Home » Product Reviews » Smeg Victoria SR964NGH 60cm Gas Hob review
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a 60cm built-in gas hob finished in black enamel, aimed at cooks who want traditional gas responsiveness wrapped in retro styling. With four burners, sturdy cast iron pan supports and a powerful wok burner, it is designed to cope with everything from weeknight pasta to weekend stir-fries.
Smeg is firmly in the premium camp, and this hob follows that pattern: it is not the cheapest 60cm gas hob, but it feels a step up from basic models in both design and materials. Owners rate it highly, with an excellent 4.8 out of 5 from a solid number of reviews, suggesting that real-world performance matches the good looks.
If you are updating a stylish kitchen and want a dependable, easy-to-use gas hob that looks the part as well as cooks well, the Victoria SR964NGH deserves a close look.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is ideal for small to medium-sized households that cook regularly and want a dependable four-burner layout without going up to a wider 70 or 75cm hob. Its standard 60cm width means it will fit most existing cut-outs, making it a strong choice for kitchen refits and upgrades.
It suits buyers with a mid-range to premium budget who care about how their appliances look. The black enamel surface and chunky cast iron pan supports have a classic, slightly retro feel that will pair well with shaker-style units or a more traditional kitchen, but the clean layout won’t look out of place in a modern space either.
This hob is a good match for confident home cooks who like to sear, simmer and stir-fry. The inclusion of an ultra-rapid wok burner gives you the intense heat you need for big pans and quick cooking, while the smaller burners handle gentle simmering. At the same time, its simple rotary dials and automatic ignition make it unintimidating for first-time gas users.
If you need advanced extras such as timers on the hob, touch controls or built-in digital displays, this probably is not the model for you. But if you value straightforward controls, strong build quality and a stylish finish, it ticks the right boxes.
The four-burner layout is practical and versatile, with three different burner sizes so you can match heat output to your pans. The ultra-rapid wok burner is a real highlight, providing up to 3.3 kW of power for fast boiling and proper searing when you need serious heat.
Cast iron pan supports give the hob a reassuringly solid feel. They are more durable than lightweight enamelled supports, keep pans very stable and add to the premium look. The black enamel surface itself is slim at only 3cm high, helping the hob sit neatly on the worktop.
Ease of use is strong. Front-mounted rotary dials are intuitive, and automatic ignition means you simply turn and press the knob to light the flame, with no separate ignition button or matches to worry about. Flame failure safety devices and automatic safety shut-off add peace of mind by cutting the gas if a flame goes out.
Flexibility at installation is another plus. The hob runs on mains gas but is LPG compatible and supplied with a conversion kit, so it can be adapted for bottled gas where required. A two-year manufacturer’s warranty is also reassuring for a premium-branded appliance.
Overall user feedback is very positive. A 4.8 out of 5 average rating suggests owners are happy with performance, build and day-to-day usability.
The Victoria SR964NGH commands a premium price for a 60cm, four-burner gas hob. You are partly paying for styling and brand name rather than a long list of advanced features, so those on tighter budgets may find better value in simpler models.
There is no timer or control panel lock, which some families with young children might miss. The absence of a lock means you will rely on supervision and the flame safety devices rather than being able to disable the controls completely.
While the black enamel surface looks smart, enamel can show scratches and burnt-on marks more readily than some stainless steel or glass alternatives if not looked after carefully. You may need to be a bit more diligent with cleaning to keep it looking pristine.
Finally, installation is not plug-and-play: it requires both a Gas Safe engineer for the gas connection and an electrician to attach a suitable plug or cable, and the gas hose is not included. That is normal for built-in gas hobs but worth factoring into your overall cost.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is very straightforward to live with. The four burners are well spaced for a 60cm hob, so you can use a couple of larger pans alongside smaller ones without feeling too cramped, especially when the wok burner is in use for a big pot or frying pan.
Lighting the burners is quick and consistent thanks to automatic ignition integrated into each rotary dial. You simply press and turn; the burner sparks and lights without needing a separate button. Heat adjustment is immediate and precise, which is one of the main reasons many cooks still prefer gas.
The cast iron pan supports give a stable, level cooking surface, so even heavy casserole dishes feel secure. Their solid construction does make them a little weightier to lift off for cleaning, but they are robust and less likely to wobble or chip than lighter alternatives.
Cleaning the enamel surface is generally straightforward: once the hob has cooled, a wipe with a soft cloth and mild cleaner will tackle most spills. As with any enamel hob, it pays to clean up boil-overs fairly quickly to avoid stubborn marks. The simple, dial-based control layout with no touch panel or display means there are few crevices for grime to collect.
Noise levels are minimal – you will hear only the gas flow and burner flame, as there are no fans or motors involved. With front-mounted controls, you do not need to lean over hot pans to adjust the heat, which feels safer and more comfortable during longer cooking sessions.
In performance terms, the Victoria SR964NGH focuses on delivering reliable, controllable gas power rather than gadget-heavy extras. The burner power range of 1.05 to 3.3 kW covers low simmering through to high-intensity cooking, with three different burner sizes for better pan matching.
The standout here is the ultra-rapid wok burner. At up to 3.3 kW, it is ideal for stir-fries, searing steaks or bringing large pots of water to the boil quickly. You will notice the difference compared with standard burners when you need that extra punch of heat.
The remaining burners provide more moderate heat, making them well suited to everyday tasks such as frying eggs, simmering sauces or cooking rice. Having this spread of outputs helps avoid scorching delicate dishes while still being able to blast heat when required.
Safety is handled well. Each burner features a flame failure device, which cuts the gas if the flame is accidentally extinguished, and the hob has an automatic safety shut-off. These are important protections, particularly in busy family kitchens, and are reassuring to see as standard.
In terms of extras, the feature set is deliberately simple: there is no built-in timer, no touch controls and no smart connectivity. Instead, you get practical, user-friendly basics such as automatic ignition, robust cast iron pan supports, and LPG compatibility with an included conversion kit. For many buyers, that focus on core performance over flashy add-ons will be a positive rather than a drawback.
As a Smeg Victoria model, this hob sits at the upper end of the price range for a standard 60cm four-burner gas hob. You are not choosing it as a bargain option; you are choosing it for its combination of brand reputation, styling and solid construction.
On paper, the feature list is competent rather than packed with tech: four burners, cast iron supports, wok burner, automatic ignition and core safety systems. Many cheaper hobs offer similar basics, although often with lighter pan supports or less distinctive design.
Where the Victoria SR964NGH justifies its price is in the details: premium-feel materials, Italian build, stylish black finish and that powerful wok burner. The strong 4.8/5 owner rating backs this up, indicating that buyers generally feel they have got what they paid for.
If you simply need a functional gas hob at the lowest possible cost, there are better-value choices. But if you want a well-made, attractive hob from a respected premium brand, and are happy to pay a little extra for that, the value proposition is reasonable.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH 60cm gas hob is a stylish, well-built choice for anyone upgrading a kitchen and wanting classic looks with dependable gas performance. Its combination of a powerful wok burner, sturdy cast iron pan supports and intuitive rotary controls makes everyday cooking feel easy and controlled.
It is not the most feature-rich hob in terms of electronics or smart functions, and the price reflects its premium branding and design as much as its specification. The lack of a timer or control lock may be a minor drawback for some households.
If you prioritise aesthetics, solid build quality and straightforward, reliable gas cooking, this hob is a strong contender and clearly well liked by existing owners. Those on a tighter budget, or who want more advanced digital features, may prefer to look at more tech-focused alternatives, but for many homes the Victoria SR964NGH will be a very satisfying centrepiece on the worktop.