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, styled to match Smeg’s retro-inspired Victoria range. With four burners, chunky cast iron pan supports and front-mounted rotary dials, it’s a traditional gas hob with a premium twist.
Smeg is known for its design-led appliances, and this model follows suit – it’s aimed at buyers who want their hob to look as good as it cooks. The inclusion of a powerful wok burner and automatic ignition suggests it’s built with keen home cooks in mind rather than just basic reheating.
A strong user rating of 4.8 out of 5 from multiple reviews backs up the idea that owners are very happy with performance and ease of use, which makes this an appealing option if you’re upgrading a standard 60cm hob to something more robust and stylish.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH suits households that cook most days and want a reliable, good-looking gas hob at the heart of the kitchen. Four burners cover the needs of most small to medium-sized families, from weekday pasta to a proper Sunday roast.
If you enjoy stir-fries, searing steaks or cooking in larger pans, the dedicated wok burner with up to 3.3kW of power will be a real draw. It gives you the intense, responsive heat that serious home cooks look for, without stepping up to a wider 75cm or 90cm hob.
The price places it in the more premium end of the 60cm gas hob market, so it’s best suited to buyers who are happy to pay extra for design, build quality and brand reputation rather than simply the cheapest option.
It’s also a good fit if you’re renovating a kitchen around Smeg appliances or a classic-style look. If you want masses of smart features, touch controls or an integrated timer, this more traditional, dial-based design may feel a little basic.
The standout strength here is the burner layout, particularly the ultra-rapid wok burner. With power up to 3.3kW, it delivers fast boil times and the high, focused heat you need for proper wok cooking or rapid searing.
Sturdy cast iron pan supports give the hob a solid, professional feel. They’re more durable than basic enamel supports, grip pans well and make it easier to slide heavy pots between burners without lifting.
Automatic ignition on the rotary dials keeps everyday use simple and safe – there’s no need for separate lighters or matches, and you can fine-tune the flame with a quick twist. The front control position also means you’re not reaching over hot pans.
Safety is well handled for a gas hob. The flame failure safety device and automatic safety shut-off ensure the gas supply is cut if the flame goes out, adding peace of mind in busy family kitchens.
Finally, the slim 3cm profile and 60cm width make it an easy upgrade for most standard cut-outs, while the black enamel finish coordinates neatly with a wide range of ovens and worktops.
There are a few compromises to be aware of. There’s no built-in timer or control panel lock, so if you’re used to induction hobs with countdowns or child locks, this will feel more old school.
The enamel surface, while attractive, will usually show scratches and burnt-on spills more readily than stainless steel or glass if not cleaned carefully. Keeping it looking pristine may need a bit of extra attention.
Being a premium brand model, the price is higher than many basic 60cm gas hobs that offer a similar four-burner layout, so you are paying partly for design and build rather than an expansive feature set.
Installation also isn’t plug-and-play. It requires both a Gas Safe engineer and an electrician to attach the power connection, and the gas hose is not included, so you’ll need to factor that into the total cost.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH feels reassuringly straightforward. The front-mounted rotary dials are clearly laid out, easy to grip and give you direct control over the flame, which many cooks prefer to touch sliders or buttons.
Automatic ignition on each burner means you simply press and turn to light – a small but important convenience that makes cooking feel quicker and more fluid. Once lit, the range of burner sizes lets you keep a sauce ticking over gently on the smaller zones while something more vigorous bubbles away on the larger ones.
The cast iron pan supports create a stable, uninterrupted cooking surface, so large pots sit confidently and smaller pans don’t wobble. They’re weighty, which underlines the quality feel but does mean they take a little more effort to lift off for cleaning.
At just 3cm high, the hob sits fairly flush in the worktop, which helps with wiping crumbs and spills into a cloth rather than catching them on raised edges. As an enamel hob, it will benefit from prompt cleaning of spills to avoid staining, but the flat zones and simple layout keep this manageable.
In terms of raw performance, the burner power range of 1.05 to 3.3kW covers most everyday cooking needs with ease. The ultra-rapid burner is the star: it gets large pots of water to the boil quickly and brings real punch to wok cooking and pan-frying.
The other three burners are arranged to give you flexibility, with multiple burner sizes across the four zones. This makes it easier to match pans to heat output, helping with everything from gentle simmering to fast reductions without constantly adjusting the controls.
The hob surface is enamel, which helps distribute heat evenly around the burners and works well with the robust cast iron supports. While it doesn’t add any clever digital functions, it contributes to the classic look and solid feel that many buyers want from a traditional gas hob.
Safety features are respectable for this type of appliance. The flame failure safety device monitors each burner and shuts off the gas if the flame goes out unexpectedly, while automatic safety shut-off provides an extra backstop. Combined with automatic ignition, it’s a well-rounded package for family kitchens.
Installation flexibility is good too: the hob is LPG compatible and supplied with a conversion kit, so it can be adapted for bottled gas where mains gas isn’t available. That’s particularly useful in rural homes, holiday lets or annexes.
With a price firmly in premium territory for a 60cm, four-burner gas hob, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is not the cheapest way to add gas cooking to your kitchen. Many lower-cost models offer the same number of burners and basic ignition.
However, you are paying for more than just burner count. The quality of the cast iron supports, the strong wok burner, the cohesive design and Smeg’s Italian build all contribute to a more upmarket feel than entry-level hobs. For buyers who value that, the extra spend can be justified.
The strong 4.8 out of 5 user rating suggests that owners generally feel they’ve had good return on their investment, especially in terms of reliability and day-to-day enjoyment. If budget is tight and design is less important, cheaper options exist, but as a style-conscious, well-made all-rounder, it offers solid value.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a well-built, stylish 60cm gas hob that combines classic looks with genuinely capable performance. The powerful wok burner, sturdy cast iron supports and simple, reliable controls make it a pleasure to cook on for most households.
It does without extras like a timer, touch controls or a child lock, and the enamel surface will need a little care to keep looking its best. You’re also paying a premium compared with very basic hobs that do a similar core job.
If you’re upgrading a standard 60cm hob and want something that feels more substantial, looks smart in a traditional or retro-style kitchen and handles everything from gentle simmering to intense wok cooking, this Smeg is an excellent choice. Those on a strict budget or seeking advanced smart features may prefer to look elsewhere, but for design-led, dependable gas cooking, it’s a strong contender.