Induction hobs work by a powerful electromagnetic field inducing a current that generates instant heat inside the pan. This can cause a little bit of an inconvenience if your pans are not the right type though. Only pans made of ferrous metal are suitable for use on this hob – simply test your pans with a magnet – if it sticks to the base then they are suitable for induction cooking. If not, then you may have to buy new pans or go for a different type of hob.Boschs range of three and four induction zone hobs mainly come in size 60cm, but out of the six Bosch induction hobs available; there are two models that are extra wide 80cm induction hobs. The only difference between the two extra wide induction hobs is that one has a brushed steel frame and the other has no frame at all. This difference has no real practical advantage or disadvantage, but is more of a personal preference as to which you think looks the best and will fit in with the kitchen. The extra wide hobs both have four induction zones on black ceramic glass. There is a slight difference in dimensions, in that one is 2mm deeper than the other, but in terms of key features, they are almost the same.Bosch induction hobs are packed full of features and functions that are designed to make cooking easier and less stressful. The hobs have boost settings for all zones, which mean that the power output of the selected zone is increased by 50%, by borrowing power from one of the other cooking zones, which then cannot be used. This function is particularly useful for stir frying with a wok, or making toffee or anything that requires a particularly high heat.A clever feature that saves time and particularly energy is the automatic pan recognition where the hob realises how big the pan is that is being used and only heats up the base of the pan and not the whole cooking zone. The keep warm function allows a cooking zone to be set to operate at minimum power so that you can keep food warm on the hob or for things need to be melted slowly such as butter or chocolate.The anti-overflow protection means that if liquid overflows onto the control panel whilst you are boiling something, the hob will automatically switch off so that the hob does not get damaged and you have the opportunity to clean up.There are also a number of safety devices in place to prevent accidents in the kitchen. Bosch induction hobs are available with small utensil detection so that if you leave an item of cutlery over a zone when it is turned on, the hob will not recognise it as being a cooking utensil that you would normally use on the hob and will automatically switch off. Given the heat that some of the hobs get to, this can only be a good thing to avoid melted and deformed cutlery being a new addition to your kitchen.Many of the Bosch induction hobs also have an automatic shut off feature for when the hob has been left unattended for a certain period of time and some, but not all, models have child locks for added protection.

Bosch Induction Hobs