Bosch electric hobs come in Series 2, Series 4 and Series 6, with both ceramic and induction models, all in black glass. Series 2 hobs keep things simple, with 9 power levels. Series 4 and Series 6 hobs have 17 power levels, which give you finer control when you need to hold a gentle simmer or melt chocolate without catching it.

The first choice is the type of hob. Ceramic hobs heat a zone under the glass and work with any flat-bottomed pan, so you can keep the pans you already own. The Bosch ceramic hobs include Series 2 models with either a knob control or touch controls, and an 80 cm Series 4 hob with two extendable zones for larger pans. Bosch induction hobs heat the pan directly with a magnetic field. They respond quickly, the glass stays cooler and spills are easier to wipe away, but you need pans with a magnetic base. Most of the induction models are 60 cm Series 4 hobs with four zones, and one of them has CombiZone on the left side, which links two zones for a griddle or a long pan.

Series 6 induction hobs come in 60 cm and 80 cm widths and are internet-connected. The 80 cm models have five cooking zones. Two of them have Flex Induction, which joins zones into one evenly heated area that detects the size and position of the pan, and Multitouch+ controls.

Start with the width your worktop cut-out allows, 60 cm or 80 cm. Then think about your pans. If you'd rather not replace them, choose ceramic. If you often cook with roasting trays or oval casseroles, look for CombiZone or Flex Induction. To compare these with gas models, browse all Bosch hobs.