Home » Product Reviews » Smeg Victoria SR964NGH 60cm Gas Hob review
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a 60cm built-in gas hob that blends traditional styling with practical everyday features. Finished in black enamel with chunky cast iron pan supports, it’s designed to complement classic or Shaker-style kitchens as much as modern ones.
With four burners, including a powerful ultra-rapid wok burner, it’s aimed at busy households that still prefer the instant control of gas. Automatic ignition and front-mounted rotary dials keep operation refreshingly simple.
Owner feedback is very strong, with a 4.8 out of 5 rating from multiple reviews, suggesting that day-to-day performance, build quality and ease of use live up to the Smeg name.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH suits households that cook regularly and want responsive, traditional gas control without unnecessary gimmicks. If you do a mix of weekday family meals and weekend batch cooking, the four burners and varied power levels should cover most bases.
It’s a good fit if you’re investing in a mid-range to premium kitchen and want the hob to look the part. The enamel surface and substantial cast iron pan supports give it a more upmarket feel than basic stainless steel models, while the 60cm width makes it an easy swap for most standard cut-outs.
Keen home cooks who use larger pans or cook a lot of stir-fries will particularly benefit from the ultra-rapid wok burner. It delivers intense heat quickly, making it easier to sear ingredients properly and bring big pots up to the boil.
If you’re on a tight budget or looking for advanced extras like timers, touch controls or smart connectivity, this isn’t the most feature-loaded option. But for users who value style, reliability and straightforward controls over bells and whistles, it’s a strong contender.
The standout feature is the ultra-rapid wok burner, which offers up to 3.3 kW of power. This gives you strong, concentrated heat for wok cooking, searing steaks, or rapidly boiling large pans of water.
Cast iron pan supports are another big plus. They’re robust and stable, so even heavy casserole dishes and large frying pans feel secure, and they lend a premium, professional look to the hob. Their continuous design also makes it easier to slide pans from one burner to another.
Automatic ignition built into the rotary dials keeps operation quick and intuitive – you simply press and turn to light, with no separate ignition button or matches needed. The front-mounted controls are easy to reach, which is helpful if you’re shorter or have mobility issues.
Safety is well covered too, thanks to flame failure devices and automatic safety shut off. If a flame goes out accidentally, the gas supply is cut, adding peace of mind in busy family kitchens. The included LPG conversion kit also makes it versatile if you’re on bottled gas rather than mains.
There’s no timer or control panel lock, which some modern gas and induction hobs now offer as standard. If you like to set a countdown when simmering sauces or want extra reassurance in a household with curious children, you may miss these extras.
The enamel surface, while attractive, typically shows marks and spills more readily than some stainless or glass options and can take a little more care to keep looking pristine, especially in black.
With only four burners, it’s a standard layout rather than an especially spacious one. For very large households or serious entertainers who regularly juggle five or six pans at once, a wider hob with more zones might be more suitable.
Finally, the two-year warranty is decent but not exceptional for a premium-leaning brand. Some rivals in this space offer longer cover, which is worth bearing in mind if you prioritise extended peace of mind.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is straightforward to live with. The front-mounted rotary dials are clearly laid out and easy to grip, so adjusting the flame is quick and precise. Automatic ignition means you light the burner with a single motion, which feels natural even if you’re upgrading from an older hob.
The four burners are arranged to give a good spread of sizes, with three different burner diameters covering everything from small saucepans to large stockpots. The ultra-rapid burner is especially handy for your main pan position, as it gets up to temperature quickly and holds a strong flame for searing and boiling.
Cast iron supports provide a solid cooking platform; pans sit flat and stable, which is reassuring when stirring or moving heavier pots. Because the supports cover most of the surface, sliding pans between burners feels smooth. Cleaning will require lifting off these heavier supports and wiping down the enamel top, so it’s worth dealing with spills promptly to keep the black finish looking sharp.
Installation needs both an electrician to connect the hob’s power for ignition and a Gas Safe registered engineer to handle the gas connection, as no hose is included. Once fitted, though, there’s very little to manage beyond normal cleaning and occasional checks, making it a low-fuss choice for regular home cooking.
Performance-wise, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH focuses on solid, reliable gas power. The burners span a range from 1.05 kW up to 3.3 kW, giving you fine control for everything from gentle simmering to fast boiling. The ultra-rapid burner delivers especially strong heat, ideal for woks and larger pans where you need a vigorous flame.
Being a traditional gas hob, the core benefit is instant responsiveness – you see the flame and feel the change as soon as you turn the dial. This makes techniques like reducing sauces or stir-frying easier to judge by eye and feel compared with some electric alternatives.
In terms of features, Smeg has focused on the essentials rather than layering on electronics. Automatic ignition is built into each burner, so there’s no separate button to press, and the enamel surface is designed to be durable enough for daily use. Cast iron supports enhance both stability and heat distribution around the base of your pans.
Safety features are robust. Each burner has a flame failure safety device that automatically cuts the gas if the flame is extinguished, and the hob includes an automatic safety shut off. For homes on LPG, the included conversion kit means the hob can be set up for bottled gas without buying extra parts, which adds flexibility if you live rurally or are planning a future move.
Although it lacks modern extras like digital displays, touch controls or smart connectivity, the SR964NGH delivers where it counts for most cooks: strong, controllable heat, solid construction and sensible safety systems.
At its current price, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH sits in the mid to upper part of the gas hob market, reflecting its premium styling and brand positioning. You’re paying more than you would for a basic four-burner hob, but you are getting sturdier construction, a distinctive design and a powerful wok burner.
The strong 4.8 out of 5 user rating supports the idea that buyers generally feel they’ve had good value, especially in terms of reliability, looks and everyday cooking performance. For households that cook a lot and keep appliances for many years, that reassurance is worth something.
If your priority is simply the lowest possible price, there are cheaper models that will still get the job done, albeit with more utilitarian finishes and fewer premium touches. But if you want a gas hob that feels substantial, looks at home in a smarter kitchen and offers confident heat output, the SR964NGH justifies its price reasonably well.
Overall, it represents fair value for a design-led, branded hob with strong owner satisfaction, provided you’re not expecting cutting-edge electronic features for the money.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH 60cm gas hob is a stylish, well-built option for cooks who prefer the immediacy of gas and want their hob to complement a more considered kitchen design. Its powerful wok burner, sturdy cast iron supports and straightforward rotary controls make it capable and pleasant to use day after day.
It’s not packed with digital extras, and the absence of a timer or control lock may put off those who want the latest features or added safety functions. The enamel surface also rewards more regular cleaning to stay looking its best, particularly in a busy family home.
If you’re after a budget workhorse, there are simpler four-burner hobs that will cost less. But if you value classic looks, a quality feel and strong, versatile burner performance from a trusted Italian brand, the SR964NGH is an easy model to recommend.