The most important appliance in your kitchen is the stove where you will do most of your cooking. If you are serious about preparing food, then you already know that gas hobs are best for giving you total heat control. We have done the hard work of finding the 10 best gas cookers on the market to help you find your next kitchen stove.
Buying guide
Whether you have purchased a gas stovetop before or this is your first time, we have thoroughly researched gas hobs to help you make an informed decision. See which features and styles are best for your kitchen.
Kitchen hobs types
Before we go into gas hobs, let us first get a basic understanding of the available heating types for stovetops.
Gas
Gas hobs work by igniting gas (natural gas, syngas, propane, etc.) and using the flame to directly heat cookware. The key components are the ignition system and the pan supports. These are popular because they give you control over the heat and when you turn the gas off, the heat source is instantly stopped. Power output is measured in kilowatts, and a typical 4 hob stove will use around 7kW. The higher the kW, the more power the hob will produce.
Electric
Traditional electric stove hobs use metal coils which are heated directly by electricity. The pots and pans sit right on these hot coils which will glow red when heated to directly heat your food. These are easy to use, but are not very efficient and can be hard to clean. They also stay hot long after you turn them off which can be a problem when making delicate dishes.
Induction
Induction is a more recent advancement where a magnetic field is used to directly heat the ferrous metal on the bottom of your pots and pans. These are highly efficient and generally easy to maintain. The downside is that you can only use pots and pans with compatible metals to cook with.
Ceramic
Ceramic stove tops are flat with the electric heat source under a ceramic top. These are popular because they are easy to clean and maintain. These have the same problem as electric stove tops in that they stay hot long after you turn off the hob. In addition, the ceramic tops can scratch or even crack over time, so you have to be careful with heavier pots and pans.
Gas hob Pros and Cons
In this article, we are focusing on gas hobs, specifically, so let’s take a look at the pros and cons of gas stoves.
Pros:
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Simple heat control
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Good heat distribution
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Gas is generally cheaper than electricity
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Instant control of flame
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Immediate and visible heat
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Can be used with most types of pots and pans
Cons:
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Requires professional installation
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Are normally more expensive than electric hobs
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More difficult to clean
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Controlling gas, especially low heat, takes experience
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Release fumes and exhaust when burning
How to choose the best gas hob?
Once you make the wise decision to go with gas, then there are many things to consider before you choose the right stove top for your kitchen.
Hob size
The first and most important issue is to know how much room you have for your new stove. The standard size is 60cm wide, and this is the size you will see most hobs come in. But if you have a smaller space, you may find one closer to 30cm that will fit a more snug area. If you have lots of room or a kitchen island where space is not an issue, then we recommend opting for a larger hob with 5 or more burners to give you maximum cooking potential. These can be 90cm wide or even more. Measure your space to make sure you find one that fits.
Burner size and zones
Modern gas stoves come with a variety of burner sizes. The most common set up is 4 burners with 1 large, high-output burner for larger pots and pans, 2 medium all-purpose burners, and 1 smaller burner for small pots and for simmering over lower heat.
Ultra rapid burners
Many newer stoves will include one high-energy (>3kW) output burner that is designed to boil water or to heat up woks and other large, heavy cookware. Look for this feature if you plan to do some cooking that will require a high-energy output.
Pan supports
One often overlooked feature is the pan supports that come with the stove. These are the metal braces that hold your cookware over the flame, and they come in a variety of shapes and materials. We like cast iron because it is durable and stable. Look for thick, uniform supports that are level and easy to clean. Some cheaper stoves will come with thin supports that allow pans to slip and slide across the surface which can be hazardous.
Enamel supports are the most common, but these are thinner, and harder to keep clean. They can also chip and break over time.
FSD (Flame Supervision Device)
What happens if you turn on the gas, light the flame, and then, while you are not watching, it goes out? In older stoves or cheaper models, you may have toxic gas leaking from the stove into your kitchen. But modern stoves come with an FSD that can detect when the flame has gone out and will stop the flow of gas to prevent any accidents. Make sure that your pick has such a device. These may also be called FFD (Flame Failure Device).
Control panel
Stoves may have front panel or top panel controls. We like the top panel controls for easy access, but make sure that they are far enough away from the burners so you don’t get scorched when reaching for the controls. These should be large, easy to read, and offer some visible symbols so you can easily control the flame.
Automatic ignition
Another important feature of gas stoves is the ignition switch. Most good stoves have a single touch feature which allows you to push and turn the hob on with 1 hand to ignite the flame. Some models will still have ignition switches which means you will need both hands to operate the stove.
If you have small children, the ignition switch does offer an additional safety measure, but it can be inconvenient when your hands are busy cooking.
Child safety lock
Speaking of small children, check to see that your model has a child safety lock mechanism of some kind to prevent children from accidentally or purposefully lighting the stove without supervision.
Timer
Because gas stoves do not generally require electricity to operate, sometimes they do not come with a clock or timer feature. Some home chefs find these timers essential, so check to see if your stove has a clock and timer if this feature is important to you.
Cooker hood
Another feature to look for is a cooker hood. If your kitchen already has one installed, then you will be fine, but some stove tops come equipped with their own exhaust source, saving you the effort of installing a separate hood. This will also all you to install the stove anywhere without worrying whether or not you have an exhaust fan nearby.
How to clean a gas hob?
One challenge of owning a gas stove is to keep it clean. A way to help with this is to buy a stove with a flat glass top that is easy to keep clean. Some stoves have steel tops with uneven surfaces that take lots of scrubbing. We like flat top gas stoves that are easy to access and keep clean.
When you clean, you will have to clean the surface, the pan supports, and the burners. First, take the supports off and soak them in warm soapy water removing as much grease and grime as you can. Then clean the surface. We like to sweep up the crumbs and then use a soapy mix to wipe away the grime. Avoid steel wool and other abrasives because you don’t want to scratch up your new stove.
You may need to remove the burners as you clean to allow you to get underneath them where dirt can collect. Make sure you replace them properly and test them before operating the stove again.
A nice trick for removing extra stubborn grease is to rub coarse salt and some vinegar over the stove with a scouring pad or cleaning brush. This will usually be enough to get your stove sparkling clean.
Conclusion
Now that you have all the information you need about gas hobs, we hope that you are able to make a good decision and buy the one that is right for your needs. Remember to find a professional to help with installation because working with gas can be dangerous. Once installed, a gas stove will give you years of safe, economical heat that will be a joy to cook with.