Comparison Gefest 900 K17 brown vs Ergo HL 2208 stainless steel

The type of hob provided in the stove.

The hob is the main working part of the stove, its top part, where the burners are located. The type of such a hob depends on the type of burners:

— Gas. Gas burners are convenient, first of all, with an instant reaction to turning the power regulator knob. In addition, dishes made of any materials and with any shape of the bottom are suitable for them — provided that they normally tolerate heat and stand stably on the grates. In addition, in operation, such stoves are cheaper than electric ones. Their main disadvantage is the need to connect gas. Firstly, gas pipelines are far from being everywhere; and using interchangeable gas cylinders is a rather troublesome business. Secondly, the connection requires carefulness — it must be carried out by a gas specialist. Also, note that gas burners are more demanding on compliance with safety rules than electric ones.

— Electric. Electric hobs are safe and easy to use: there are no open flames that need to be ignited and can go out, causing a gas leak. In such devices, it is easier to implement various additional functions than in gas stoves. In addition, electricity is available in any home, unlike gas. And the connection procedure is quite simple (although it may also require the participation of a specialist). On the other hand, electric hobs have high energy consumption. Therefore, they requir...e high-quality wiring and are more expensive to operate than gas stoves. Another drawback is significant thermal inertia. However, in some advanced types of burners ( Hi-Light, induction — see below), this drawback is minimized. Also, note that all electric burners are demanding on the shape of the dishes: they must have a flat bottom for tight contact with the burner, and induction heaters are also limited in materials.

— Combined. A hob that combines gas and electric burners. The most popular format of such models is “3 + 1”, 3 gas burners and 1 electric. So we are talking about gas stoves, supplemented by an electric burner. The most notable advantage of such hobs is the ability to work even if one of the energy sources is not available. In addition, the combination of different burners allows the user to choose the optimal type of heating for a given situation. At the same time, such versatility is rarely necessary, and when connected, combined hobs combine all the complexities of gas and electric ones: they require gas supply, the participation of a specialist, and high-quality wiring. As a result, there are relatively few such models produced, and they are designed mainly for those who want to have an option in case of problems with gas supply.

— Enamel. Enamel coating is inexpensive and relatively easy to clean. In addition, enamel can have different colours, which allows you to give the stoves an original appearance (although the most popular is still the classic white colour). On the other hand, cracks, chips and scratches may appear on such a surface. As a result, such a coating is typical for relatively inexpensive boards.

— Stainless steel. Steel hobs are highly durable and attractive. But, it will take a lot of effort to keep such a stove clean: even slight dirt is noticeable on a steel surface (especially polished). And it is more difficult to clean them than enamel. In addition, such surfaces are somewhat more expensive than enamelled ones, and there are, in fact, two design options for them - matte and polished.

- Glass-ceramic. A material is found predominantly in electric stoves; rarely used in gas models, mainly for aesthetic reasons. The main advantages of glass ceramic are resistance to heat and high permeability to heat and electromagnetic radiation. Schott Ceram and EuroKera, manufacturers of this very glass-ceramic, which manufacturers of household appliances install in their models, were especially successful in this. It allows electric burners (regardless of type) to be placed directly under such a surface. The re...sult is a flat top with no protrusions, making cleaning easier and providing a neat appearance. The main disadvantages of this material are high cost and sensitivity to impacts.

- Tempered glass. A material similar to the glass-ceramics described above: the glass surfaces have an attractive appearance, usually with a glossy finish. Another common feature is the ease of cleaning: most of the contaminants are easily removed. However, this material is not as strong as glass-ceramic: it is much more sensitive to impacts and tolerates heat much worse, which makes it poorly suited for installation above burners. As a result, tempered glass is used mainly in gas stoves, where the burners are located above the work surface and tempered glass heats up relatively weakly. Another category of stoves with such a surface is electric models with induction hobs, where the dishes and not the surface are mainly heated (see below for more details).

— Plastic. Working surface made of special heat-resistant plastic. A rather specific option is found mainly among portable single-burner electric stoves with induction heaters (see below). There are several reasons for this. One of them is that, despite the heat resistance, even fairly advanced plastic does not tolerate heating on gas or a classic electric burner. But with an induction burner, this material works without problems, especially since it is well permeable to electromagnetic radiation. Plastic is cheaper than tempered glass or glass-ceramic, and it also weighs less - the latter is important for a stove that is planned to be moved frequently from place to place. At the same time, all these advantages cannot be called critical. As a result, this option, even in its niche, has not received much popularity.

The number of traditional gas burners in the stove design (excluding turbo burners, see below). The classic option for a household stove with an oven (regardless of the type of hob) is 4 burners — it provides good multi-tasking and, at the same time, allows you to keep the dimensions of the device within reasonable limits.

The number of Hi-Light burners in the stove design.

Hi-Light is an improved kind of electric burner in comparison with the solid plate ones described above (see "Hob type"). In such burners, the tubular heating element is replaced by a thin metal strip, and the working surface is usually made of glass-ceramic (see "Hob material"). Due to this, the heating and cooling rate of such burners is much higher than that of solid plate ones (although it does not reach the instantaneous reaction of gas stoves).

Rated burner power. This parameter allows you to estimate how much electricity the burner will spend when operating at maximum heating intensity. At the same time, the heat transfer power of different burners can be different, and the actual heating efficiency will also greatly depend on the specs of the dishes. As a result, it hardly makes sense to evaluate the operating capabilities of the stove by the power of the burners. It is quite possible to proceed from the fact that the burner will be enough for a dish of the same diameter.

It is the material from which the burner grates of the stove are made. This parameter is relevant only for gas burners — electric hobs do not have grates.

— Steel grates. The most common type of grates is steel grates coated with a special heat-resistant enamel. They are quite practical, reliable, have a relatively small weight and neat appearance, and at the same time are inexpensive, due to which they are often found in entry-level and middle-level models. The main disadvantage of steel grates can be called the difficulty in cleaning from adhering contaminants — too intensive cleaning can damage the enamel. In addition, they are less durable than cast iron ones, and under heavy dishes containers, they can deform — as a result, the dishes will not stand stably on the stove, and the grate will most likely have to be replaced.

— Cast iron grates. Cast iron grates is much heavier than steel ones. Moreover, they often look more massive and rough. On the other hand, they are more reliable, durable and stable, can cope even with heavy weights and keep their working shape much longer. In addition, cast iron is easier to clean: although dirt comes off worse than enamel, in extreme situations it is quite possible to use abrasive products without fear of damaging the surface.

The connected load of the stove is the maximum electrical power consumed during operation. This parameter is indicated only for models that are equipped with at least one electric heater — burner (burners), oven or grill. It is the burners that are the highest consumption in terms of energy consumption; Features such as auto-ignition or oven lighting require little energy, a ordinary socket is enough for them.

First of all, the requirements for the power grid depend on this indicator: it must be able to provide such power without overload. It is worth noting that for household sockets the power limit is about 3 – 3.5 kW; with more power, you need to connect the stove to a 230 V network according to special rules. An alternative is a three-phase 400 V mains: most modern stoves with electric heaters allow connection to both 230 V and 400 V.

The country in which, according to the manufacturer, the model is manufactured. Despite the fact that most of the capacities are concentrated in China, European factories ( in Poland, Slovenia, Romania, Turkey, Czech Republic, etc.) for the production of household appliances have not gone away. And some models can be produced there. In general, such a division into a Chinese or European factory should not particularly affect the quality of products, but the stereotype of a reliable European assembly is present in us. However, it is possible that the model may have a country of manufacture, for example, Poland, and in the store under the same article, you will meet China.