If you have a 5 burner hob how often do you use all 5?

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

If you have a hob with 5 rings/burners how often, and in what circs do you use all 5 at once?

Are the people saying we are cooks, professional cooks? Surely anyone who is using a hob is a cook? I only have four but don't use them together as the pans won't fit on. I am a cook.

I have a six ring and use the middle two for making gravy while veg is cooking on two or three of the others. Gravy and veg is tricky on a 4 ring hob, and it’s useful to have a tiny ring and a large wok ring which 4 ring hobs don’t have.

We have a 5 zone induction hob, but it’s quite compact at 80cm. It has a large zone in the centre, a medium and small at the left and a flex zone at the right. I would say that they all get fairly regular use in their own way, and when entertaining we use them all. It’s a good space compromise. We had the 90cm version in our old house which was quite nice but unnecessary. We also have a plug in induction ring (from Ikea) in the cupboard if we need even more space.

@totallyyesno I think people identifying as cooks are people who actively enjoy cooking and seek out new/complex recipes rather than professional cooks/chefs. The people who say they’re not cooks are probably those who don’t like cooking/don’t want to spend time cooking from scratch

Never all together, but I do use all 5 at different times. I use a wok a lot so the big central burner is useful.

What @Flamingolingo said, @totallyyesno, we are not professional cooks and technically you are correct in what you say but I described myself and DH as ‘cooks’ in this context because others on the thread have said that they don’t really cook at all, whereas we cook from scratch pretty much every night (we might have convenience food once a month and eat out once a fortnight).

We have a standard 4 burner hob and are keen to get a bigger one when we refit they kitchen.

This is because we are often cooking stir fry for 5 of us (need 2 big pans) plus a pot of rice and usually we’re also dry-frying seeds or nuts to go with it, and because some of us are veggie and I don’t eat gluten we are often cooking eg veggie pasta sauce, meat pasta sauce and two different types of pasta.
We never have enough space for the pans.

We’re thinking of getting one of those induction hobs where you can vary the space for different pans.

I don't tend to use all of them at once, but I find having the variety of different sizes very helpful. (My dad's hob has four rings that are all the same size, and it irritates me every time I use it!)

@magicstar1

I have an induction hob with two rings and a bridge effect on the left. I use that for large pans or as two rings. They all get used a lot.

Ooh @magicstar1 which hob do you have pls and would you recommend it? Does it make weird noises and does it fry evenly?

Never use all five at once. However, I lived in China for 12 years and a three ring hob was the norm so am used to juggling pans etc.

I use all 6 rings at least once a week (Rangemaster range cooker) when I'm cooking Sunday lunch. I use both ovens less frequently

Never all at once but do regularly use wok burner for stir fries, and have a griddle that fits across two burners that I probably use once a week for quesadillas, warming wraps up etc so I suppose I might use that and have a pan on the go at the same time.

It's not so much using them all at the same time, it's the extra space you get to use bigger pans at the same time. I couldn't fit 4 wider pans on my 4 ring cooker at the same time.

I have never, ever, used all 5 hob rings. I'll admit I'm not an amazing cook, but still...

We have a five ring hob (about 90cm wide). I think the most I have used at once was four when preparing Christmas dinner (ugh, never again). Generally the most we use at any one time is two. We are not keen chefs, it has to be said :)

Most times I have a family party.

I live with my ds (12). But if my siblings and their families come to lunch, there's about 20 of us.

So maybe 3 or 4 times a year.

Christmas I have run out even with 5. 2 full size ovens isn't enough either! Normally I rarely even use 4

I have a 5 zone induction and prob use all once or twice a week.

@BewareTheBeardedDragon I got it in Ikea. It makes some buzzy noises at times?but nothing much, and cooks very evenly. I wouldn’t be without it now.
www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/hoegklassig-induction-hob-with-flexible-zones-black-60303933/

I have 8 gas rings of various sizes and I only use the same 3 (2 large, 1 small).
Bit pointless having them all tbh.

Never all at once, but I do use all 4 different sizes - the wok one is fab, and the little one is essential for simmering

I use them all, but I love cooking. I couldn’t manage with a small hob.

I do use all 5 a number of times - but i don't eat meat and dh and dd do, so we i'm often cooking more than one meal at a time.

My middle one is a big one so great for woks or a large pan. One of the other rings is a tiny one, so good for simmering a small pan of sauce or stock for example.

Never all at once but the middle one is useful for large pans and woks.

We cook from scratch every day, never used all 5 at the same time as I don’t cook Sunday lunch (I find it too much effort to be worth it), but use the large middle one regularly for woks and large pots, wouldn’t be without it now. We have a double oven though and rarely use the smaller top one, so that was a bit of a waste tbh.