Early traditional cookers comprised of a single unit that performed all cooking tasks with the integration of cooking rings and baking compartments. The modern-day kitchen hob, which stands quite separate to the baking area, was not really seen in the household until the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Both electric and gas burning hobs started to compete against each other in this quite unconventional way of laying out a kitchen. The first models were not built-in as they are today and merely sat on top of a table or work top. The first people who could afford to buy them-they did work out a lot more costly than the traditional cooker-were envied by those who didn’t have them.

Since those first models, the hob has now become a major fashion accessory in kitchens across the UK. They are now considered a fairly cheap item of kitchen equipment and encompass a whole range of extras and gimmicks. The 1970’s electric models started to appear with easy- clean glass and ceramic tops that took on a completely new look; sales over their contemporary gas hob cousins started to claim a bigger slice of the market.

Even today, the smooth flat-topped electric hob outsells the gas models by three to one. The main reason for this is the practicality of cleaning and the smoother aesthetic look. In 2005 De Dietrich brought out the “zone less” hob in the UK. This ingenious idea basically means you can place up to five pans anywhere on the cooker top. There is a sensor which detects where the pan is and restricts heat to only that area; the makers claim this to be a super efficient method of cooking. As recently as 2007, Dacor introduced the knob-less hob, again with easy cleaning one of its prime motivators. Heat can be controlled by stroking the finger across the top of the hob, and you don’t have the dreaded task of fidgeting around all the nooks and crannies trying to keep on top of spills and stains.

Both electric and gas powered hobs are very popular across the UK as opposed to the more traditional all-in-one apparatus. They are generally considered to be more pleasing to the eye and certainly more practical when you have more than one cook in the kitchen!