Glass gas hobs: characteristics and selection

Glass hobs are gaining popularity alongside glass ceramics. Difficult to distinguish from their appearance, they have the same dazzlingly elegant surface. But their cost is much less. Tempered glass, according to the manufacturers, has all the properties necessary for the hob: heat resistance, impact resistance, endurance to temperature extremes.

Glass gas hobs are incredibly beautiful. Many people think that in appearance they are better than enamel, stainless steel and even glass ceramics, but they cannot be called ideal. Like any household appliance, they have their pros and cons. Positive properties include:

• the hob does not weigh down the space, since the glass is able to reflect it;
• it has a spectacular, beautiful, mirror-like appearance;
• a varied color palette makes it possible to choose a product for any setting;
• glass hob goes well with fusion, minimalism styles, as well as industrial, urban trends;
• during cooking, only the cooking elements are heated, and the glass itself remains cold;
• according to manufacturers, their products are resistant to mechanical stress;
• the cost of such a product is low when compared with stainless steel and glass ceramics.

On the downside, glass-topped panel users are unanimous in their claims. It's about the complexity of caring for them. Any spilled viscous liquid immediately adheres to a smooth glass surface. Runaway milk, coffee should be removed immediately, that is, you need to remove the pan and wipe it. It will be too late to do anything later, since the glass cannot be cleaned with an abrasive material. Fat splashing, even from scrambled eggs, is problematic and the panel has to be washed out after every cooking.

The disadvantages also include the possibility of edge chips from accidental mechanical stress. Chances of scuffs and scratches left on the glass using old pans and pots with a rough bottom are high. Unfortunately, the glass surface does not withstand too high a temperature (750 degrees), as a glass-ceramic product can afford. It is more difficult to install a glass panel into the surface of a headset than products made from other materials, since glass cannot be drilled and any other actions that violate its integrity can be performed with it.

Glass gas hobs from different manufacturers differ not only in appearance, but also in the type of burners and additional functions. Surfaces have a large number of shades: there are milky, black, blue, red, beige, but this is not the whole list. The panels have from one to seven burners, the size of the models will depend on their number. But the main differences between glass hobs are the location of the heating elements - above or below the stack - and the type of product (dependent or independent).

The dependent hobs are supplied with the oven, they have a single control panel with it and it is impossible to separate them.This device can be called a modern oven with more accurate dimensions and many options.

It is a separate hob without an oven. Such a device is lighter, it can be installed anywhere, but it is usually built into a kitchen set in compliance with the "working triangle", located at a short distance from the sink and refrigerator. Compact forms allow you to use the free space under the hob to equip the cabinet with shelves, drawers. Can be inserted into the resulting niche dishwasher.

The most beautiful type of hob, which does not show the burners, and the product itself is a single perfectly smooth glossy or matte surface. It can match in color with the shades of the kitchen or have a peculiar pattern.

The design is arranged in such a way that there is no usual flame under the glass surface. Ceramic burners are located in special cells in which the gas is catalytically burned with almost no residue. In this case, it is not the flame itself that is visible, but the glow of the ceramics, which transfers heat to the glass surface. The included hob looks impressive, the gas under the glass surface looks like a glowing nebula, but at the same time it does not deliver the yellow oily coating that is characteristic of other gas stoves in the space.

Another type of glass hob is called gas on glass. It has a traditional look, the usual burners under the grill, rise above the smooth surface. But the aesthetics of such a product surpasses ordinary gas stoves, fire in the reflection of glass looks especially mesmerizing.

The hob can have a different number of cooking zones. The standard dimensions of the product are limited to 60 centimeters, but if the model has five or six combustion zones, the width increases to 90 cm, which should be taken into account when installing it in the surface of the headset.

To make it easier to understand the large range of glass gas panels, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the rating of the most popular models.

• Fornelli PGA 45 Fiero. Practical and safe Italian "automatic", has a width of 45 cm, will perfectly suit even a small room. The black or white panel is endowed with three versatile burners, the largest of which contains three crowns of flame. Individual cast iron grates are located above the combustion zones. The WOK adapter allows you to use non-standard types of dishes. Of the minuses, according to user reviews, difficult maintenance of the black surface is indicated, stains remain, and on the switches there are scratches after active cleaning.

• Electrolux EGT 56342 NK. Four-burner independent gas hob with varying degrees of heating. The reliable, stylish black surface has stylish handles, gas control option, auto ignition, cast-iron grates, located individually above each burner. From the complaints of users - the auto-ignition does not work immediately, the water boils for a long time.

• Kuppersberg FQ663C Bronze. The elegant cappuccino-colored tempered glass hob contains four hotplates, complete with two twin cast iron grills. A powerful express burner is provided. The model is safe, has a gas control option, electric ignition. The rotary knobs are in a beautiful bronze color with a golden sheen. On the downside, there is not enough space to heat several large pots at the same time. If one of the combustion zones is working, the second does not turn on immediately.

• Zigmund & Shtain MN 114.61 W. The milky hob made of durable high-strength glass is equipped with three rows of contrasting black grates and silver handles. This combination makes the model stylish and expressive. The burners are arranged in an original (diamond-shaped) manner.The product has the functions of a grill, gas control, nozzles for WOK. Multiple rings of flame help you cook food faster. User complaints relate to the plastic handles that overheat slightly.

The task is to tell about the different options and possibilities of glass hobs, and everyone will make the choice for themselves. Coming to the market, as a rule, we already have an idea of ​​the size of the surface and the required number of burners, as well as our budget, which we can leave for this or that model.

If you choose between a dependent and an independent hob, it should be borne in mind that a single design will cost less than buying two products (stove and oven) separately. But if the dependent model breaks down, we can assume that two household devices are out of order at once.

Choosing between glass and glass-ceramic surfaces, you should know that the second option is made of a more durable, expensive material. This fact significantly affects the cost of the product. It is difficult to distinguish them by their appearance. But there are differences in the consequences of destruction, which can only occur in the event of a strong pinpoint impact. If glass ceramics burst, it will behave like ordinary glass - it will give cracks and fragments.

Due to internal stress, a tempered product will be covered with small cracks, as is the case with car glass.

Choosing grids for models "gas on glass", you need to know that they are made of cast iron and stainless steel coated with enamel. Cast iron is more durable and reliable, but it has porosity that retains dirt, which makes it difficult to maintain the product. Smoother enamelled surfaces are easier to clean, but over time the enamel can chip and the steel can bend.

Having made a choice in favor of a glass surface, you need to be prepared for the fact that it is quite difficult to care for it: you will have to wash and clean it after each cooking. In return, she will delight with her magnificent appearance.

Summing up, we can say that for a large family, where you often have to cook, a glass surface will not be a good choice. But in a family of two or three people, a spectacular glass panel can perfectly match the chosen design direction of the room.

For an overview of the glass gas hob, see the video below.