to think ceramic hobs sound a right faff?

[Willdoitlater]

Looking at new hobs. For various reasons only ceramic or old-fashioned electric hotplate will suit. But the instructions for ceramics seem...odd. Don't get it dirty, if it is dirty only clean with plain water and a soft cloth. Never let pans boil over. God forbid you should ever need to give it a good scrub with a cream-cleaner. (Apparently it will be ruined). Never use if the glass is chipped (ermm its glass, surely chips are inevitable.) Is this the ultimate triumph of looks over functionality? Can anyone reassure me their ceramic hob is not a total pain?

I have one and was never told any of that stuff. I clean it like anything else in the kitchen. It doesn't look as clean and sparkly as when we first had it but it's used every day, of course it doesn't stay pristine. It's never chipped.

They are remarkably hard wearing. Mine has survived a glass jar dropped on it from a wall cupboard above; a pan of jam boiling over onto it; and endless burned on bits from pans. I clean it with Hob Brite, which doesn’t have the scratchy bits a usual cream cleaner has in it, and a razor-blade scraper, which takes all the crap off easily. It has no chips and looks pristine 12 years on.

My last house had one. It was brilliant. Very intuitive to use and easy to clean, even if a pan occasionally boiled over. Browned food beautifully.

Much preferred it to the induction one I have now. A million miles better than a hot plate. Much easier to clean than a gas hob too.

It surprised me how much I liked it, as I would never have considered fit if it hadn’t just already been fitted when buying the house. If I was installing a kitchen again it would definitely be between a ceramic and a gas hob and the final choice would come down to aesthetics.

I’m a messy cow and my ceramic hob is fine. Stuff boils over all the time.
I use a scraper.
What’s wrong with just using water? Surly that’s better than chemicals. I do use a ceramic hob cleaner every once in a while. I ‘ve had it 14 years and still on the original bottle though.

All those warnings are from the manual for the model I was thinking of buying. It actually mentioned a cream-cleaner by name. Nice to hear that in the real world you don't have to treat your ceramic like a fragile flower. Is washing up liquid ok for cleaning it?

I have had one for thirteen years now and it has survived me being overseas for five years and a number of tenants using it. I buy ceramic hob cleaner for it, but that is no more difficult than buying any other cleaners and occasionally I will clean it with something else. It has never chipped and never occurred to me that it might chip. I have had more pans boil over than I could shake a stick at.

I am baffled as to what could be complex about cleaning it, I don’t think it could be any easier.

What?! Ive had ceramic hobs and wasbt aware of any of that?! They're good.

Ta everyone. I'm so glad it seems I AM being unreasonable.

I damaged one by letting fudge boil over onto it, so the glass went all pitted, but it didn't stop it working OK.

We now have induction because that seemed to be the new big thing when we got our new kitchen.

They are no hassle whatsoever. Just give it a wipe over when it's cool.

That’s very odd, what one were you buying? I clean mine with everything from cream cleaner to pink stuff and it’s fine. It’s a rangemaster.

I am v impressed with how mine doesn't chip, the amount of times I drop stuff on it. It's solid.

I use these. Having only cooked on a gas hob up to the age of 55 my new house has a ceramic hob. I'm a messy cook. Its much easier to clean

Whatever you do, don't get touch buttons. Get knobs. I'm a gas lover, but mine is fine. And pans boil over all the time.

We have an induction hob, not sure if it is ceramic though, it looks like glass? The ease of cleaning it is its best feature.

They are a bit of a faff to get nice and shiny but look great when they are. I also use hob brite and I polish with a microfiber cloth afterwards. I do find that they don't get as hot as a gas hob - but I don't have gas otherwise that is what I would have got.

Also never had a chip

Nope, not faffy at all and they're waaaay less faff than gas hobs.

@StrawberrySquash

Whatever you do, don't get touch buttons. Get knobs. I'm a gas lover, but mine is fine. And pans boil over all the time.

I'm in total agreement with you already re touch buttons. But it's nice to have my initial preference confirmed. A ceramic hob with knobs it is then.

There’s an HG hob cleaner, I use that or a wet cloth depending on my mood. I tend not to use the cream scraper stuff.

I've had one for years, it still looks fine despite frequent use / boil overs etc. I just scrub it with spray cleaner or detergent, once in a while I use a proper glass hob cleaner and that's it. No problem.

I just use fairy liquid with water on mine does the job.