Home » Product Reviews » Smeg Victoria SR964NGH 60cm Gas Hob review
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a 60cm built-in gas hob with four burners and a traditional enamel finish, aimed at anyone who wants classic styling with reliable everyday cooking power. With its black enamel surface and chunky cast iron pan supports, it looks and feels more premium than many standard hobs.
Smeg sits firmly at the premium end of the market, and this model follows that pattern with its higher price tag and Italian build. The specification is intentionally straightforward – no touch controls or timers – but it focuses on solid hardware, including a powerful wok burner and robust supports.
Owners rate it very highly, with an impressive 4.8 out of 5 from user reviews, suggesting that while the feature list is simple, it delivers where it counts: control, heat and day-to-day usability.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is ideal for homeowners who want a dependable, traditional gas hob that looks smart in a modern or period-style kitchen. Its 60cm width makes it a natural fit for most standard UK kitchens, whether you’re replacing an old hob or planning a new layout.
It suits keen home cooks who value responsive gas heat and regularly cook from scratch. The inclusion of an ultra-rapid wok burner is a big plus if you enjoy stir-fries, searing meat or quickly bringing large pans of water to the boil.
Budget-wise, this is a premium choice rather than a bargain buy. If you’re simply after the cheapest way to boil pasta, you can get a basic hob for less. But if you’re willing to pay more for solid build quality, cast iron supports and classic Smeg styling, it makes sense.
Because the controls are simple rotary dials with automatic ignition and clear burner layout, it’s just as suitable for first-time gas hob users as it is for more experienced cooks upgrading an older appliance.
The standout strength of the SR964NGH is its combination of sturdy construction and straightforward controls. The cast iron pan supports are thick and reassuring, giving a stable base for everything from small saucepans to heavy casserole dishes.
Performance is bolstered by an ultra-rapid wok burner, delivering quick, intense heat for fast frying, searing and boiling. The burner range from 1.05 to 3.3 kW covers gentle simmering right up to powerful cooking, so you can move between delicate sauces and full-power stir-fries with ease.
Automatic ignition on the front-mounted rotary dials makes lighting the burners quick and reliable, avoiding the need for matches or separate ignition buttons. Safety is well covered too, with flame failure devices on the burners and automatic safety shut-off for added peace of mind.
It’s LPG compatible and supplied with a conversion kit, which is excellent if your kitchen runs on bottled gas or you plan to in future. Add in Smeg’s two-year warranty and strong user rating, and you have a hob that feels built to last.
For the price, the feature set is quite traditional. There’s no timer, no control panel lock and no extra convenience features such as automatic simmer settings, which some similarly priced hobs now include.
The enamel surface looks smart but generally needs a bit more care to keep pristine compared with some modern glass surfaces, especially around the burner caps. Combined with heavy cast iron supports, lifting everything off for a deep clean can be a little more effort.
Front-mounted dials are easy to reach, but they are also more exposed to spills from over-boiling pans. A rear or side control layout can sometimes stay cleaner, so it’s worth bearing in mind if you’re a messy cook.
Finally, the two-year warranty is solid but not outstanding at this price point, where some rivals offer longer cover on certain models.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH feels reassuringly straightforward. The automatic ignition sparks the flame as you turn the dial, so getting started is quick, and the rotary controls give you an intuitive sense of how much heat you’re applying.
The four-burner layout with three different burner sizes means it’s simple to match pots and pans to the right zone. You can have a large pan boiling away on the wok burner while gently simmering a sauce on a smaller burner without feeling cramped on the 60cm surface.
The cast iron pan supports create a continuous, level platform, making it easy to slide pans around without lifting them. This is handy when juggling multiple dishes or moving a heavy pot from fierce heat to a cooler burner.
Cleaning involves removing the cast iron supports and wiping down the enamel. Spills don’t have anywhere complex to hide, but dried-on food may require more elbow grease than on some ultra-smooth glass hobs. Overall, though, the simple layout and robust materials are designed to stand up to everyday cooking.
In performance terms, the SR964NGH does exactly what you’d want from a quality gas hob. The burner power range of 1.05 to 3.3 kW covers everything from low, steady heat for melting chocolate and keeping sauces warm to the high-output wok burner for serious searing and rapid boiling.
The wok burner is the main performance highlight. It delivers a broader, more intense flame pattern than standard burners, ideal for wok cooking but also very effective for large stockpots or big batches of pasta. This kind of burner is not guaranteed on every 60cm hob, so it’s a meaningful upgrade for enthusiastic cooks.
Build and materials play a big part in how it feels to use. The enamel surface is tough and heat resistant, while the cast iron supports provide the kind of weight and solidity you associate with more expensive appliances. Together, they give the hob a premium, “catering-lite” feel compared with flimsy wire supports on cheaper models.
On the safety side, flame failure devices cut the gas if the flame goes out unexpectedly, and automatic safety shut-off adds another layer of reassurance. These are especially welcome in busy family kitchens or open-plan spaces where distractions are common.
Installation features are also well considered: it’s LPG compatible and supplied with a conversion kit, and only needs a 3-amp fuse. As with any gas hob, a Gas Safe registered engineer is required for fitting, and you’ll need an electrician to attach a plug or hardwire the power for ignition, but once installed it’s essentially maintenance-light aside from regular cleaning.
At its price point, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH sits firmly in the premium bracket for a 60cm four-burner gas hob. You can certainly find cheaper options with a similar basic layout, but they may not match the same level of build quality, design and brand cachet.
The value case rests on its solid construction, wok burner, LPG flexibility and safety features, along with Smeg’s design appeal. For buyers who care about aesthetics and longevity as much as raw features, it represents a sensible investment.
The strong 4.8 out of 5 user rating and positive feedback help justify the spend, suggesting that real-world owners feel they’ve got what they paid for. If you’re on a tight budget or want lots of extra smart features, it may feel expensive. But if you’re prioritising a robust, good-looking hob from a respected brand, it offers good value overall.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a well-made, stylish 60cm gas hob that focuses on doing the fundamentals very well. It offers powerful, responsive heat, a genuinely useful wok burner and sturdy cast iron supports, all wrapped in a classic black enamel design.
It’s not the most feature-packed hob on the market and lacks some modern extras like timers, locks and advanced controls. However, for many households that simplicity is a plus, making it easy to live with and quick to understand.
If you’re after a premium-feeling gas hob that looks smart, feels solid and delivers reliable performance every day, this Smeg model is a strong contender. Those on tighter budgets or seeking lots of digital features may be better served elsewhere, but for traditional gas cooking with a high-quality finish, it’s an excellent choice.