The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a 60cm built‑in gas hob that pairs traditional styling with solid, everyday performance. Finished in black enamel with chunky front‑mounted dials, it’s designed to sit neatly in a classic or shaker‑style kitchen without looking dated.
With four burners including a dedicated wok zone and robust cast iron pan supports, it’s aimed at households that cook regularly and want the control of gas without overcomplicating things. At this price it sits in the more premium end of standard 60cm gas hobs, reflecting Smeg’s upmarket positioning.
A strong 4.8 out of 5 user rating from multiple reviews suggests owners are very happy with how it performs day to day, from quick weeknight suppers to more ambitious weekend recipes.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is ideal for medium‑sized households that cook most days and want something better built and better looking than a basic stainless‑steel hob. The 4‑burner layout with three different burner sizes suits everything from small saucepans to larger family pans.
If you enjoy stir‑fries, searing steaks or generally cooking at higher heat, the dedicated ultra‑rapid wok burner will be a real draw. It’s perfect for anyone who wants more punch than a standard burner without stepping up to a larger 5‑burner model.
This hob is best suited to buyers with a mid to upper‑mid range budget who value design and build quality as much as raw spec. It’s a good match for people upgrading an older hob as part of a kitchen refresh, or those fitting out a new kitchen and wanting appliances that complement a traditional or country style.
If you’re after masses of extra features like touch controls, timers or smart connectivity, this isn’t the one. But if you prefer straightforward rotary dials, instant gas control and a reassuringly solid feel, it fits the bill very well.
The four‑burner layout with three different burner sizes makes it easy to match the flame to your cookware, from gentle simmering to full‑blast boiling. The ultra‑rapid wok burner provides quick, intense heat that’s excellent for stir‑fries and fast searing – something many cheaper 60cm hobs lack.
Cast iron pan supports give the hob a premium, professional feel. They’re sturdy and stable, so heavy pans feel secure and are less likely to wobble when you’re stirring or moving things around.
Everyday usability is strong thanks to the front‑mounted rotary dials and automatic ignition – you simply turn and the gas lights, with no separate ignition button to press. The enamel surface helps keep cleaning manageable, as spills can be wiped away once cool.
On the safety front, automatic safety shut‑off and flame failure devices provide peace of mind, especially in busy family kitchens. The included LPG conversion kit also makes it flexible if you’re on bottled gas rather than mains.
There’s no built‑in timer or control panel lock, so you don’t get the extra convenience or child‑safety features that some modern hobs offer. If you like to set a burner and have it remind you when to check a pan, you’ll need to rely on a separate kitchen timer.
The enamel surface looks smart, but it can be more prone to showing scratches and marks over time than some higher‑end glass or stainless finishes, so a bit of care is needed when cleaning and lifting the cast iron supports.
With only four burners, serious cooks who often have lots of pans on the go might find it limiting compared with a 5‑burner layout. And while the 2‑year warranty is reasonable, some rivals in this price bracket stretch to longer cover, which would add extra reassurance.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH feels straightforward and predictable to use. Automatic ignition means each burner lights quickly as you turn the dial, and the front‑mounted controls are easy to see and reach without having to lean over hot pans.
The spread of burner sizes works well in practice: you can keep a sauce ticking over on the smallest burner while boiling pasta or potatoes on a larger one. The wok burner offers noticeably more punch for quick cooking, which makes mid‑week meals feel less of a chore.
The cast iron pan supports create a flat, continuous surface so you can slide pans from one burner to another, helpful when you’re juggling courses or reducing sauces. They are weighty, which adds stability but also means you’ll want to lift them carefully for cleaning.
Cleaning is relatively simple: the enamel surface can be wiped down once cool, and the removable supports and burner caps make it easier to get into corners. There’s no advanced self‑cleaning tech, but for a gas hob this is entirely normal and the low 3cm profile helps it sit neatly into most worktops.
Performance centres on the four gas burners, with a power range from 1.05 kW up to a punchy 3.3 kW on the ultra‑rapid zone. This gives you good control across gentle simmering, everyday boiling and high‑heat frying. For a 60cm hob, that’s a very respectable spread.
The dedicated wok burner is the standout feature, delivering intense heat quickly to the base of your pan. It’s particularly useful for Asian recipes that need fast, high‑temperature cooking, but equally handy for bringing large pots of water to the boil more quickly than a standard burner.
Construction is reassuringly solid. Cast iron pan supports are more durable than basic enamelled wire and help distribute heat more evenly by keeping cookware stable. The enamel cooking surface provides a classic look in black, matching well with other Smeg Victoria appliances and traditional kitchens.
On the safety side, the hob incorporates flame failure devices and automatic safety shut‑off, cutting the gas supply if a flame is accidentally extinguished. For families or shared homes, this is a major tick.
Feature‑wise it’s deliberately simple: gas fuel, rotary controls, automatic ignition and compatibility with both natural gas and LPG (with a conversion kit included). There are no digital timers, touch controls or smart functions, but for many cooks that simplicity is an advantage rather than a drawback.
At £399, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH sits towards the premium side of standard 60cm gas hobs. You’re paying partly for the Smeg name and design, but also for the build quality, cast iron supports and the inclusion of a powerful wok burner.
While some cheaper hobs offer a similar number of burners, they often cut corners on materials or lack the higher‑output zone. Here, the combination of a solid specification, comprehensive safety features and a cohesive traditional aesthetic helps justify the price for buyers who care about how their kitchen looks as much as how it cooks.
The strong 4.8/5 user rating suggests owners feel they’re getting good value in real‑world use, with performance and ease of use living up to the cost. If you’re on a tight budget there are simpler, cheaper options, but as a mid‑to‑premium choice that should last, it represents sound value.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a well‑built, stylish 60cm gas hob that delivers exactly what most home cooks need: reliable heat, a genuinely powerful wok burner and sturdy pan supports, all wrapped in a classic black finish. Its straightforward rotary controls and automatic ignition make it easy to live with day to day.
It’s not the most feature‑packed hob on the market, and the lack of a timer or control lock may put off those who want more tech. However, the core cooking performance, safety features and premium feel more than compensate if simplicity and design are your priorities.
If you’re upgrading an older hob or fitting out a traditional‑style kitchen and want a dependable, good‑looking gas hob that feels a cut above entry‑level models, this Smeg Victoria is a very strong option. Households needing a fifth burner or extensive smart features should look elsewhere, but for most everyday cooks it will be a pleasure to use.
