Comparison Hansa FCMX64040 stainless steel vs Hansa FCMW68020 white

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.

It is the volume of the oven provided in the stove. It s the maximum volume of products that can be placed in it without compromising work efficiency. Accordingly, a larger oven is useful for large volumes of cooking; on the other hand, such a capacity will significantly affect the price and dimensions of the stove.

If you buy a regular household stove with 4 burners and do not plan to cook a lot in the oven, you can not pay much attention to this parameter. The capacity of the oven is usually enough for most simple tasks like cooking a pie or baking chicken. But for more serious tasks, a larger oven may be required. Detailed recommendations on volumes can be found in special sources.

If there is an additional chamber (see below), this paragraph usually indicates only the volume of the main oven.

The highest temperature that the oven can reach during normal operation. The minimum value in modern models is 230 °C. However, even this low temperature is considered sufficient for most simple dishes. The average indicator can be called 240 – 250 °C. Such heating is provided by most modern ovens. And the most advanced models can heat up to 300 °C or more. Such capabilities will be useful for some specific recipes that require high temperatures.

Rated power of the oven installed in the stove. Specified only for electric ovens (see above). When determining this parameter, the power of all heaters and other devices installed in the oven (grill, convector, motorized spit, etc.) is taken into account; in other words, this item indicates the maximum power consumption.

This data is useful primarily for assessing electricity consumption, as well as the connected load during operation. But only ovens with similar functionality can be compared with each other in terms of power — for example, two models with convection. Otherwise, the comparison may be incorrect.

— Thermostat — a device for adjusting and maintaining the required temperature in the oven. The presence of a thermostat relieves the user of the need to look after the cooking process. Instead, it is enough to set the thermostat to the desired temperature, and the stove will automatically maintain it.

— Timer. Countdown device: the user sets a certain time, after which an audible signal sounds. The specific functionality of the timer can be different — from the simplest rotary knob with an adjustment accuracy of +/-3 minutes to an electronic unit with a display that can count the time to the second and even turn off the stove at the end of the countdown (see "Auto switch-off"). However, this feature greatly simplifies the life of the user. It is more convenient to set the timer and wait for the signal than to keep track of time by the clock.

— Convection. The convection function provides additional hot air circulation and evenly distributes heat throughout the entire volume of the oven. It is useful for baking.

— Rotisserie fork. It is used for cooking several dishes, particularly shish kebab: products are strung on a rotisserie fork and rotated on it. It ensures consistent heating and baking. Often, the rotisserie fork is combined with a grill (see below), although this is not necessary. Also, this device can be...equipped with a drive from an electric motor for automatic rotation.

— Grill(electric or gas). In this case, the grill is an open heater installed in the oven chamber and designed to cook food due to thermal radiation; it can be used alone or in combination with other oven modes. The grill allows you to fry various foods effectively: for example, you can use it cooking meat with a characteristic crust, brown croutons, fry vegetables, etc. It is healthier than traditional frying.
As for the types of grills, electric grills are the most popular nowadays — they are simple in design, provide even heating, allow you to accurately adjust the mode and use many additional functions (up to automatic cooking programs). Such grills can be found even in gas ovens. But gas devices are used much less frequently: they are considered more economical but more complex in design and less convenient to adjust than electric ones.

— Steam cooking. The ability to use the oven for steam cooking. Cooking is carried out in the main chamber of the oven, and the steam comes from a special reservoir into which water is poured in advance. This method is considered more healthy than traditional cooking or, moreover, frying; often, it turns out to be optimal for people with dietary restrictions.

— Door lock. The safety system blocks the oven door, which can be removed by pressing several keys on the control panel at once or using an inconspicuous lock. This feature is useful in families with small children.

— Oven lighting. It is a lamp for lighting the interior of the oven. By turning on such a lamp, you can see the oven insides without opening it and without releasing heat. Yes, even with the lid open, the oven lighting can come in handy — for example, when removing products from a baking sheet (patties, pieces of cookies, etc.) or when cleaning the oven. Note that for the lighting to work, a mains connection is required, even if we are talking about a gas stove.

— 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 solid plates in the design of the stove.

Solid plate hobs are the simplest type of electric hobs (see Hob type). Such a burner has the appearance of a "pancake" raised above the hob. The main advantages of such burners are the simplicity of design and low cost. On the other hand, they heat up slowly and have high thermal inertia — they react with a great delay in heating power adjustment. Another disadvantage is that solid plates can deform over time. After 2-3 years such a burner may need to be replaced. As a result, solid plate burners are typical for low-cost electric stoves, as well as, combined models, where the electric heater is a spare. But the variety can include both 1-burner stoves and 2-burner stoves.

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.