The Path To Eternal Ceramic Loveliness (Hob-Brite)

Member Name: plipplop

Product:	Hob-Brite
Date:	13/01/09 (372 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Effective, easy to use and reasonably cheap

Disadvantages: None

I've always liked ceramic hobs. I like the sleek finish and the way in which, when not in use, the hob almost blends into the kitchen surface. I hate those old-fashioned ones with rings and plates and goodness knows what else. They're messy to look at, hard to keep clean and pans can sometimes be rather precarious when they're perched on them, simmering away.

My current hob is completely black and obviously has a very glossy finish. It's reasonably easy to keep clean when it's being used, but you only need to have a little spillage or something to spit onto the surface and if you're not lightning fast, it burns on. A spillage on a normal hob is not like that of a ceramic hob, because with the ceramic hob, the spillage falls onto the superheated surface, essentially cooking it onto the surface. Wiping the surface whilst it's very hot can be disastrous. If you use the wrong cloth, bits of it come off on the ceramic or bake onto the ceramic and more often than not you just spread the spillage a little thinner.

Manufacturers recommend that you use a specialist cleaner for ceramic hobs. I've never tried an all-purpose cleaner, partly because I don't think they would be able to shift the burnt-on grime and partly because I'm not entirely convinced they will look after the ceramic finish. Cream cleaners terrify me; I have visions of wiping clean to find a scratched surface that can never be returned to its shiny glory. So as long as I've had ceramic hobs, I've used Hob Brite.

Hob Brite is the market leader. In my local Sainsbury and Waitrose supermarkets it is the only specialist ceramic cleaner on sale. You'll find it with all the other household items and a 300ml bottle costs anywhere from £1.39 up to about £2.00. It lasts for ages because you don't tend to clean the hob that often so one bottle will probably do me for 6 months or more. The design of the plastic bottle seems to change moderately whenever the manufacturer feels like giving it a facelift but essentially you squirt it out of the bottle. You have to shake it before use as the ingredients do separate but it comes out very easily and is fairly runny. Indeed, you can be a little heavy-handed with it if you're not careful.

You need to use it on a cold hob - don't ever use it when the surface is still hot. I squirt a little bit onto each of the rings and then use a slightly damp J-cloth to wipe it over. You don't need to use a lot of elbow grease. After a few seconds of moderate wiping, you'll find that residue and burnt-on foods and liquids quickly lift off. My hob most commonly gets messed up with burnt-on milk as I heat a lot of milk for hot chocolate but I also get burnt oils and fats and occasionally things like custard. Without Hob Brite, these things are immovable. A scalding hot, soapy cloth has no effect and neither does a non-stick scourer similarly soaked in hot soapy water. Hob Brite, however, cuts through them all like lightning. The first time I used it, it was a complete revelation and every time thereafter the hob has literally come up like new. I also like the fact that it has a fairly subtle smell. The light citrus fragrance is pleasant and makes a nice change from those overpowering, toxic scents more commonly associated with cleaning products.

It's important to ensure that you have fully removed all traces of the cleaner before you use the hob again. I tend to wipe it all over several times with a clean damp cloth until I'm satisfied it's all gone. I can't imagine that it would be terribly good for the hob to have residues of the liquid on it when the heat is turned on. Like most cleaners, it's also important not to mix it up with other stuff, like bleach, although it's hard to imagine that anyone would.

All in, it's pretty hard to go wrong with this stuff. It's reasonably cheap, easy to find, works really well and it lasts for ages too. You gotsta be happy with that!

Summary: My hob really is gleaming