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, combining the brand’s retro-inspired styling with a straightforward four-burner layout. It is designed for everyday family cooking but with enough punch to handle a weekend stir-fry or big pan of pasta.
Smeg sits firmly in the premium camp, and this hob follows that pattern: you are paying for design and build quality as much as the spec sheet. With an excellent 4.8 out of 5 rating from owners, it clearly delivers in real kitchens, especially for those who value a traditional, gas-first cooking experience over flashy extras.
If you want a smart, dependable gas hob that looks more upmarket than most standard stainless models, the Victoria SR964NGH is well worth a look.
This hob is ideal for small to medium households that cook most days and want something reliable, powerful and easy to live with. The four-burner layout covers the basics perfectly, with enough space to run several pans at once without feeling cramped.
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 give it a more traditional, range-style feel, making it a good match for shaker or classic kitchens where a plain steel hob might look out of place.
If you enjoy cooking and often use a wok, the dedicated ultra-rapid burner will appeal. It delivers more intense heat than a standard burner, helping you get closer to that proper searing stir-fry finish at home.
It is less suited to those who want ultra-modern features like touch controls, timers on each zone or app connectivity. This is a conventional gas hob with rotary knobs and no built-in timer, so it’s aimed at people who value simplicity and classic controls over bells and whistles.
The standout strength here is the combination of a powerful wok/ultra-rapid burner and three additional burners covering a useful spread of heat from 1.05 kW up to 3.3 kW. That means gentle simmering, everyday boiling and high-heat frying are all covered without fuss.
Cast iron pan supports are a big plus at this price point. They feel solid and secure, give the hob a more premium presence and provide a stable platform for everything from small milk pans to heavy casserole dishes.
Automatic ignition and simple front-mounted rotary dials make it very straightforward to use. There’s no hunting for buttons or holding matches – you just turn and light in one motion.
Safety is well thought through with flame failure devices and automatic safety shut-off. If a flame goes out unexpectedly, the gas is cut off, which is reassuring in busy family kitchens.
Finally, owner satisfaction is excellent. A 4.8 out of 5 score from multiple reviews suggests people find it reliable, easy to cook on and worth the investment.
For a premium-leaning hob, the feature set is quite traditional. There’s no timer, no child lock and no digital display, so if you like built-in reminders or extra safety controls, you may find it a bit basic.
The enamel surface, while attractive, will usually mark and scratch more easily than some high-end glass or stainless finishes if you are not careful. It may also take a little more effort to keep looking pristine, especially around the burners.
Installation needs both an electrician to connect the ignition supply and a Gas Safe engineer for the gas connection, and the hose is not included. That’s standard for many gas hobs but still adds to the overall cost.
The warranty is a fairly standard 2 years for domestic use. Given the price and premium branding, a longer guarantee would have been welcome for extra peace of mind.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH feels reassuringly solid. The cast iron pan supports lock together to create a continuous surface, so sliding pans between burners is easy and they never feel precarious. Front-mounted rotary controls are clearly laid out and within easy reach, which helps when you’re juggling several pans at once.
Automatic ignition on each burner speeds up getting started: turn the knob, it clicks and lights, with no separate ignition button. The mix of burner sizes means you quickly get used to which corner to use for what – a smaller burner for simmering sauces, a mid-range one for everyday tasks, and the ultra-rapid zone when you need serious heat.
Cleaning is typical of a traditional gas hob. The pan supports lift off, and the enamel surface can be wiped down once cool. Spills need to be tackled reasonably promptly to avoid staining and baked-on residue, but the flat enamel top is easier to deal with than some heavily contoured designs.
Because it’s a 60cm hob, it fits standard worktop cut-outs and doesn’t overwhelm the space, making it a good choice for most UK kitchens. With integrated automatic safety shut-off and flame failure protection, it also feels secure for family use, as long as normal gas safety guidelines are followed.
Performance-wise, the SR964NGH focuses on doing the basics very well. The 1.05 to 3.3 kW burner range gives you enough flexibility to simmer, boil and fry without feeling underpowered. The ultra-rapid/wok burner is the highlight, delivering quick, intense heat that works brilliantly for stir-fries, searing meat and bringing large pots to the boil faster.
The other three burners are thoughtfully sized, so you can run a small pan and a large casserole side by side. This makes it easier to manage a full meal on the go, from sauces and sides to mains, without constantly shuffling pans to find heat.
Automatic ignition is built in, so you avoid the faff of manual lighters, and the fact that all controls are on the front helps you see and adjust the flame quickly. There’s no fancy touch interface to learn, which many cooks will actually appreciate.
On the safety front, the hob includes both flame failure devices and automatic safety shut-off. If a pan boils over and extinguishes the flame, the gas supply stops, reducing the risk of gas build-up. This is an important feature that not all older or budget gas hobs provide.
The enamel surface and cast iron supports are robust and feel durable, but they are more about classic looks and solid construction than advanced cleaning technology. You don’t get extras like timers, dual-ring burners with fine-level flame control, or smart features, but for straightforward, responsive gas cooking, this hob is very capable.
At around £399, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH sits at the premium end of the 60cm gas hob market, where cheaper models often undercut it significantly. What you’re paying for is the combination of Smeg’s styling, the sturdy cast iron supports, strong safety credentials and the powerful wok burner.
If your priority is simply the lowest price for four burners, there are more basic options that will do the job. However, if you want a hob that looks and feels more substantial, and you’re drawn to Smeg’s classic aesthetic, the extra outlay is easier to justify.
The very strong 4.8/5 user rating backs up the value argument: owners generally feel they’ve bought a reliable, well-made appliance. With a 2-year warranty and LPG conversion kit included, it represents good – though not bargain – value for buyers seeking a long-term, good-looking addition to their kitchen.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a stylish, well-built 60cm gas hob that delivers reliable performance and a premium feel. Its powerful wok burner, solid cast iron pan supports and straightforward controls make it a pleasure to cook on, particularly if you enjoy traditional gas cooking and want something that looks more distinctive than a standard stainless steel model.
It isn’t packed with modern extras – there’s no timer, display or child lock – and the enamel surface needs a bit of care to keep looking its best. Given the price, some might hope for a longer warranty or more advanced features.
If you value classic design, strong everyday performance and safety, and are happy to pay a little more for the Smeg name and finish, this hob is an excellent choice. Budget-focused buyers or those wanting high-tech features may be better served elsewhere, but for many family kitchens, the Victoria SR964NGH strikes a very satisfying balance.