of course, gas hobs are another matter all together, and they’re a great choice if you prefer to cook over an open flame.
Here are some of the things you’ll probably be considering when you choose your electric cooktop:
- Cost
- Familiarity and usability
- Safety
- Ease of cleaning
The Cost of Electric Cooktops
Since sealed plate hobs are the oldest type of electric cooktop that’s still in common use in Australia, cookers with this type of technology tend to be the least expensive. Ceramic cooktops are newer; they’ve been around for approximately twenty years, but they’re quite affordable as well. Induction hobs are fairly new to residential kitchens, and they’re presently the most expensive.
Familiarity and Usability
Many people prefer the type of cooktop that they first learned on; they have a great feel for how it works. There’s nothing wrong with choosing your cooker based on familiarity. In fact, you’ll probably find that the newest traditional models have some great new features that you’ll love. Sealed plate hobs and ceramic hobs can be slow to heat up, and that affects usability. Induction hobs are much quicker, and that’s their main advantage. However, you must always use ferrous (iron-containing) cookware on induction hobs. Both ceramic and induction hobs light up when they’re in use, which gives you a visual signal similar to a gas hob, and many people find that helpful.
Safety
Safety is something to think about when choosing your hob. People usually choose electric because they are concerned about an open flame. If you have a young family and safety is a big concern, by far the safest option is the induction hob, as these cool down immediately after use and will not activate unless the right size and type of pan is placed on the ceramic cooking surface. However, whatever your choice, most feature a child safety lock that secures the control panel as well as other child-friendly features.
Ease of Cleaning
Cleaning is another thing to consider. Traditional gas hobs can take a long time to clean, as there are so many components. Ceramic and induction hobs are ridiculously easy to clean, and that’s one of their main advantages. You just wipe off the smooth, even cooking surface, which occupies the entire top of the cooker. Sealed plate hobs are usually easier to clean than gas cooktops, but more difficult than the ceramic and induction models.
Come along to Fowles. You will find a range of appliances, including ovens, cooktops and freestanding cookers at our Home Renovators’ Auction, which is held every week on Wednesday at 10:00 am. You can also check out our stock of top-brand carpets at discount prices and view our large timber flooring range. The details of this week’s auction are shown here. If you don’t think you can afford an induction cooktop, then you may want to think again. You never know what we’ll have available at our Home Renovators Auction.
