Gas hobs for your kitchen: a quick guide
Gas cooktops have always been popular because they provide more control and faster heating than electric cooktops. It’s rare to find a modern chef cooking on anything other than gas, as they offer an instant change in temperature.
A good kitchen layout will help the safety of the hob, and this should be taken into account before placing the hob in your kitchen design. You should be able to transfer a pan from the hob to the sink without going over obstacles or people.
Try to leave room for the hob to either side of where it is installed, as this gives you the opportunity to safely lift the pan off the hob, rather than having to pull back to find space. Do not place the sink near the hob: hot fat reacts badly with all liquids, such as water and juices. Also refrain from having the Plate near a window in case you need to open it.
Choose from a wide range of gas hobs from leading appliance manufacturers. We have many options compared to a decade ago, with new shapes and designs, as well as sizes and colors.
The smallest gas hobs are known as “domino cookers” and are usually 30cm wide. They can be a single wok burner or a 2 burner gas hob. Domino models are designed to offer the best of both worlds, as you can combine them on a work surface with an electric or induction cooktop.
Traditional gas hobs are 60 cm wide and have 4 burners. One is often a rapid burner of around 2.5kw power, or some models have both a rapid burner and wok. Wok burners are about 3.5-4 kw.
The latest and most popular finish is glass with a stainless steel trim. This combination looks fabulous and has an easy-to-clean surface, but shows grease very quickly compared to steel or white plates.
The must-have technology for family cooking is the “fail to flame” or “safety cut-off” feature. This
means that a heat sensor knows if the flame has gone out, so it automatically cuts off the gas supply, preventing leaks and possible explosions.
The main brands of gas cookers in the UK are Neff, Bosch, Smeg, Whirlpool and Hotpoint. Baumatic and CDA offer a great selection at a lower price, but the most popular are Indesit and Electrolux. The price varies depending on the type of support for pans on the hob. Enamel is a shiny finish on smooth metal, and cast iron pan supports are much thicker and have a rougher texture and hold the pan more securely.
A minimum clearance of 750mm is required above a gas hob to a cooker hood. The clearance can be reduced to 727mm above a gas hob, but the hood must be cleaned regularly to avoid fire hazards.
Wall units on each side of a hood must be at least 366mm above. A minimum clearance of 300mm is required on both sides of the hob if it is installed next to a pantry or flammable material.