How to choose the best venting hob
Venting hob buyers guide
The way we design and use our kitchens has changed over the years. The popularity of kitchen diners and open plan living space has increased alongside the adoption of utility rooms. This has transformed the kitchen from a functional place into the genuine heart of the home.
Part of this change has seen the widespread installation of islands, centrepiece workstations that provide much greater spaces for food preparation. It was only a matter of time before they would become the obvious place to locate the hob, allowing the chef to face into the room while cooking. But the problem with this was dealing with the steam and other fumes that would normally be whisked away by an extractor. Sometimes the design of the kitchen looks nicer without a hood over an island or cooking space. Relatively recently the industry came up with the perfect solution: the venting hob. Choose the best venting hob for you with this helpful guide
What is a venting hob?
It is a ceramic, gas or induction hob that has its own integral surface-fitted extractor fan, to draw off steam, smoke, oil particles and odours. It eliminates the need for an overhead extractor and keeps the kitchen light and open. The major manufacturers of kitchen appliances, including AEG, Bosch, NEFF and Smeg, have embraced this impressive new technology. Here is our brief guide to buying the best venting hob.
How does it work?
The principle is simple and effective. The hob has a cross-flow of air that is stronger than the rising vapour. This flow draws the steam and odours into the central vent.
Things to consider when choosing a venting hob
Venting hobs come in a wider range of sizes than conventional hobs A full-sized four-ring model could be as small as 60cm, while the middle range is 70-83cm and the largest are as wide as 88-90cm. The size you choose will depend on the capacity you need and the available space. The vast majority of hobs have four heating zones but some models do have six or even eight. Frequently two zones can be used in combination as one double-sized zone.
Bear in mind that installation can involve cutting away parts of the island. The amount removed will vary depending on the type of recirculation or ducting used. Installers will take measurements for the recessing depth and the pipework and will assess the work surface to ensure it can bear the weight of the hob.
You will also need to allocate some space inside the island to house the motor for the fan. However, this won’t unduly affect your storage because most motors occupy only about half the space of a standard drawer.
Noise level
Venting hobs should carry a decibels measurement to tell you how much noise you should expect the fan to make.
Ducting or recirculation
There are two methods used in venting hobs. In ducting models, the air extracted is expelled from the kitchen through an external outlet. With recirculation, the air is drawn through charcoal filters to remove odours and particles before it is released back into the room, so there is no need for connection to an exterior wall.
Costs
The best vented induction hob is not necessarily the most expensive but you do get roughly what you pay for. The purchase price for an induction hob is likely to range from £1300 to £2800. That is significantly more than conventional hobs but these are sophisticated appliances. The difference it will make to your kitchen is far more than any other appliance is likely to bring. Don’t forget to factor in the saving gained from not having to buy and install a separate extractor.
Key Features & Options
Flexing hob
This is an efficient choice because of its flexibility. It has one or two elongated induction zones which can create a cooking area of up to 38cm x 20cm. It can also heat pans large or small, placed anywhere, without heating up any unnecessary sections because it can detect the size and shape of each pan.
TwistPad Fire
Many venting hobs manufactured by NEFF come with their trademarked TwistPad® Fire control. This allows you to respond intuitively by simply twisting and pointing a dial to the zone you wish to control.
Power move
This feature enables you to segment the hob into separate heat zones so you can move pans between different levels of heat without any manual adjustment.
Domino hobs
These are half-sized versions that can be built into your work surface wherever you require. If you have limited space, a domino is a great alternative to a full-sized hob, or you could use two or three in combination to give you ultimate flexibility.
Cleaning and maintenance
Induction and ceramic hobs couldn’t be easier to clean. Because they have a completely smooth, flat surface they wipe clean in a moment. A vented gas hob will need a little more attention, just like a conventional gas model. But what about the extractor? If you’re used to the painstaking process of climbing up to an oven hood and clearing away all the accrued grease and dirt you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The filters in a venting hob are removable and usually dishwasher safe. And there is no need to worry about spillages getting into the system and damaging the fan, because venting hobs are fitted with reservoirs to catch liquids and prevent them leaking into the motor.
Running costs
Is a venting hob more or less expensive to run? Straight comparisons with other types based on usage time can be misleading, because the efficiency of an induction hob means you will not need to spend as much time or use as much energy on performing the same task. As the extractor is built-in, you will also find that the amount of energy used by this type of fan is generally less than a standalone overhead cooker hood.
LPG convertibility
Domestic gas cookers and hobs are powered by natural gas. If you are considering a vented gas hob, you might want to consider whether it can be converted to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) which is cleaner than most other fossil fuels and is the ideal alternative in locations where piped natural gas is not available.
Safety
All the moving parts of the extractor are concealed within the island with reservoirs preventing spillages into the workings which means these are extremely safe appliances.
