Cooking with one touch: TOP 5 powerful induction hobs

The eminent Swedish company Electrolux has a significant geography of production facilities around the world. The heroine of our review, the Electrolux EHH 96340 hob, saw the light on the conveyors of Germany, which allowed her to become a real countess of her segment and get the best quality inherent in appliances produced in the vastness of Saxony.

Despite the high-quality assembly and a solid glass-ceramic surface, the appearance of the stove is not flashy and the model does not differ in design frills: an independent type frameless platform with a beveled front edge and four burners. The latter are conveniently located on the surface and are designed both for large dishes (the largest is the left closest one, 21 cm in diameter, with a power of 2.3 kW), and for small ones (the smallest one is the right near one, 14.5 cm in diameter, with a power of 1.4 kW). It is convenient to use almost any dish on the stove, but the good old "duckling" and other kitchen utensils of an elongated and non-standard shape will feel spatial discomfort due to the lack of an oval heating zone.

Management is carried out using a small touch panel located on the right with an indication of the settings. Using the "+/—" buttons, you can easily adjust the heating power to the one you need from the seven modes presented.

It is worth noting the presence of a convenient “Stop & Go” function, the use of which will allow you to stop the cooking process, and then start it, saving all the settings, which is very convenient if you urgently need to leave the stove.

For those who like to be late for work, the Booster function can become indispensable, providing an additional jump in energy, which will instantly “rock” the stove to the maximum temperature, reducing the time to prepare breakfast.

For forgetting to turn off electrical appliances, the "auto-detection of dishes" mode will become a true friend, because the burner can only work if there are kitchen utensils on it.

Among the additional and useful functions, it is worth highlighting: the presence of child protection, control lock, residual heat indicator, sound signal, the presence of a timer. Scrupulous housewives will also appreciate the easy care of the surface of the plate.

This model is perfect for families who do not like the pretentiousness of design and give preference to goods, where in the golden ratio "price-quality".

If you are a connoisseur of a strict but stylish design, practicality and functionality, then the induction cooker from the Slovak masters from the Gorenje company will give you a lot of positive emotions during the cooking process.

The model is presented in two colours: black and white, where the appearance of the four burners is realized with the help of dividing strips. In addition to stylization, this design find allows you to place dishes of a non-standard shape on the surface. And despite the absence of a special oval zone, the combination of two burners will not deprive you of the opportunity to cook your favorite dishes in the oven or use massive frying pans.

Each burner has a residual heat indicator, which protects you from touching the heated surface, and the difference in size and power (large rear right — 20.5 cm, 2/2.3 kW and small front right 16.5 cm, 1.2/1.4 kW) will allow you to cook tender semolina at the same time porridge, and quickly boil water. By the way, if you have a frequent need for quick cooking, then the device has a PowerBoost function that provides instant heating of the burner to the maximum temperature, and the best part is that with the help of the AllBoost function, you can quickly fire up four burners at once. True, a useful option will immediately add a kilowatt to the counter.

A modest touch panel, located in the centre of the lower edge, is called upon to control the operation of the device. It is very convenient to select and change settings using the slider, and in order not to accidentally knock down the selected parameters, you can use the lock function. It will also become a constant assistant if little explorers are active in your house.

You can install an independent type hob in any kitchen, and the built-in dimensions close to standard (560 x 490 mm) will not cause problems during installation.

It is also worth noting that the model has no frames, which, on the one hand, greatly facilitates surface care and looks more harmonious in a modern-style interior, such as high-tech, but in the case of escaped porridge, it will no longer be possible to protect the countertop from pollution.

If you are a lover of everything “regal” and bright, then when choosing a stove, you will not be able to ignore the hob from the very young German brand Kaiser.

The design in retro style is an unusual, but interesting solution, as for modern induction cookers, it is especially impressive that the glass-ceramic surface of the independent stove is made in ivory colour, and is framed at the top and bottom with stylized frames, one of which is decorated with the brand’s kondakar logo.

It is worth noting the high quality of impact-resistant ceramics and the durability of the graphics that outline the burners and the control panel, but if you often use abrasive cleaners for cleaning, the markings and decorative frames will quickly wear off or lose colour. Therefore, choose exclusively sparing non-powder products or use the special scraper that comes with the kit.

The burners themselves are conveniently located on the “cross-to-cross” surface: two large ones (22 cm — 1.85 kW) and two smaller ones (18 cm — 1.4 kW). The large heating fields are equipped with a useful "Power" function, allowing high-speed heating, and each has a residual heat indicator. Despite the fact that large containers are comfortably located on the burners, there is no specialized area for non-standard dishes.

The elements of the device are able to recognize the presence of kitchen utensils on the surface and turn off the work if there is no pan on the surface.

Responsible for the functioning of the "retro gadget" is a small panel with a sensitive Full touch touch control with LED backlight. With it, you can select the desired heating mode, enable the control panel lock, adjust the built-in timer or activate the Safety Guard automatic shutdown system.

Thanks to the high-level characteristics, the Siemens EX 675LXC1 model becomes a representative of the premium segment, which of course is directly proportional to the price tag of the device, but the hob assembled in Spain is ready to justify its high cost every day.

By the appearance of the device, we can immediately conclude that we are not dealing with Chinese “quick hand” designers, but with serious design ideas, where design is directly related to functionality. So, if you have a large family or it is customary to cook a lot, you can buy Domino hobs and expand the working area by connecting them with a branded plank. It is quite possible to perform the same manipulations with large-sized models of the line, or simply embed a single version into a countertop with a thickness of 20 mm or more.

The basis of the surface of an independent type is a highly conductive glass-ceramic without a protective coating, designed in the form of a standard plate with a beveled front edge and framed on the sides with a high quality metal profile. Its strength is undeniable.

For cooking, four burners with elongated oval-shaped inductors are used, which allow interacting with dishes of various shapes and evenly distributing heat over the surface, depending on the load on it.

Management is carried out using a sensitive touch panel with a touchSlider system, stretched along the lower edge of the surface. With it, you can choose any of the 17 available power levels. Such a heating range allows you to cook dishes that need languishing using sous-vide technology or instantly boil the broth at maximum mode. If you need to quickly increase the power, you can use the "PowerBoost" function provided for each burner.

To prevent burns and control the heating status, a two-position residual heat indicator is provided for each heating field. Thanks to the auto-off timer, you can safely leave the dish to prepare without your participation, and the presence of a stopwatch will become an indispensable assistant in the preparation of “capricious” dishes, such as custard. By the way, in the event of power outages or in other unforeseen situations, an automatic protective shutdown will always work.

To save the settings during cooking, a temporary blocking of the control panel is provided, and for safety reasons — a “child lock”.

The practicality and functionality of embedded appliances from the German brand Bosch are rarely in doubt. The model, which will be discussed, is assembled in the vastness of Spain. It is also no exception and has received the best possible characteristics to carry out efficient work.

The hob of an independent type will delight fans of a bright kitchen, as it comes in the colour "quartz", and thanks to the beveled front and the thinnest metal frames on the sides, it will fit perfectly into any countertop, provided that its thickness is at least 30 mm. By the way, the dimensions of the slab (61x53 cm) are slightly larger than the standard, so the installation process must be carefully considered.

It is noteworthy that although the high-heat glass-ceramic is presented in a classic design, the model provides for a combination of the device with additional Domino panels using branded connecting plates.

The heating elements are divided into four compartments for burners and despite the fact that outwardly such a solution is much fresher than standard circles, the rough coating and graphic pattern can cause difficulties during cleaning.

The burners themselves are powerful with a wide heating range, and for the use of non-standard dishes, an expansion zone is provided.

The parameter settings are taken over by the DirectSelect touch control, presented as a panel located at the bottom of the structure. Here you can not only adjust the heating power, but also set a timer with auto-off for each burner or a general timer with an audible signal without turning off.

The “Cleaning-pause” function, which can block the panel for a short time (up to 30 seconds), is also useful.

The control panel also displays the level of energy consumption and indication of the degree of heating, and if the heat needs to be urgently increased to the maximum, it is possible to use the "PowerBoost" function (offered for two burners).

The hob is equipped with a child lock and a safety shutdown, and two-position indicators of residual heat are integrated to monitor the state of heating of the burner.

The disadvantages of the model include a biting price tag, but given the quality, durability and characteristics of the device, the price is quite justified.