Home » Product Reviews » Smeg Victoria SR964NGH 60cm Gas Hob review
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a 60cm built-in gas hob that blends classic styling with the sort of control keen home cooks look for. Finished in black enamel with chunky rotary dials and heavy cast iron pan supports, it’s designed to be a focal point in a traditional or shaker-style kitchen.
With four burners including a high-output wok zone, automatic ignition and proper flame failure safety, it offers more than a basic entry-level hob. The price sits at the premium end for a 60cm gas hob, but a strong 4.8 out of 5 user rating from multiple owners suggests buyers are very happy with the build and day-to-day performance.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH suits households that cook most days and want the speed and responsiveness of gas with a more traditional look. If you regularly have a few pans on the go for family meals, the four well-spaced burners will feel like a natural upgrade from an older, flimsier hob.
It’s a good fit for home cooks who use a wok or like to sear food properly. The ultra-rapid burner delivers intense heat, making stir-fries, steaks and big pots of pasta water noticeably quicker.
Budget-wise, this is best for mid-range to premium shoppers who are happy to pay extra for stronger build quality and Smeg’s retro styling. If you simply want the cheapest 60cm hob, this probably isn’t it, but if you’re renovating a kitchen and want something that looks and feels more substantial, it makes much more sense.
It’s also ideal for people who prefer straightforward controls. The front-mounted rotary dials and automatic ignition keep things reassuringly simple, so it’s as suitable for a first-time gas user as it is for a more experienced cook.
The standout feature is the powerful wok burner, which provides quick, intense heat across a wide base. That means faster boiling, better stir-fries and more confident searing compared with standard burners.
Sturdy cast iron pan supports give the hob a solid, professional feel and make it easier to slide heavy pans between zones without lifting. They’re far more stable and durable than the lightweight enamelled trivets you find on cheaper models.
Automatic ignition on the rotary dials keeps operation simple and safe – you just twist and the burner lights, without having to juggle separate ignition buttons.
Safety is well covered, with flame failure devices shutting off the gas if a flame goes out, and automatic safety shut-off adding another layer of reassurance.
Finally, the slim 3cm profile and 60cm width make it a neat, integrated choice for standard worktops, while the black enamel and Victoria styling give it a distinct, high-end look that owners clearly appreciate, reflected in its very strong 4.8/5 user rating.
For a 60cm hob with four burners, the price is on the higher side, largely due to the Smeg branding and styling rather than a long list of advanced features.
The enamel surface, while attractive, is typically a bit more prone to showing scratches and burnt-on marks than some modern glass or stainless steel alternatives, so it may need a bit of extra care to keep looking its best.
There’s no timer, control panel lock or other convenience extras that some rivals now include, so if you like integrated timers or child-lock features, you may find the spec a little basic for the money.
Lastly, although the 2-year warranty is decent, some competing premium brands offer longer cover on built-in appliances, which would be reassuring at this price point.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a very straightforward hob to live with. The front-mounted rotary dials are clearly laid out and easy to grip, so adjusting the flame while you’re cooking feels natural and precise. Automatic ignition means you simply press and turn to get going.
The four burners are sensibly arranged with three different sizes, allowing you to match pans to the right level of heat. The ultra-rapid burner works particularly well for large pots and woks, while the smaller burners give good control for simmering sauces or gently melting chocolate.
The continuous cast iron pan supports make it easy to move pans around without losing stability, which is especially useful when juggling multiple dishes. They’re weighty, so they feel premium, though lifting them off for cleaning is a two-handed job.
The enamel surface is smooth, so everyday spills can usually be wiped away with a soft cloth and mild cleaner, but as with most enamel hobs, letting food bake on will mean a bit more elbow grease. With no complex electronics or touch controls, there’s little to confuse or get in the way of simple, reliable cooking.
In terms of raw cooking performance, the Victoria SR964NGH focuses on strong, dependable gas power. The burner range from 1.05 kW up to 3.3 kW gives you everything from a gentle simmer to a fierce boil, so you can handle delicate sauces and high-heat frying on the same hob.
The ultra-rapid burner is the star attraction. It’s designed to spread intense heat over a wider area, making it particularly effective with larger pans and woks. If you often cook for a family or enjoy Asian-style dishes, this burner will noticeably cut down on waiting time and improve results.
Smeg has kept the feature set deliberately traditional rather than high-tech. You get automatic ignition on all burners, flame failure safety devices on each zone and automatic safety shut-off for added peace of mind. There’s no digital display, timers or smart connectivity – this is about straightforward, mechanical reliability.
The enamel surface and cast iron supports contribute to both performance and durability. Cast iron holds heat well, which helps maintain a steady flame contact with your pans, and it gives the supports that reassuringly solid feel you’d expect from a more premium hob.
Installation-wise, it’s designed as an integrated appliance with 60cm width, LPG compatibility and a conversion kit included, which is handy if you’re on bottled gas. It does require both an electrician to connect the power for ignition and a Gas Safe registered engineer to hook up the gas, so factor that into your plans.
This Smeg hob sits in the premium bracket for a standard 60cm, four-burner gas model. You can certainly find cheaper options with similar burner counts, but you’d usually be sacrificing the heavier cast iron supports, the distinctive Victoria styling and Smeg’s overall fit and finish.
Where it justifies its price is in the combination of solid construction, powerful wok burner and strong owner satisfaction. A 4.8/5 rating from existing users is a good sign that the higher upfront cost translates into a more satisfying long-term experience.
If your priority is simply a functional hob for the lowest possible outlay, this may feel expensive. However, if you’re investing in a kitchen you’ll use and look at every day, and you value both aesthetics and reassuring build quality, the SR964NGH offers fair value in the context of premium branded gas hobs.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a stylish, well-built 60cm gas hob that delivers reliable performance and serious heat where it counts. The powerful wok burner, sturdy cast iron pan supports and simple rotary controls make it a pleasure to cook on, while robust safety features provide peace of mind.
It isn’t the most feature-packed hob on the market and the price reflects its premium positioning and design as much as its spec sheet. If you want timers, lock functions or smart controls, there are more modern-looking alternatives to consider.
For anyone creating a classic or country-style kitchen, or simply wanting a high-quality gas hob that feels substantial and performs consistently well, the SR964NGH is an excellent choice that should keep most home cooks very happy.