Hob & Hood - Which Brand Should I Buy?

[moonlit 0]

@BlueFly

thanks for your reply. don't worry about the write-up, please rest well. take care.

[BlueFly 0]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Would you mind revealing which German brand were you referring to?

Looking forward to read the verdict!

Thanks for yr post.

I talked about our old German oven and hood in a post dated 22 April 2008:

Quote:

Rinnai Oven

Our old kitchen had a Bauknet oven, a Bauknet vented suction hood, and a Bauknet wall-mounted water boiler.

Unquote.

Haw Par stopped marketing Bauknet because the German product was too pricey then (in the early 1980s when we bought the items) for the mass market. As for the hob, we bought a 4-burner plus a hotplate Elba hob, model EHS 948 S. We also talked about our experience with the Elba hob on our blog.

Rgds

P.S. Sorry, the writeup on the Fujioh hood is still not up due to my hospitalisation. But one short word - highly recommended!

Edited June 1, 2010 by BlueFly

[BlueFly 0]

hi, am really interested in the inner flame too and made trips to mega discount, rina and imm hoe kee to find out more.

for now, seems like more naysayers for the inner flame hob. pros and cons as follows

....

my 2 cents research. hope you can shed some light into it since you bought one eh.

Thanks for your doubts. You know, I never take sales staff comments seriously - simply bcoz these ppl have vested interests. Sure, there are honest sales ppl but the dishonest ones outnumber the honest ones, in my view.

That said, I must salute one sales guy at HN Novena Sq 2 who served me recently when I wanted to snag a Philips bagless vacuum cleaner. I bargained a lower price than the already discounted price of $119 (before promotion, was $139) as I was willing to pay cash. Since we all know merchants pay a 3% credit card payment fee, I thought I cld get a lower price if I paid in cash. After checking, then talking at length with his boss on the phone, he finally agreed to my price! When pressed, he reluctantly said he wld pay the difference ($10) from his pocket!! He probably had felt sorry for my plight, as I looked a tragic sight - with tubes running from my arm to a pump from a recent hospital operation, and a mask over my mouth (*grin*). However, when I learnt he was using his own money to fund the difference I thanked him but said I cld not take advantage of his kindness !!

Sorry to digress, but that kind of sales guy is uncommon so this is a tribute to him (applause).

OK, now for yr "cons". Obviously the sales guy (assuming it was the sales guy you got the info from) have never used the Rinnai inner flame burner. If he had he wld know for sure that not only is the flame very very hot but the flame control is amazing !! On my Rinnai RB-2CG model I cld turn down the flame so low you hardly see it, yet my stew pot continued to simmer very nicely. Just the way I wanted it for a herbal soup I was cooking.

I had previously written about my experience and control on my blog here.

With cons #1 demolished, cons #2 is also untrue! Cons #3 - yes, the warranty is 1 yr, but I don't see how that is a con - it is the mfr's policy, and I accepted that in good faith, though obviously I too wld want 3 yrs warranty if possible! But 1 yr is good enuf for me as many other appliances I had bought also came with 1 yr warranty. One cld also view 3 yrs' warranty as maybe an attempt by the maker/agent to sell their product in order to boost poor sales?? As for the rest of the cons, I feel that can be said of competing brands as well.

You did right by asking questions and finding out views abt the product you want to buy. And if I hv any advice, it is to ask friends - ppl whom you already know and trust and definitely not sales ppl - for their opinion if they had bought/used the product you want to buy. Otherwise it is wiser to regard all other comments as "just opinions", not facts.

I have no vested interest in promoting Rinnai. However, like many forumers, I was most upset as I had bought many products in the past 20 yrs that turned out to be poorly made and downright shoddy. What a waste of money!!! Don't you feel the same?!!??

Those were the days before the advent of the internet when most of time one had to buy "blind". Some of these products and bad experiences have been detailed on my blog. Now with consumer forums being popular, consumers can have access to have second (and third) opinions of the items they are keen in. Therefore when I bought and used a product that exceeded my expectations, I will not hesitate to voice my good opinion and recommendation on forums and on my blog. That way, badly designed and made products will soon lose market share as consumers become wiser in their choices.

Sorry for this long response, but I have good regard for your post as it raises the doubts and questions most buyers harbor.

Edited June 1, 2010 by BlueFly

[restart 0]

I'm also considering buying Fujioh FX900 and FG792. The price at Hoe Kee is $785, before bargain. What is the price you got?

Anyone has experience with these models? And roughly how much discount can I get from Hoe Kee on hood and hob?

hi all,

am looking at Fujioh hob & hood. For hood: either FX900 or 800 MK2, any comments? wat exactly r the difference btw R (recycling) & V (Ventilating) model anyway?

anyone bought their hob? FG773/772 with safety valve or FG793 w/o safety valve?

any comments/feedback r most welcome?

how abt their oven? think its cheaper to buy in package...

tks in advance!

[noobhouse 1]

hi all,

am looking at Fujioh hob & hood. For hood: either FX900 or 800 MK2, any comments? wat exactly r the difference btw R (recycling) & V (Ventilating) model anyway?

anyone bought their hob? FG773/772 with safety valve or FG793 w/o safety valve?

any comments/feedback r most welcome?

how abt their oven? think its cheaper to buy in package...

tks in advance!

i was like u trying to decide between FX900 or 800MK2, the only differences are

1. price. 800MK2 is about twice the price of FX900

2. weight & size. 800MK2 is much heavier & bigger 28.5kg vs 16kg, if u want something strealined FX900 don't take up so much space

3. absorption rate: 88% (800MK2) vs 83% (FX900)

Fujioh

[noobhouse 1]

Thought there is only 1 yr warranty on Fujioh? Maybe I should check out Viva Nueva. I'm considering Fujioh NL900 and Ariafina BT900 but can't seem to find reviews on these 2 models.

Recycling means the hood sucks in the air, filter out the oil/grease and smell (only if the hood has carbon filters) then releases the air back into the kitchen.

Ventilating models have a duct installed at the window or a place whereby the air can be released outdoor. Such models are not allowed in HDB flats, probably not for condos too.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

u're right, HDB can only get recycling models, I just bough FX900 also.

[moonlit 0]

Hi ALL:

Before you choose a suction hood, you should consider these points:

a - A suction hood should really absorb the greasy oil, not just suck and look pretty. Why pay good money for a hood that sucks (pardon the pun)? Most mfrs rate their hood based on suction power i.e. power of the motor, instead of how well the unit absorbs grease and oil vapor from the burning wok. You may be surprised that western brands usually rate their suction based on the motor kw, which has nothing to do with how well the unit performs in absorbing oily vapors from the air. Also, western cooking methods usually are not as oily or greasy as Asian-style cooking with the wok, and therefore I am inclined to think the western brands are not made to perform best in Asian kitchens. This was my experience with a premium German brand that I used in my previous condo.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Would you mind revealing which German brand were you referring to?

My choice of suction hood and verdict after using it for 2 yrs will be published soon on my blog. Meanwhile, you may wish to read the mistake made by the contractor installing the :hood.

Looking forward to read the verdict!

[moonlit 0]

I just brought my hob & hoob at Viva Nueva at no.458 balestier rd just next to spc station. I using Fujioh japanese's brand 3yrs warranty.

Thought there is only 1 yr warranty on Fujioh? Maybe I should check out Viva Nueva. I'm considering Fujioh NL900 and Ariafina BT900 but can't seem to find reviews on these 2 models.

hi all,

am looking at Fujioh hob & hood. For hood: either FX900 or 800 MK2, any comments? wat exactly r the difference btw R (recycling) & V (Ventilating) model anyway?

Recycling means the hood sucks in the air, filter out the oil/grease and smell (only if the hood has carbon filters) then releases the air back into the kitchen.

Ventilating models have a duct installed at the window or a place whereby the air can be released outdoor. Such models are not allowed in HDB flats, probably not for condos too.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[kitchen matters 0]

I just brought my hob & hoob at Viva Nueva at no.458 balestier rd just next to spc station. I using Fujioh japanese's brand 3yrs warranty.

Hi Kunthai ;

Is the price they offer good ? as i heard they do sell other products ? And the staff service is it Okie ? Who should i look for if i do want to purchase anything from them ?

KM

[qiqi 0]

hi all,

am looking at Fujioh hob & hood. For hood: either FX900 or 800 MK2, any comments? wat exactly r the difference btw R (recycling) & V (Ventilating) model anyway?

anyone bought their hob? FG773/772 with safety valve or FG793 w/o safety valve?

any comments/feedback r most welcome?

how abt their oven? think its cheaper to buy in package...

tks in advance!

Edited May 30, 2010 by qiqi

[prissypris 0]

i think you'll need to be careful when you purchase a glass hob.

for my family, recently we purchased and optic white cooking hob from turbo. (for beauty sake and also because my family seldom cook)

this is what i gathered from the sales person.

even though it is rather easy to maintain, there are several restrictions to it.

for example, there is a limit to the weight a glass hob can handle. and the hob will give way one day if such precautions are not taken.

[titanax 0]

hi, am really interested in the inner flame too and made trips to mega discount, rina and imm hoe kee to find out more.

for now, seems like more naysayers for the inner flame hob. pros and cons as follows

pros

1. definitely big strong fire

cons

1. no levels of flame control

2. not gd if making boiled soups cause fire is too strong

3. rinnai's glass warranty only for 1 year only while some brands are giving lifetime warranty

4. burner inside edges are rough and may rust easily

5. not gas-saving or gas efficient

6. fujioh also has inner-flame burner with lifetime warranty on the glass top

my 2 cents research. hope you can shed some light into it since you bought one eh.

I was also really keen on the whole inner-ring burner thingy, coz of the easy maintainability & all that, but as it i'm using a no frills La Germania SS hob. its been working fine since we got it, even with soups spillage cleaning it is not that a big deal. My hood however sucks big time, its a La Germ as well. So for my next apt, I think I will invest in a much better hood meant for asian kitchens, meaning Fujioh & I would get the hob, hood package. I don't think I can go wrong with this

Edited May 26, 2010 by titanax

[ne0mesis 0]

Hi ALL:

When you buy a burner hob, these are the points u shld consider:

a - Ease of cleaning -- many ppl forget about maintenance and cleaning. since we use our burner hob every day, it gets greasy and oily fast. So easy maintenance is a feature I always look for. So look out for small manageable trivets, as most trivets are clumsy, heavy and large, making cleaning them a chore.

b - Hot fire -- our Asian cooking requires wok hei or unami - you know, that very hot fire to give a special taste to your stir fry when you need that on occasion. Most western brand hobs I think are not built to burn very hot.

c - Also, at times you also require a fire that can be kept very very low to just simmer your slow-cook herbal soups, Emperor herbal chicken and tonics. Look for a burner that can be set to very hot and very low flame.

d - Aesthetics - it is better if the hob is also good-looking.

So, which burner hob did I choose? If you wish to learn more, check out this review and verdict and why I was extremely delighted with my choice.

hi, am really interested in the inner flame too and made trips to mega discount, rina and imm hoe kee to find out more.

for now, seems like more naysayers for the inner flame hob. pros and cons as follows

pros

1. definitely big strong fire

cons

1. no levels of flame control

2. not gd if making boiled soups cause fire is too strong

3. rinnai's glass warranty only for 1 year only while some brands are giving lifetime warranty

4. burner inside edges are rough and may rust easily

5. not gas-saving or gas efficient

6. fujioh also has inner-flame burner with lifetime warranty on the glass top

my 2 cents research. hope you can shed some light into it since you bought one eh.

Edited May 25, 2010 by ne0mesis

[BlueFly 0]

Hi ALL:

Before you choose a suction hood, you should consider these points:

a - A suction hood should really absorb the greasy oil, not just suck and look pretty. Why pay good money for a hood that sucks (pardon the pun)? Most mfrs rate their hood based on suction power i.e. power of the motor, instead of how well the unit absorbs grease and oil vapor from the burning wok. You may be surprised that western brands usually rate their suction based on the motor kw, which has nothing to do with how well the unit performs in absorbing oily vapors from the air. Also, western cooking methods usually are not as oily or greasy as Asian-style cooking with the wok, and therefore I am inclined to think the western brands are not made to perform best in Asian kitchens. This was my experience with a premium German brand that I used in my previous condo.

Perhaps older and wiser, I think differently now. After checking around, I could find only 1 mfr that had SISIR (now Spring S'pore) certify its absorption of oil vapor, and is meant for Asian stir fry cooking.

b - Ease of maintenance - throw out those suction hoods that come with fibre or paper filters. Go for those that does away with filter, relying instead on a permanent metal filtration system so that you can see the oil being collected and absorbed form the greasy cooking vapors as you cook! I had difficulty buying paper filters for my German hood and the paper filter clogs up so fast bcoz the unit wasn't meant for Asian kitchens, only for western style cooking of braising, steaming, oven roasting, etc. WIth a permanent metal filter I was able to maintain my suction hood easily.

c - Also, look for a flat smooth surface in your hood that inclines towards the hood back away from your wok. Most hoods are designed with the paper filter directly over the wok, and these have a ribbed surface so that oil collects on the oil-laden paper filter and seeps through the ribs, dropping back days later into your wok (urrggh!). With paper filters you need to change filters frequently to avoid this problem.

d - Finally, ensure there is sufficient head room with your wok spaced further out from the backsplash, since the suction hood dimensions are fixed - to avoid knocking your head against the suction hood as you move to peer closer and inspect your burning wok. Follow and maintain the recommended hood to burner hob distance to give best / optimum oil absorption rate. I overlooked this last point and to this day I have to be careful whenever I bend down to inspect the burning wok.

My choice of suction hood and verdict after using it for 2 yrs will be published soon on my blog. Meanwhile, you may wish to read the mistake made by the contractor installing the :hood.

Edited May 24, 2010 by BlueFly

[belquek 0]

We bought Rinnai Hob (RB 333) stainless steel and Hood (RH 382) at around $615(inclusive of GST) at Heritage at Geylang Lor 44.

FYI, city gas shops at somerset and woodlands also carry Rinnai.

I gave them a ring and compared the prices. Heritage is cheaper.