Portable Induction Hob UK [Mains powered]

Mini Oven Vs Induction Hob. Those who frequent this blog will obviously know its all about mini ovens. The name is a dead giveaway. But today I wanted to quickly cover an alternative to buying a mini oven that can be such a better fit for many people. That is, of course, a portable Induction Hob. These things are great. Portable, clean, easy to use and can fit just about anywhere. Their thickness is about the same as a thin flat screen television. It's crazy how versatile these remarkable hobs are. 

 

 

The model I have been looking at is the GIONIEN GIT470SP. Some Induction Hobs only have the option to be hard wired, but the GIONIEN GIT470SP comes with the ability to plugged straight into a normal UK mains socket [13 Amp /32A compatible too]. So basically just plug in and start cooking. Power is around 3kW. Most inductio hobs can be used on a kitchen worktop, as well as any other safe-to-cook-on surface, or be installed / integrated into the surface.

Other features include: 4 cooking rings, Bridge Zone [make a bigger cooking area], Boost, Keep Warm, Timer, Pause option, Child Lock, Residual Heat Indicator, Detection of Small foodstuffs and Auto Safety Switch Off.  Energy rating: A+.

Best pans for an Induction Hob?

There is a simple way to check what type of pans you need to buy. Take a magnet with you, and if the magnet sticks to the pans then they are going to work well. If the magnet doesn't stick then the pans wont work on your hob. This type of hob works through Magnetism, so no ceramic, aluminium or copper is going to be suitable. Stainless steel is a good fit, but only if its composition contains iron. A good set of pots and pans if you are looking for something suitable for your induction hob is the Tefal C972S544. This magnetised set of 5 works excellent with induction hobs.

This post is not really a full review of any specific hob model but more of a bringing-it-to-your-attention if you have never seen or heard of an induction hob before. I may write some reviews on certain models of induction hobs in the near future.

Sage BOV820BSS Smart Element IQ Oven Pro

Mini Ovens don't just do what they are told anymore. They are now smart, independent thinkers that can be stand alone and make decisions for themselves. Well, at least this one can to some degree. Say hello to the Sage BOV820BSS 21 Litre Smart Element IQ Mini Oven Pro. This is not an in-depth review covering every inch of the internal and external components and capabilities of this Breville wonder machine, but more of a general talk about some of its main features, and a little about what users / reviewers find stands out the most.

First off, lets get this out the way.. What the hell is "Smart" Element IQ technology doing in a mini oven, and why does it think it knows better than me.. What, I can't be free to cook my own food anymore! I know, "Smart" sounds scary. And to be honest, I hate anything "Smart". Explained in the most simplistic way I can manage at 2:30 the morning, Element IQ is basically a sort of automatic detection system that allows the oven to choose the right settings (by presets) for the particular type of food you are cooking, ensuring your food is cooked faster and by completely even heating throughout the process. You don't have to use the presets, you can do things manually and the Element IQ will adjust itself to cater for your requirements.

Sage BOV820BSS Smart Element IQ Quick Specification

• 21 Litre Capacity
•  Digital Screen
• Toast, Grill or Bake options
• Normal, Reheat, warm and defrost choices
• High power 2400 Watts
• Cooking Temperature from 50 to 230 °C
• Cooking timer of up to 10 hours
• Smart Element IQ technology (5 stand alone quartz heating elements)
• 10 LCD preset settings
• Temperature reached indicator
• Internal Light button
• Slow cooking settings
• Keep warm function
• Convection fan option
• Fast preheating
• Attractive design
• Consistent "spot-on" cooking results
• Removable drip / crumb tray
• Dimensions: 47 x 32 x 28 cm
• Oven weight: Approximately 10 KG
• 3 Pin mains UK plug
• 12 month guarantee

With that out the way, Sage BOV820BSS has received extremely high praise with users / reviewers as being a well made, reliable and very capable mini oven. The only thing it doesn't have, other than a cheap price tag, is a twin hob (heating plates) at the top. However, this can be easily worked around, and for someone who lives alone and wants a true table top cooker, this model makes a lot of sense, and saves a lot of space. Is it the same, or better, than a full-sized oven? Well, that's debatable. But I will say this: That is the general theme, or thing that I've mostly been reading by browsing the reviews on Amazon UK.

That is, a lot of people say the Sage BOV820BSS is just as good as a full size oven. And as a result it seems like a good majority of the buyers have ditched their big ovens for this much smaller, but in many ways just as capable 21 Litre Smart Sage. But worth noting is these all appeared to be single people living alone, so a smaller, more efficient oven makes practical sense. But you wouldn't want to get rid of your full size oven if you are married with kids and have a whole family to cook for on a daily basis. In this situation the Sage (Heston Blumenthal) Element IQ would typically be added and used along side the big boys (a full size oven) in order to help out when having extra guests or family members over to eat when more cooking space is needed and time is limited.

At this stage of the article / post I usually talk a bit about some of the problems reported by consumers, and generally cover a few things the potential buyer should be made aware of. But with this model there aren't many issues to report. The only thing really worth mentioning is that a few people claim to have had a problem with the internal light. That being, some users couldn't get it to work. On most occasions this was either a faulty light that needed to be replaced, or the unit was damaged in transit. Other than that, there's not much else to fault this unit. One more thing I should add, though, is that one user said the timer selector dial is feather light to the touch, so you must take extra care when selecting how long you want to set the timer for. One small movement of the dial and the time you have set can be unknowingly decreased or increased. Just something to be aware of, not really a fault. Rest assured, by basically all accounts, it's a great mini oven, well worth the money.

De'Longhi EO2435 SfornaTutto Midi Oven

The excellent De'Longhi EO2435 SfornaTutto

The De'Longhi EO2435, another one of those mini ovens that looks like an old retro television. Lot's of the De'Longhi's are like this. That's a good thing. We need more old school in our lives! With mocking the appearance out the way, this is an excellent mini oven. It's capacity is 24 Litres so is considered as a "Midi" oven.

One thing to be aware of is that this model is quite hard to find being sold in the UK. This one actually ships from Italy. As a result it will have a European two pin mains plug, so you will need to buy a UK adaptor (Shaving plug) in order to use it. They are very cheap.

The EO2435 is an 1800 Watt, medium sized workhorse that's very versatile and noted for it's reliability. It the little brother of the SfornaTutto Maxi (32 Litre). Yes, it does cost considerably more than a lot of the other brands of similar size that crowd this market place, but it's a better built product and it is worth the extra money. There is not many left for sale. Be quick.

Making the most of the available space, the De'Longhi EO2435 SfornaTutto is not only an oven, it also has a grill, making it much more convenient. And, you'll be happy to hear, it's an excellent one. Different temperature settings, 2 hour timer, various cooking modes, inner light, great build quality and a review score that most other mini oven manufacturers would love to have, make this a great purchase. It can do it all.

On this website I pull no punches. If there are any issues reported with a product I will mention them. But with this one, there is just nothing bad to say! De'Longhi build a great product. You need look no further than the customer reviews for confirmation of this. Five stars all the way!

Severin (2058) 42L Worktop Mini Oven

The Severin (2058) 42L Worktop Mini Oven

Looking at the Severin (2058) 42L Mini Oven for the first time you would be forgiven for thinking that it was actually a microwave oven. Don't worry, it's not. It's an electric toaster oven. The Severin (2058) is one of the more expensive mini ovens out there, but also one that has a large 42 Litre capacity, great build quality, and a fairly good track record. Very popular in the UK.

Having a bigger capacity and more levels (4 in total) it can cook multiple meals at the same time (more baking shelves may be required). Great for adding as an additional cooking option to go alongside your normal cooker if you need to cook for a bigger audience, and perfect for single people (or couples) where space and running costs are of high concern. Saying that, this model is 1800 Watts so it's not exactly the most energy efficient.

The Severin TO 2058 has a manual temperature control dial and uses double heating elements that are then fan assited to make sure that the food gets blasted from every angle and is cooked evenly thoughout. It also has a grill option and the ability to use heating elements only. The cooking duration timer has a maximum setting of 1 ½ hours (noise when time has expired), and this model even has the rotisserie function, which is basically a spit roast. So all in all, it's a great toaster oven that can bake, grill and roast basically anything that your full-size oven can.

This toaster oven comes with some excellent, useful accessories, including a pizza stone / cooking stand, rotisserie attachment, grill and baking shelf. The TO 2058 also comes with a two year warranty, which is always a welcome addition that gives some peace of mind when spending a decent amount of money on a product. One thing to be aware of with this model is that some reviewers have said that at times it can be a little on the noisey side. And the temperature is not 100% accurate according to some (a few) buyers / users. But rest assured, most users are well happy with the 2058.

Andrew James 12L Halogen Oven Cooker

The Andrew James 12L Halogen Oven

Take oven cooking to a whole new level with this Andrew James 12L Halogen Digital Mini Oven. This takes "Cookers" to new heights in many ways. Due to it's smaller size it requires absolutely no warm up time (Well, maybe 1 minute), and uses a fraction of the power that a normal, full sized oven would generally use to cook the same foods. That means less waiting around for you, and extremely low running costs. Add to that, because of how compact it is, food is ready to eat a lot faster too.

It's such a versatile, energy efficient mini oven. With multiple heating settings, including a simmer style temperatures, right up to a top temperature of 250°C, It has the ability to roast, bake, grill, defrost, reheat, fry and even steam. And you may also be surprised to find out that it can actually clean itself.. It has a clean yourself I can't be bothered setting. Although you still have to add some water and suds, it can't grab those things by itself!

But even if it didn't have the self-clean option, because its made of glass it's very easy to clean anyway. Much easier than a normal oven. Some people are saying this oven is better for you. Not just on saving you some time, and keeping some extra money in your pocket, but also healthier due to it requiring such small amounts of oil to cook certain foods. They have a point. Less fatty, greasy oil = healthier meals = healthier you. So they have a good point.

The Andrew James (1400 Watt) 12Litre Halogen Digital Mini Oven with hinged lid has many different settings. There are separate start and stop buttons, along with thermostat temperature settings, duration timer, (Longest duration is 2 hours), and a whole host of presets for various functions and for cooking different types of foods. Those buttons are called: "Rice", "Cupcake", "Steam", "Pizza", "Toast", "Cool Dry", "Clean", "Heat Dry", "Sterilize" and Turbo.

An excellent deal that just gets better. It comes with a 2 year warranty and lots of different add-on's. Dishes, Skewers, Racks, Trays and even a device that makes the capacity bigger, making it seventeen litres instead of 12. A spare bulb is also thrown in. This is one of the best Andrew James Halogen models for the price. The reviews are largely positive and most people are extremely happy with their oven. However, as with most products there are some negative reviews. A few points of concern are that this item is really big, a lot bigger than some people expected it to be before they bought it. And heavy to carry around.

Next up is Rust. A few reviewers have reported seeing rusted elements inside the oven. Of course, this is not a good thing to have inside a device that's preparing your dinner. However, lets not get too carried away. Rust, ohhh! Call an Ambulance! No, don't do that. Have you cleaned the inside of a normal sized oven lately? After a few months of contstant use. Seen how dirty it is? Just think.. You were cooking and then eating food out of that. Now, sooty deposits and the remnants of old food aren't the same as rust. But you get the idea. Truth be told, I can see why users would be alarmed to find rust inside their oven. And I also understand why some people are sending their oven back for this reason. It would be rather off-putting.

The other bad reviews are down to the item not working for very long. It's a good job this models comes with a 2 year warranty! One other thing worth noting is that there is no lock for the top lid, which some buyers have found quite annoying.

Cheap Mini Oven With Hob and Grill

If you want a cheap mini oven that has it all, then the Oypla (OYP3158) 26 Litre with grill and twin hobs is one you should consider buying. Of course, there are lots of mini ovens out there that are cheap to buy. But how reliable are they? Have you read some of the reviews for the cheaper models? Extremely off-putting.

Pictured to the right: One of the best deals for early 2016, the Oypla P3158 With Hob and Grill.

They may be some of the cheapest but there's a reason for that. They don't last very long. That's where the Oypla P3158 is different. It's cheap, has many features, including twin hobs at the top (see picture), but it also has a very good overall reviewer rating.

This is an all-in-one solution that has everything one would need to cook themselves, and others, a slap up meal. Two hot plates at the top, grill and oven. What more do you need. The Oypla P3158 is excellent for a big family, or anyone else who's needs a bit more cooking space to accommodate guests, special occasions etc. But its even more suited to single people who don't need, or have no room for a full sized, energy hungry oven. Can also be used for camping, motor homes etc. Great for a small flat or studio apartment.

Excellent for cooking all types of food from baked potatoes and chicken, to pies, toast, fry ups and pizza! Perfect for baking, frying, boiling and grilling.

The two hot plates are different. One is 800W and the other one 600W. The Oypla P3158 has a sixty minute cooking timer which alerts you by sounding a little alarm to tell you the timer has finished.  It also has safety protection if it gets too hot and will automatic shut itself down to prevent any accidents or damage being caused.

What do the buyers say about this model?

For such a cheap mini oven with hob and Grill combined that can do most things the much more expensive mini ovens can do, reviews are really good for the P3158. Most people are very impressed with the value for money that's achieved with this oven. The only bad thing really worth mentioning, or being aware of is that when everything is in use (the oven and hobs at the same time) the hot plates fail to operate at full power due to the energy being shared by the oven. Other than that reviews are great. Oh, and it can stay hot for a while after cooking. But most small ovens do anyway due to their small size.

Buying it to fit into a certain space? The external measurements of the Oypla P3158 are: 50.5cm Wide - 31cm In Height and 33cm Depth. One year warranty is included. Delivery: Free of charge.

Want something else to consider that within the same price range? The Andrew James Black 24 Litre Mini Oven And Grill With Double Hot Plates is also worth a look, but it doesn't have a better rating score than the P3158. It only rates 4 out of 5 stars where as the P3158 is closer to five.

De'Longhi EO1200W Mini Oven Review

So many mini ovens, so many brands..Which one to choose..The De'Longhi brand is a good choice. Is the EO1200W the best one out of the bunch? No way. In fact, I would say its one of the worst. Don't get me wrong it does have some good points and some good features, but compared to the other De'Longhi mini ovens it just isn't really in the same league. Some will no doubt disagree.

First off, it's appearance. It looks cheap. Like one of those cheap white microwaves!. And by what some reviewers say, it is cheap and not very well made or durable. Have you seen the price? Not the cheapest. I would expect better build quality. Considering this issue alone, I would say that you can get a much better mini oven for considerably less money, and with much better reviews all round the board.

There are also a few reports of some of the EO1200W products having a dodgy door that refuses to open. This isn't an extremely common problem but there are a few reports of this issue. And why run the risk when there are much better products out there. Don't get me wrong, you could buy the De'Longhi EO1200W and have no problems with it what so ever, and there are people that do hold its longevity in high regard. The reviews are mostly positive after all. But I'm here to tell you about any potential issues. So I'm just telling you what I've found. Ultimately, the choice is yours as to what you end up buying.

The De'Longhi EO1200W does have some good features like a 2 hour timer with auto shut-down and dinger (Ding!) to alert you when cooking has finished. And also Pizza Bulge, which is basically an extra bit of space at the back of the oven (internally) that lets you be able to put larger pizzas in the oven without having to squash them in.

But overall it is a hard sell for the money it costs. It's also quite small with an internal capacity of twelve and a half litres. A much better option is the 14 litre De'Longhi E01455-30. Great build quality, nice design and great reviews. And its around half the price of the EO1200W!. They both have 3 cooking options, Grill, normal oven, and delicate heating. The E01455-30 is Durastone inside which is tough, durable and easy to clean. Have more money to spend and want a bigger, more feature packed mini oven that has a small digital screen and even its own spit roast? Check out the De'longhi Sfornatutto Maxi.