Lovely Hob Knobs (Neff Gas Hob T2346)

Member Name: susie19

Product:	Neff Gas Hob T2346
Date:	27/02/06 (2150 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks great, easy to clean.

Disadvantages: Not cheap.

~~Description~~

This gas hob is a beauty; 2958 square cms of matt stainless steel with four black burners and two stylish matt black pan supports. It looks great set in a black granite worktop. The hob measures 58cm wide and 51 cm deep. There are four control knobs which are shaped like gas flames at the front of the hob set in a black arc shaped plastic strip. A small illustration to the right of each knob makes it easy to identify which knob controls which burner (which can't be said for all hob knobs)!

~~The Pan Supports~~

The two pan supports have great style and really give excellent support for the heaviest casserole dish or saucepan. They are very easy to clean and no trouble at all to reposition after cleaning. They should be cleaned with a sponge and warm soapy water and can be scrubbed with a non-metal brush.

~~The Hob Base~~

The hob surface is matt stainless steel and is called a grease tray, there to catch all the grease and liquids that bubble over when cooking or frying. The hob surface is very easy to clean and should be wiped very regularly with a sponge and warm, soapy water. If you give it a quick wipe each time you use it, it continues to look as good as new and prevents the build up of really difficult to get off stains. Remember to wait until the hob has cooled otherwise you will have a steaming dishcloth and may burn yourself!

~~The Burners~~

There are four burners; a triple flame burner (rear right), fast burner (rear left), semi-fast (front left) and auxilary (front right). They all have different recommended uses.

1. Triple Flame. This is fierce! Great for a wok, boiling rapidly and browning off meat. Turned down to a lower setting it is great for re-heating and boiling. The minimum size of the pan for this burner is 22cm diameter. If you put a smaller pan on this burner, it doesn't sit safely because of the large size of the burner. Don't leave your pasta boiling on this hob and leave the room. It'll burn for sure!

2. Fast. This is the burner I use most. It's safest being at the back of the hob when you have kids to consider. It is great for boiling but also for simmering on the lowest setting. A pan of minimum size (22cm diameter) is also recommended for this burner.

3. Semi-fast. This is also a really useful burner for everyday cooking. Great for frying vegetables and re-heating food for those late for dinner! Minimum pan size 12cm diameter for this burner.

4. Auxillary. This burner has a very small flame and is useful for small pans (minimum diameter 10cm). It would be great for melting chocolate (but I use the microwave for that!), making sauces and slow boiling.

The burners are neat and simply lift off for cleaning. They are very easy to reposition too.

~~Ease of Use~~

Unlike our Neff microwave, there was no need to refer to the manual to be able to use the hob. It is brilliantly easy to use. You just press down the required Hob Knob, turn to the left and hold down for a few seconds until the ignition lights the flame. Once lit, the flame can be adjusted very easily.

The only concern that niggles me is whether the plastic strip at the front could melt if something ultra hot got spilt on it. After 21 months use though, it looks spanking.

The hob is also easy to clean. My previous gas hob was part of a combined cooker. It was horrendous to clean and never looked good even after a good scrub down. The Neff hob has no awkward, difficult to clean corners and comes with the highly recommended tag from me (mother who hates cleaning ovens)!

Summary: Stylish gas hob, easy to clean, reliable and efficient to use.

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