Finding your way through the maze of cooking terms that we have in the UK is a real challenge. Is it a hob? Is it a cooker? Are they the same thing?
We love cooking and are passionate home chefs just like you. However, cooking questions like this lead down a rabbit hole of more questions that even we struggle with at times.
But today, we’re finding out what a cooker is and what a hob is and if, indeed, there is any difference at all.
What Is a Cooker?
The term ‘cooker’ usually means a freestanding oven and hob combination. It will typically have one or two ovens and the hotplate/stove/hob on top. Told you these cooking questions are confusing.
Most people in the UK use the term ‘cooker’ to describe a freestanding piece of cooking equipment that can do it all. It can boil, it can roast, it can grill.
What Is a Hob?
The hob is the top of the cooker. It is where all of the rings are that you use to fry and boil things.
This is also called a stove, hotplate, or burner sometimes too. Whether it is gas, electric, or induction, most people in the UK call this the hob.
While hobs do come attached to cookers, they don’t have to. A lot of modern kitchens will have a built-in oven and then a separate hob.
This is very common, as you can keep the ovens out the way, but have the hob on a central island, for example, as a kitchen centrepiece that is practical and beautiful at the same time.
What’s the Difference Between a Cooker and a Hob?
A hob is designed to use with pots and pans. It is where you’ll place your pasta to boil it. It is also where you’ll fry a steak or make a stir fry.
A cooker, on the other hand, can do all of this (on the hob), but it also has the oven and possibly a grill too. So, you can roast, bake, boil and fry with a cooker.
Check out the rest of Chef’s Pick while you’re here. We have the best cookers and hobs available in the UK right now. And don’t worry, when we say hob, we mean the hot bit on the top of the oven or worktop.
And when we say cooker, we mean stand-alone piece of cooking equipment for all cooking tasks. You’re safe from the confusing world of cooking terminology here at Chef’s Pick!
Scott is a writer and a passionate home chef. His passion for cooking began when he was 10 years old. Scott has been writing professionally for over five years now and loves to combine his passion for cooking with his day job.
