In induction cooking, a powerful electromagnetic field is used to induce a current that generates an almost instant heat inside the pan. The pan needs to be made of ferrous metal, which can cause problems for some people who may not already have them. But they are widely available so if you have your heart set on an induction hob then it is not a major issue.
There are six models of Bosch induction hob currently available, ranging from three induction zones to four and with the option of extra wide hobs as well. The extra wide versions are 80cm wide- a full 20cm wider than the standard size hobs. Both are on black ceramic glass, which is standard with Bosch induction hobs and is popular today because of its ease of cleaning and sleek, neat design.
The two extra wide models have very similar specifications, except one has brushed steel trim and one is frameless. There are other appliances available from Bosch that has both of these options so that when you choose one or the other, co-ordination is made quite easy.
In terms of functionality, the brushed steel trim and the frameless design have few benefits over each other so it is really a question of individual style preference.
The extra wide Bosch induction hobs have four induction zones and electronic front controls. Some practical and safety features of Bosch’s induction hobs are the boost settings for all the induction zones, which allow the power output to be increased by 50%. This is a great function for cooking on a high heat.
The induction hobs also have an automatic safety shut off, which is a safety device. One of the problems with an induction hob compared to a gas hob is that there is no flame so it is less obvious when you have mistakenly left the hob on and accidents can occur. The automatic safety shut off means that if the hob is left unattended for a certain period of time, the hob turns itself off. But also, because the Bosch induction hobs also have a pan recognition feature, it means that the hob recognises the size of the pan being used and only heats up the base of it, not the whole cooking zone. So as well as being quite safe, this feature can also save energy and time.
Safety and Bosch induction hob cooking does seem to be a high priority for Bosch. They have also installed a small utensil detection feature on some of their induction hobs so that if a small utensil is left over one of the induction zones when it is turned on, the hob will realise that the spoon is not a pan and will switch itself off automatically.
Another safety feature available and which comes as standard on all of Bosch’s touch control induction models, is the Child- Lock. Most accidents happen inside your own home so this feature means that children can not operate the hob by accident and it keeps them safer in the kitchen.
