Dania
Are you also looking to know the difference between Hob vs Glass Stove, and which is better in India for your daily cooking needs?
If yes, you are not the odd man out, as we are moving towards a kitchen which is full of modern appliances.
20 years ago, most of us had stainless steel stoves, but only a few years ago, we started moving towards glass top gas stoves.
The times have changed, and the next big thing is glass hobs.
But what exactly is a glass hob, how much does it cost and what is the difference between hob and gas stove.
We will cover all these questions today in this post, so you can make the correct decision.
Quick Glance – Hob vs Gas Stove
Gas Stoves – Conventional, Affordable, Easy to Install
Hobs – Premium, Expensive, Advanced Features
You can also check out other posts on Elica vs Prestige Gas Stove, Best 3 Burner Gas Stove in India and Best Cast Iron Cookware in India.
What is a Hob?
Think of a gas stove permanently fitted in the kitchen countertop, that’s a kitchen hob for you. A kitchen hob is more popular in the US and the Europe, but more and more Indian kitchens are getting inclined towards a hob.
With a kitchen hob, you not only save a lot of space in the kitchen, but with the added features of a hob, the cooking experience becomes more pleasurable. When it comes to the looks, a hob is any day more classy and looks premium with its sleek and attractive shape.
In order to fix a kitchen hob, it is imperative to cut out a part of the countertop, depending on the dimensions of the hob. Hobs usually require less maintenance, and are more hygienic. The burners of a hob are designed in a way that they reduce the gas consumption, saving more money.
When you install a hob in the kitchen, only the burners and upper surface can be seen, and the rest of the items such as gas pipe, other accessories are hidden beneath the countertop.
The majority of the kitchen hobs come in a glass material, which is usually toughened glass, 5-6 times stronger than the regular glass. Most of the hobs come with the auto-ignition feature, so you do not need a lighter or a matchbox.
Glass hobs are usually available with 3 or 4 burners, although a very few brands such as Glen sells 2 burner hobtops as well. The price of a 3 burner hob in India starts from 8,000 rupees.
What is a Gas Stove?
A gas stove is something almost all the Indians have seen right from the beginning. Unlike the kitchen hobs, a glass stove is not fitted into the kitchen countertop. In fact, a gas stove comes in a freestanding position, and is kept on the kitchen countertop.
A typical gas stoves occupies more space in the kitchen with a height of at least 10 to 15 cms. You will also have to make some more space for the gas inlet pipe, which is usually at the back, but it can be on the left or right hand side as well.
A gas stove comes with either 1 burner, 2 burners, 3 burners or even 4 burners. The number of burners you require in the gas stove depends on the number of members in your family, and also the cooking requirements.
Similar to hobs, a gas stove can be auto ignition or manually operated. The material also varies from stainless steel to glass top, of course the price varies depending on the material and the brand.
The installation of a gas stove is fairly simple as compared to the glass hobs, and it may not require any technical expertise. Gas stoves are quite portable and can be moved from one place to another, if required.
The price of a gas stove in India depends on the number of burners, material and the brand. For an example, 1 burner stove in India will cost you less than 1000 rupees, whereas you will need to pay around 3 to 5 thousand for a 3 burner gas stove.
Hob vs Gas Stove — Which is Better in India?
Now that you know what is a gas stove and what is a hob, let’s review some of the main differences between a hob and a gas stove to gain more understanding on these two kitchen appliances.
1. Cooking Efficiency – The objective of a gas stove or a hob is not just to cook the delicious dishes, but also to attain cooking efficiency, which will not only allow you to cook fast, but also save money for the gas that is being used by these appliances.
When you are cooking on a hob, the intensity of the flame is quite low as compared to the gas stoves. The low flame results in a higher cooking time, and consequently more consumption of LPG gas. Overall, this means gas stoves have a higher cooking efficiency in comparison to the hobs.
Scoreline: Hob 0 vs Gas Stove 1
2. Advanced Features – When it comes to the functionalities and features that you get with a gas hob, it is much more than what you will get in a gas stove. In a traditional gas stove, you can only operate within a limited heat setting, and beyond that there is nothing you can do.
At the same time, a gas hob offers you multiple advanced features. To start with, the knobs and controls are very smooth, and they come in both gas and electric versions. Modern gas hobs also have alarm and in-built sensors to make sure you do not end up overcooking the food.
In addition to this, you get multiple heat control options in a gas hob, which is not possible with a gas stove. Some gas hobs also allow you to control the flame on the interior and exterior ring of the burner to precisely adjust the cooking temperature.
Scoreline: Hob 1 vs Gas Stove 1
3. Aesthetics – There is absolutely no denying the fact that glass hobs are exponentially more attractive as compared to a gas stove. Due to the way glass hobs are set up, they end up taking very less space on the kitchen countertop, making them a sleek kitchen appliance.
In 10 years from now, kitchen hobs may completely substitute conventional gas stoves, and one of the main reasons for this will be the premium looks a gas hob comes with. Gas stoves, on the other hand, have not changed a lot except for the transition from stainless steel to glass material.
Scoreline: Hob 2 vs Gas Stove 1
4. Installation – Installation is one area where gas hobs are not very convenient as compared to a gas stove. In order to fix a hob, you need to cut out a section of the kitchen countertop as per the size of the gas hob, so that it is at the same level as the kitchen countertop.
If you have a kitchen chimney, you will need to ensure the position of the chimney is in alignment with the gas hob. In a nutshell, you will have to do a bit of a planning before installing the gas hob in your kitchen.
Gas stoves, on the other hand, are extremely convenient, as you do not have to pay so much attention to their installation. Gas stoves are freestanding, so you can simply place them on the kitchen countertop, connect to the gas and start cooking right away.
Scoreline: Hob 2 vs Gas Stove 2
5. Number of Burners – The number of the burners will directly impact the cooking performance, time and other factors. A gas stove usually comes in 1, 2, 3 and 4 burners. You can buy anyone depending on your family size and cooking requirements.
On the contrary, gas hobs come with 3, 4 or 5 burners, each of those burners have a different size. The different size allows you to place different cooking utensils as per what you are cooking. Before buying any of these, analyse your cooking needs and then make a decision.
Scoreline: Hob 3 vs Gas Stove 2
6. Ease of Cleaning – If you have used a gas stove before, you know you can clean it easily. Gas stoves come with stainless steel drip trays, which collects the spills from the dishes you are cooking. All you need to do is take out the drip trays, clean them every week, and you can wipe off the surface of the gas stove with a damp cloth.
On the other hand, hobs are relatively a mess to clean. Hobs are screwed to the kitchen countertop, so the only cleaning that is possible is of the surface. In order to deep clean the hob, you will need professional help. Gas hob manufacturers offers these services periodically.
Scoreline: Hob 3 vs Gas Stove 3
7. Ease of Repairs – Gas stoves usually do not face any problems, and they are extremely durable. Even if you encounter any problems during the life of the gas stove, the repair expenses are not that huge. These issues can be fixed by the local technician as well.
On the other hand, gas hobs, being a bit more complex than the gas stoves, requires a bit of care and attention when it comes to the repairs. If there is a major issue, you might even have to unscrew the gas hob to detect the problem. These issues have to be fixed by the brand’s authorised personnel, and not a localtechnician.
Scoreline: Hob 3 vs Gas Stove 4
8. Safety – Safety is an extremely important aspect, especially when you are cooking. In case of a gas hob, you get more safety because of the advanced features it comes with. For example, some of the hobs have an innovative flame failure function, which ensures to automatically switch off the gas supply, whenever the flame on the burner goes off. Gas stoves do not have this feature, so you will have to be present there to prevent such mishaps.
Scoreline: Hob 4 vs Gas Stove 4
9. Price – Elegance along with some extra features do not come at a cheap price, and this is where, you will have to pay more for gas hobs as compared to the gas stoves.The price of a 3 burner hob in India starts from 8,000 rupees, and it can go up to 12,000 rupees as well depending on the brand.
Gas stoves are relatively cheaper, as you can get a 3 burner gas stove in India for around 5,000 rupees. You should also note that gas stoves are available in a wider range as compared to the hobs.
Scoreline: Hob 4 vs Gas Stove 5
Conclusion: Hob vs Gas Stove — Which is Better in India?
The choice between the hob and the gas stove entirely depends on your cooking requirements and most importantly, your budget. Gas hobs are expensive and needs a bit of care as compared to the gas stoves. Having said this, gas hobs are also extremely premium, and something that will be widely popular in India in the coming years. So, if you are able to take care of the gas hob, go for one, otherwise you can go for gas stoves, that requires less attention and upkeep.
We hope this post on Hob vs Gas Stove — Which is Better in India was useful and informative to you. We also encourage you to read the customer reviews of any product before buying. Should you have any questions on this, feel free to leave a comment. If you want our team to review a product you are interested in buying, you can reach out to us at askus@betterchoices.in, and we will be happy to review it.
