Oven or hob: how to buy well
A set or separate appliances
Built-in appliances come in two parts: the oven and the hob. You can buy them as a pair from one brand or separately. A pair usually looks neater, but separate appliances let you combine, say, an induction hob and an oven with convection from different makers. There is also the “freestanding” cooker, which combines both in one body.
Start with the kitchen units: the oven needs a niche of standard width (usually 60 cm), and the hob needs a cut-out in the worktop. It is better to give the dimensions of the niche right in the request.
Type of heating: gas, electric or induction
- Gas: familiar, but it needs a gas connection, and in an apartment block that needs permission and a qualified technician.
- Ceramic glass hob: electric, heats more slowly than induction.
- Induction: fast and safer to touch, but it needs cookware with a magnetic base and strong wiring.
- Combined options: a gas hob with an electric oven.
The type also decides the connection: a powerful induction hob often needs its own line with a suitable breaker. It is best to sort these things out with an electrician before buying.
What to put in your request
- What exactly — oven, hob or a set.
- Type of heating — electric, gas, induction or ceramic glass.
- Dimensions — width 45, 60 or 90 cm, number of burners, size of the niche.
- Functions — convection, pyrolytic cleaning, grill, booster, timer, telescopic runners.
- Colour and brand or model.
- New or used and the condition for a used one.
- Delivery and connection — whether fitting and connection to electricity or gas are needed.
- City and budget.
Example: “Looking for a new 60 cm induction hob, 4 zones, with a booster and touch controls, and a black oven with convection. Melbourne, I need delivery and connection. Budget for both up to $690.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
Instead of going round shops, you write a request once. Sellers of appliances reply in chat: which model, what price, what comes with delivery and connection. They can see where their offer stands and improve their terms, so the price often comes out better. You open contacts only for the seller you choose. More on the How it works page.
How to compare and what to avoid
Check that the offers match in width, functions and type of controls. Ask whether the fixings and a mains cable with a plug are in the price, since they are sometimes sold separately. For a pyrolytic oven, ask whether it has a cool-touch safety door glass.
A typical mistake is buying a hob with a power rating your old fuse board can't handle. For a hood over the hob, look at cooker hoods, and for a small kitchen a cooker may be enough.
