Smeg HOBD482D

How we test hob performance

We heat a pan of water, simmer a pan of baked beans and use a thermal imaging camera on a fry-up to test the speed, control and heat distribution of the hob.

How we test vent performance

We boil four pans of water, drip fat into a hot pan for half an hour, and cook a pungent chemical to test the steam, grease and odour extraction of the venting hob.

How we test noise of extractor

We measure how many decibels the venting hobs produces when it's extracting, and we also subjectively rate the quality of the noise to penalise hobs that make an abrasive racket.

How we test ease of use

We assess how easy it is to operate the controls, check how clear the markings are and see whether there’s enough space to use all cooking zones at the same time. And we listen out for any unusual or irritating noises. We also find out how easy it is to replace grease filters and control the downdraft extractor in conjunction with the hob.

How we test ease of cleaning

To see how easy each hob is to clean, we heat cooking oil and allow it to splatter on the burners, and we also allow a pan of rice to boil over. The grimy hobs are then left to dry overnight after which we attempt to clean them with washing-up liquid and a sponge. We'll also clean the grease filters to see how tricky it is to make these grease traps pristine again.