Which hob is best for your kitchen design?
Which hob is best for your kitchen design?
ARTICLES & INSIGHTS
So, you’ve made the choice about your kitchen cupboards, your worktop surface and even which kind of taps to go for. Now it’s the big one though – will you opt for gas or electricity when it comes to cooking?
Here at London Kitchen Designer we’re not in the least surprised if you can’t decide with all the new technologies on the market today. We would be feeling the same if it wasn’t for the fact it’s our job to be able to tell the pros and cons of each so that we can pass that knowledge on to our clients.
And on that note, here’s a list of pluses and minuses for both in the hope it’ll help make your decision a little easier:
Gas Hobs
• The type of hob our grandmother and great grandmother’s used, the gas hob offers instant, controllable heat and is easy to use (it’s just a matter of pressing the ignition and turning a knob).
• They come in glass and steel varieties (glass being more expensive but steel is more expensive to keep clean).
• Newer gas cookers, fitted with an optimal burner, are more energy-saving because they heat the ring vertically rather than horizontally meaning there’s no wasted flame. This can cut as much as 10 per cent from your cooking bill.
• The pan rests can make cleaning the surface of the cooker difficult regardless of whether your cooker is steel or glass. If an unexpected gust of wind rushes through the kitchen and extinguishes the flame a good quality hob recognises this and turns off the gas.
Electric Hobs
• These days your electric hob will either be a ceramic or an induction version. Both look very neat in any kitchen and are simple to keep clean, thanks to their flat surface area.
• If there are children in the house then electric is certainly the safest form of hob thanks to the fact that modern cookers don’t switch on unless a certain sequence of buttons is pressed. They also light up to show ‘hot’ spots.
Ceramic Hobs
• Ceramic hobs aren’t expensive compared to induction hobs but they can be slow to heat up. They heat up the whole ring too which means if a pan spills over then you’ll get burnt food on the cooker top.
Induction Hobs
• Induction hobs are very contemporary design-wise and extremely quick to heat food. That’s because the ‘magnetism’ involved heats the pot rather than the hob top. This also makes it extremely energy efficient and safe.
• It’s also possible to gradually increase the heat on an induction hob.
• The negative is the expense as well as the fact you have to use pans comprising ferrous metal for the magnetism to work.
• The extractor works best if the expelled air can be ducted outside while.
• Pop up extractors or ceiling mounted Ines can be used for kitchen islands.
• These days it’s possible to buy a zoneless induction hob. With one of these you can lay your pot anywhere on the surface and the hob will detect it and heat only that pot.
If you’ve reached this far and still can’t make up your mind, worry not; it’s possible to have a combination of both ie a single large gas ring beside a few induction zones. If you’re considering investing in a new kitchen and design and would like more information or advice then contact us here at London Kitchen Designer or call us on 0208 504 8850. We’d be happy to chat!
ARTICLES & INSIGHTS
These days an increasing number of clients are opting for stylish handle-less kitchen cabinets and drawers. Not only does this style give kitchens a contemporary feel due to the streamlined and uncluttered, but it’s also easier to use.
One of the reasons for their growing popularity is that it makes the transition from kitchen to dining room much smoother (which is an important style choice in these days of heightened Open Plan Living).
Another reason they’re firing up the kitchen-buying public’s imagination is that they are more hygienic since they are so easy to keep clean. They are also safer with children around since there’s nothing for them to run into (or you to bang your hip on). Another advantage is there’s nothing to catch your own clothing on.
Varieties of handle-less kitchen cabinets
There are currently three different types of handle-less kitchen cabinets available on the market today, with each having their own unique attributes. They are:
GERMANIC STYLE
So called because this is the preferred type of German kitchen manufacturers, this simple and stylish look focuses on a continuous rail built above or next to the cabinet doors. This means your hand can rest above or to the side of the door and pull it open from behind.
INTEGRATED OR J TOP
This type of kitchen cabinet has a groove built into the top or the bottom of the cabinet door so that it can be opened with ease. It’s simple and elegant. Available in 21 colours.
PUSH TO OPEN
The most fun to use, the Push to Open kitchen cabinets and drawers work with a mechanical mechanism. Pressing on the door opens it while a gentle push closes it. It does away with the need for finger-pulls and leaves no gaps between drawers, making it look incredibly neat. It’s also easy to clean because there’s no grove for crumbs and dirt to gather in (like the integrated cabinets). The one disadvantage? Accidentally lean against a cabinet and it’ll open.
The case for handles
Not everyone wants handle-less cabinetry and for the handle devotee the news is good; there are so many new and impressive designs and finishes around today (antique copper being a personal favourite) that it’s going to feel like an impossible task to choose. Still, better too many than too few! Check out some of the latest styles here.
If you’re planning on updating your kitchen any time soon and would like some advice and/or inspiration then do take a look at our website information or advice then contact us here at londonkitchendesigner where you will find images of recent and past projects. You can also call us Mon to Sat from 9am to 5pm, tel: 0208 504 8850.
