Choose a hob - enamel or glass

Each modern kitchen is equipped with a hob. Today you can choose various types of kitchen appliances, which in their characteristics will not be inferior to conventional gas or electric stove. It should not only be functional and visually fit into the overall design of the room, but also be practical and easy to clean. Here, the process of preparing various dishes is constantly being made, so there is a high probability of stains and pollution. When choosing a model of equipment for the kitchen, you must definitely consider how it will be cleaned. The most common and easy-to-care materials are enamel and glass.

Contemporary hob

What is enameled steel?

This coating material is often used in the manufacture of hobs, the principle of which is based on the use of gas. Earlier it was possible to meet an enameled electric stove, but such equipment has not been produced for a long time, and in general it rarely remains.

In today's market you can find a huge number of different types of kitchen appliances for cooking. It differs in shape, color, functional features or surface material.

Variety of enameled surfaces

Important: enameled steel in the manufacture of the hob can be found in every manufacturer of household appliances. The main thing is to decide on a company before buying where to buy a product for the kitchen, which will serve reliably and efficiently for more than one year.

Consumers value and very often choose an enameled surface due to the large number of positive qualities that it possesses. These include:

1. Appearance. Manufacturers try to diversify the assortment range as much as possible, therefore they produce hobs of various colors and shades so that the product can organically fit into the space of any kitchen and design.
2. Low price. The cost of equipment is considered at an acceptable level for most consumers.
3. Quality. Many consumers think that if the price of equipment is low, then this indicates unreliability and impracticality. But this is an erroneous opinion. The enameled surface of the hob is resistant to high temperatures and is not destroyed by their constant exposure.
4. Ease of care. With constant proper cleaning, household appliances will last without breakdown for a long period of time.
   

   Easy enamel care

5. Practicality. It is considered one of the most important distinguishing features of kitchen equipment, where the cooking process is constantly taking place, that is, the risk of greatly staining the surface increases significantly. But on the enameled surface there are no traces of touching, fingerprints or splashes of water, which guarantees a perfect appearance of the product for a long time.

Perfectly Purified Enamel

But in addition to the positive qualities, there are several points that should be considered before buying equipment. First of all, a hob made of this material is very afraid of heavy and sharp objects that fall on its surface.This can lead to the formation of cracks and chips, which subsequently spoil the appearance of the equipment, as well as cause accumulation of dirt and food debris on the surface.

Glass ceramic hob cover

This material is usually used for the production of electric, gas, as well as modern induction panels. It is somewhat more expensive than enamel, but the high price fully justifies itself. The main advantages of glass-ceramic products include:

1. Perfectly smooth and smooth surface.
   

   Glass ceramic coating

2. Conducts targeted heat, that is, during cooking, the appliance does not completely heat up. This only happens where it is needed. For example, under a saucepan or pan. Due to this property, food cooks much faster, while much less energy is spent.
   

   Food warmer

3. Easy to clean and tidy. If the stain is fresh, then only a regular sponge is needed to remove it. For more serious contamination, special scrapers are allowed.
   

   Surface cleaning

4. A variety of color schemes, as well as the implementation of design. The most popular models are made in black, white and cream shade. In addition, a pattern can also be applied to the surface. Such equipment will be a decoration of any kitchen.

But despite all the positive qualities of the material has its drawbacks. First of all, fragility of household appliances refers to them.

Important: if you drop an object that weighs two or more kilograms on the surface of the hob, this may cause the equipment to crack or crack completely.

Glass ceramics also react to the drop of sharp objects even with a small weight. Usually this is due to the falling of the knife tip down. Therefore, before purchasing a hob of this material, you should be prepared for the fact that you need to be extremely careful and attentive with it so that you do not have to buy new equipment in the near future.

Many manufacturers are trying to find a way out of this situation, making their equipment more durable and reliable. One of these solutions was to put the glass-ceramic surface in a special metal frame.

One of the unusual features of the glass-ceramic surface is the reaction to sweet foods. For example, when sugar is sprinkled onto a hob, small pits or depressions may form from this material. Therefore, all sweet products from the surface of the technique must be removed immediately.

Cracks can appear on the surface as a result of a sharp temperature drop: if the pan from the refrigerator is immediately put on a glass ceramic stove and turned on.

Important: before buying a glass ceramic hob, it is worth considering all its strengths and weaknesses in order to know what you have to face and not to be disappointed in the technique.

In addition, glass ceramics are slightly more expensive than enameled hobs. When buying this technique, you should also remember to purchase special dishes for it. For example, stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron or enamel may simply not be perceived by modern equipment, which means that cooking in them will become simply impossible. You will also need to purchase brushes and cleaning products for this material. This will also incur additional costs.

Not all types of cookware are suitable for glass ceramics

How to care for a glass-ceramic surface?

If we compare such two materials as enamel and glass ceramics, then in the first case it is undoubtedly easier to take care of the product. To clean up the enamel plate, just walk with a damp sponge. With stronger and more corrosive spots, you can rub with a brush. The surface will not be damaged, and after a few minutes it will again be clean and smooth.

But glass ceramics needs a neat and gentle cleaning. It is also worth remembering that you will have to remove not only traces of cooking, but also from fingers, splashes of water or simple dust. In general, it is believed that this material is more easily soiled than enamel. Therefore, to bring this household appliance in perfect shape, the following rules must be observed:

• You can not use various sponges and rags that are made of coarse fabrics and materials;
• you can clean the surface only with a special cloth, which is designed only for glass;
• if there are pieces of food or some dirt on the stove, it is better to wipe it with a special scraper;
• it can only be washed with a glass ceramic;
• Do not use any powders that are dry in the cleaning process.

It is also worth remembering that household appliances from this material are very fragile, so it is better not to hang cabinets and other kitchen utensils over it. This will minimize the risk of any object falling onto the surface of the slab.

Why can tempered glass become an alternative to glass ceramics?

Technology does not stand still. Every year more and more modern equipment is invented and produced. It becomes not only functional and stylish, but also greatly simplifies the life of a modern person. More recently, they were designed glass ceramic hobs, and today they are being replaced by tempered glass surfaces.

Every year they become more and more popular, as they have already been able to establish themselves as high-quality, reliable and beautiful material. It will fit perfectly among the interior elements of any kitchen, making it more vivid and unlike others.

The main advantages of tempered glass as the surface of the hob are:

• heat resistance;
• resistance to temperature extremes;
• flexibility. The material can adjust to any uneven surface;
• strength. The product is not afraid of falling objects and other mechanical influences;
• practicality. When cleaning does not require much effort or caution.

Given all these characteristics, as well as positive and negative points, everyone can choose for themselves which hob is better - glass ceramic, tempered glass or enamel.

Modern hob