Which type of hob?!

[izzybizzybuzzybees]

I need a new cooker but due to gas supply in kitchen I need electric again. I currently have a ceramic hob and as the solid hot plates are cheaper I wondered if they are any good? Can they be cleaned easily?

If you are used to cooking on gas I would get an induction hob as they are as responsive as gas. You may need to buy some new pans though as they need to be magnetic.

I loathe any other kind of electric hob because they change temperature too slowly and I end up with boiled over pans or the food taking too long to heat up.

Anything but solid plate!!

I came on here to post a very similar question, we're extending and redoing the kitchen and I've been looking forward to a lovely big 5 burner gas hob, but talking to the kitchen design guy this evening and he was pretty pushy about the benefits of an induction hob - price of gas, safety, efficiency...
Can anyone defend my hankering for a gas hob?

Thanks for the replies. I haven't had gas for around 6years so that's not an issue. It was really just whether a solid plate electric hob would be easily cleanable as they don't look it! I have been googling like mad and I found a twin cavity indesit electric oven with black ceramic hob for £214 so went with that. Had to buy a blooming fridge freezer as well as ours is buggered!

"Can anyone defend my hankering for a gas hob?"

Me. I hate cooking on electric hobs. I have never used an induction hob, but would have one if I didn't have mains gas. I like stir frying and need a high flame for that. I also like to see how much heat I am using. They are slightly less easy to clean, but you have to be careful not to drag your pans across an induction hob in case you scratch it.

I think that gas is cheaper per unit than electricity as well.

I have never seen a cookery programme where the chef uses an electric hob.

If there is a power cut, the gas still works. I love an electric fan oven and gas hob. I would need a lot of convincing to have an electric hob, so marking my place.

"If there is a power cut, the gas still works."

Oh yes, I forgot that one.

I'm the outlier here. I used to live in a building with no gas so got used to an electric hob (not induction - just a decent neff ceramic hob) and I got to really like it.

It's very controllable (not like the old electric hobs), much easier to clean than a gas hob, and in a small kitchen (which I had) can also be used as workspace (when not in use as a hob obviously).

When I moved into my new house which needed completely refitting I had gas supplied to the kitchen but chose to stick with an electric ceramic hob. I only had gas supplied because I know people ideally want a gas hob so wanted to create the facility for a buyer should I ever move out but I've honestly come to prefer the ceramic.

I know that doesn't really answer your question because I don't know about solid hot plates (not really sure what that is!) but just wanted to reassure anyone that electric is fine these days! Don't care what TV chefs use! I also don't own a pasta-maker or a creme brulee torch but seem to do ok nonetheless! It's true thought that I don't do a lot of stir frying type cooking so perhaps I would notice more the absence of gas if I did.

but on the flip side, if you boil a pan over, the gas burners stop working whereas electric hob doesn't!

Yorky a recent move has meant we've left behind our induction hob and now have gas. I can honestly say induction hobs are amazing, much much faster to heat things than gas and once you turn them down the heat disappears instantly just the same. I didn't manage to scratch ours either and I'm quite reckless!
Yes, you do need to watch what type of pans you buy but most pan manufacturers do induction-friendly versions now.
I must say though my biggest moment of love for induction hobs happened when our ds, out of the blue, appeared alongside me and before i realised had put his hand down fully on the plate where the pan had been just seconds before...Of course it was warm but no harm done. I still shudder to think how bad it would have been on a regular hob

"and in a small kitchen (which I had) can also be used as workspace"

My gas cooker has a glass lid that shuts down over the hob so I get extra work surface as well.

A ceramic job is easily cleaned with special ceramic cream cleaner and you can get scrapers which get rid of any build up from any good hardware store. Gas is used by chefs as the heat is easy and precise to control. You just have to get used to it-,I like mine as I think it's safer, but I prefer to cook on gas.

Get an induction hob. They are easier to clean than ceramic, and faster than gas.