AEG 8000 SenseBoil & Fry SaphirMatt Induction Hob

It may seem a bit arbitrary to point out now, but we surround ourselves with technology, and although we've been trained (probably by media like us, sorry) to focus mostly on the smartphone in our hand and the graphics card in our computer, there are countless product categories where competition is also fierce and where it's worth placing some stage lighting and editorial focus.

We've already taken a giant leap into the smarter kitchen, looking at airfryers, mixers, and hand blenders, because like an iPhone, they're packed with technology, generational improvements, and various competitors with their own ideas of what innovation should do for the consumer.

Now we come to something as rudimentary as the cooker, which is arguably the cornerstone of cooking. While opinions are divided on how heat should be facilitated, the convenience of an induction hob is hard to ignore, and it's fast becoming the defacto hob of the modern home.

We've recently had the opportunity to test AEG's wild top model, the 8000 SenseBoil & Fry hob, which is characterised not only by the number of unique features, but a surface treatment AEG is particularly proud of; SaphirMatt. So, a matt coating on the hob glass itself, what's so special about it? Well, first of all, AEG won for SaphirMatt at Red Dot in 2024, and secondly, it's not just a visual overhaul of the whole concept, but an improvement that has entirely pragmatic benefits for someone who ends up using SaphirMatt. The name is quite apt, meaning there is a nubbed surface, which first and foremost makes the surface far more resistant to everything that would otherwise scratch a traditional hob. It also means that it doesn't absorb greasy fingers in the same way, and you might think that it would probably get a little sticky during use anyway, which is absolutely true. But it's also true that there are no scratches when you finally run a cloth over it, and it's also easier to clean.

Besides the obvious improvement in the materials used to create the product, this hob is also more modern in terms of the sea of sensors that combine to create more intelligent cooking. Take SenseBoil, for example, which gives the hob its name. The idea is that sensors actively monitor water, or anything else, that is boiling, and as it's about to boil over, the temperature is automatically adjusted to ensure that it doesn't... well, boil over. It sounds so infinitely simple, and works so infinitely efficiently.

It's still zone-based, but via the Bridge function, you can combine two zones so you can place a roasting pan or something similar and still get uniform heat distribution across the pan. Again, it sounds simple, and it's certainly something offered to some extent by competing hobs, but when you come from something a little more archaic like me, it's hugely refreshing to see something so obvious being implemented so seamlessly.

It's still a slider touch function that is the primary way to control, and while manufacturers like AEG have come a long way in making these responsive, there's still some way to go here. Sliding your finger across to raise the heat sometimes needs to be done several times, and if there's a bit of fat or just steam from something boiling, the touch function is not nearly as responsive. It's not a big problem as such, and AEG's model here is levels better than our own hob, but a paradigm shift here would also be preferable. Perhaps we could eventually get more involved screens here that could keep us updated on recipes as we cook and adjust the heat?

But in terms of build quality, choice of materials, and actual functionality via PowerBoost and the aforementioned Bridge function, this is a noticeable upgrade for what I think of as most induction hobs you come across regular homes, and even though it's not exactly cheap (well over £900 for the smaller 60 centimetre model), it's impossible to do without these features on a daily basis once you've become familiar with them.