Home » Product Reviews » Smeg Victoria SR964NGH 60cm Gas Hob review
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a 60cm built-in gas hob that pairs traditional styling with a straightforward, family-friendly layout. Finished in black enamel with chunky cast iron pan supports and rotary dials, it’s designed to look the part in a classic or shaker-style kitchen.
With four burners including a powerful wok zone, this model focuses on reliable everyday cooking rather than flashy extras. Its price puts it in the premium end of standard 60cm gas hobs, but it’s backed up by solid build quality and Italian manufacturing.
Owners rate it highly, with an average score of 4.8 out of 5 from user reviews, suggesting that day-to-day performance and ease of use largely live up to the brand’s reputation.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is ideal for households that cook most days and want a dependable 60cm hob with a premium feel. If you’re upgrading from a basic stainless steel model and want something that looks smarter and feels sturdier under your pans, it’s a strong contender.
It particularly suits classic or country-style kitchens where the Smeg Victoria design language ties in nicely with range cookers and retro appliances. The black enamel surface and cast iron pan supports help it blend with darker worktops and cabinetry.
If you regularly stir-fry, sear meat or boil large pans of pasta, the dedicated wok burner and ultra-rapid burners make this hob more appealing than many entry-level four-burner models. It’s good for confident home cooks who like to have a bit of extra heat in reserve.
However, if you’re on a tight budget or you’d prefer a hob loaded with digital timers, touch controls or smart features, this straightforward gas hob may feel a little too traditional for the money.
The standout feature is the wok burner, which delivers quick, intense heat for stir-fries, big pans and fast boiling. It’s a genuine step up from standard burners and makes high-heat cooking easier and more controlled.
The cast iron pan supports are another strong point. They’re sturdy and weighty, giving a reassuringly solid base for heavy pots and wide pans, and they help the hob look more expensive than basic wire supports.
Automatic ignition and simple front-mounted rotary dials keep operation fuss-free. You can light and adjust each burner with one hand, and there’s no hunting for hidden touch panels.
Safety is well covered too, with flame failure devices and automatic safety shut off. If a flame goes out, the gas supply cuts off, which is especially reassuring in busy family kitchens.
Add in Smeg’s Italian build and a 2-year manufacturer warranty and you get a hob that feels designed to last, rather than a throwaway budget buy.
For a four-burner 60cm hob, the price is on the higher side, largely reflecting the Smeg badge and styling rather than a long list of advanced features.
There’s no built-in timer or control panel lock, which some rivals now include even at mid-range prices. If you like to set a burner to turn off with a timer, you’ll miss that here.
The enamel surface, while attractive, can show scratches and marks if you’re not careful, and cast iron supports are heavier to lift off for cleaning than lighter alternatives.
Finally, installation requires both an electrician to attach the power cable and a Gas Safe engineer for the gas connection, with the hose not included. That’s normal for many gas hobs, but it does add to the overall cost if you’re replacing on a tight budget.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is built for simplicity. The front-mounted rotary dials are clearly laid out, so you can see and reach every control without leaning over hot pans. Automatic ignition means you just press and turn – there’s no wrestling with separate spark buttons or matches.
The four-burner layout gives a good mix of burner sizes, so you can simmer sauces on the smaller zones while using the more powerful burners for mains. The cast iron pan supports span the hob, letting you slide pans between zones without lifting them, which is handy when you’re juggling several dishes.
At just 3cm high, it sits fairly flush with the worktop, helping it look neat and making it easier to wipe crumbs and spills away from the edges. Cleaning the enamel surface will need a bit of care – non-abrasive cleaners and soft cloths are best – and the heavy pan supports may be a little cumbersome to remove if you clean frequently.
Once installed correctly, the flame failure safety device and automatic shut off add peace of mind. If a pan boils over or a draught blows out the flame, the gas supply is cut, so you’re not left worrying about invisible leaks.
Performance-wise, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH covers the key bases for a family hob. With a burner power range from 1.05 to 3.3 kW, it offers gentle heat for simmering as well as enough punch for rapid boiling and searing. The ultra-rapid and wok burners sit at the top end of that range, giving faster response than many basic four-burner hobs.
The dedicated wok burner is the star of the show, delivering concentrated heat that’s ideal for stir-frying, flash searing and bringing big pots to the boil quickly. If you’re stepping up from a hob with only medium burners, you’ll notice the extra responsiveness, especially with larger pans.
Construction is reassuring. Cast iron pan supports provide a solid cooking surface and help distribute weight evenly across the hob. The enamelled surface gives a glossy, traditional look and should be durable if looked after properly.
In terms of safety and convenience, you get automatic ignition on every burner, flame failure safety devices and automatic safety shut off – all valuable features for busy homes. The hob is also LPG compatible and comes with a conversion kit included, which is a big plus if your home runs on bottled gas.
What you don’t get are digital extras: there’s no touch control, no timer and no child lock. Compared with some modern rivals that cram in sensors and displays, this Smeg focuses on classic gas performance and build quality rather than bells and whistles.
At £399, this is a premium-priced 60cm four-burner gas hob. Many basic models undercut it significantly, so you are paying for the Smeg name, the Victoria styling and the more robust construction.
However, taken as a whole, the value proposition is still reasonable if you prioritise design and durability over sheer feature count. The wok burner, ultra-rapid burners, cast iron supports and comprehensive safety features all contribute to a better everyday experience than the cheapest alternatives.
The 4.8 out of 5 user rating, backed by a healthy number of reviews, suggests that most buyers feel they’ve had good return for their money. The included 2-year warranty is decent, though not exceptional in this price bracket.
If you simply want a functional gas hob for occasional cooking, there are cheaper options that will do the job. But if you’re investing in a kitchen you’ll live with for years and you like the look and feel of Smeg’s Victoria range, the extra outlay is easier to justify.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a stylish, solidly built 60cm gas hob that delivers reliable performance with a premium, traditional look. Its powerful wok burner, ultra-rapid zones and cast iron pan supports make everyday cooking feel controlled and confident, and the strong user ratings back up its real-world reliability.
It’s not the most feature-packed hob on the market – there’s no timer, child lock or digital display – and the price is clearly a step up from no-frills models. But for cooks who value classic design, sturdy construction and straightforward controls over gadgetry, it strikes a very appealing balance.
If you’re fitting out a traditional or country-style kitchen and you want a hob that both looks the part and performs well for daily family meals, this Smeg is an excellent choice. Budget-focused buyers or tech lovers chasing advanced features may want to look elsewhere, but for many homes this will feel like a worthwhile upgrade.