Home » Product Reviews » Smeg Victoria SR964NGH 60cm Gas Hob review
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a 60cm built-in gas hob with four burners, dressed in a classic black enamel finish that fits neatly into traditional and modern kitchens alike. It pairs Smeg’s retro-inspired styling with a straightforward, no-nonsense layout.
This is very much a mid‑range, premium‑leaning hob: not the cheapest option on the market, but you’re paying for brand, build quality and design. With a strong 4.8 out of 5 rating from owners, it’s clearly doing something right in real kitchens, especially for home cooks who value both looks and reliable performance.
Instead of flashy smart features, the focus here is on solid hardware – cast iron pan supports, automatic ignition and a powerful wok burner – making it a strong candidate if you want a dependable gas hob that feels a step up from entry-level models.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is ideal for small to medium‑sized households that cook most days and want a hob that looks as good as it performs. With four burners and three burner sizes, it’s well suited to typical weeknight cooking, from boiling pasta to pan‑frying and simmering sauces.
It will particularly appeal to keen home cooks who like to experiment with stir‑fries or larger pans, thanks to the dedicated ultra‑rapid wok burner. If you regularly cook with big pots or a wok, this burner alone makes a strong case for choosing this model over very basic four‑burner hobs.
Budget‑wise, it sits in the mid to upper band for 60cm gas hobs. It’s not a bargain-basement option, so it’s better suited to buyers who are happy to invest a bit more for Smeg’s styling, Italian build and sturdier materials such as cast iron supports.
If you’re after your very first hob and just want something functional at the lowest price, this may be more than you need. But if you’re updating a kitchen and want a reliable, attractive hob that feels a notch more premium than generic stainless steel models, it’s a strong fit.
The standout feature is the ultra‑rapid wok burner, which delivers quick, intense heat that’s perfect for stir‑frying, searing steaks or rapidly bringing large pots to the boil. It gives you a level of responsiveness you simply don’t get from smaller burners.
Sturdy cast iron pan supports span the hob, giving a stable platform for everything from small milk pans to hefty casserole dishes. They not only look and feel more premium than basic enamel supports but also hold up better over time.
Automatic ignition on the rotary dials means lighting the burners is a one‑handed, twist‑and‑go affair, with no separate ignition button or matches to worry about. Front‑mounted controls keep everything within easy reach without leaning over hot pans.
Safety is well covered too, with flame failure devices and automatic safety shut‑off helping to cut the gas if a flame goes out unexpectedly. Add in LPG compatibility with a supplied conversion kit, and it’s a flexible choice whether you’re on mains gas or bottled.
At this price point, some buyers might expect extra conveniences such as a timer, control panel lock or more advanced flame control, none of which are included here. What you get is traditional gas hob operation rather than modern bells and whistles.
The enamel surface, while in keeping with the classic look, can show scratches or burnt‑on marks if not cared for properly, and often needs a bit more effort to keep looking pristine compared with high‑end glass surfaces.
There’s also a standard two‑year warranty, which is decent but not exceptional in a market where some brands now offer longer cover on built‑in appliances. Finally, families with curious children may miss a dedicated control lock, so extra care will be needed in busy households.
Day to day, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is straightforward and familiar to use. The four rotary dials on the front are clearly laid out, each giving you fine manual control over the flame. Automatic ignition means you simply push and twist to light, which quickly becomes second nature.
The low 3cm profile and 60cm width help it sit neatly into standard worktop cut‑outs, and once installed the cast iron pan supports create a flat, continuous cooking surface. Sliding pans from one burner to another feels stable and secure, which is handy when you’re juggling several dishes at once.
Cleaning is about what you’d expect from an enamel gas hob. The pan supports lift off for wiping down the surface, and the burners can be removed for a more thorough clean. Spills will need prompt attention to avoid staining, but the simple layout, without any fussy recesses or metal trim, keeps the job manageable.
Because it’s a traditional gas design with no digital display, timers or touch controls, there’s almost no learning curve. Anyone who has used a gas hob before will be up and running immediately, and guests will find it intuitive too.
Performance on the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH centres on its four gas burners, covering a 1.05 to 3.3kW power range. The smaller burner is ideal for simmering sauces, melting chocolate or keeping food warm without scorching, while the mid‑sized burners handle everyday tasks like boiling potatoes or frying eggs.
The ultra‑rapid wok burner is where this hob steps beyond the basics. Its higher output delivers fast heat to the base of a wok or large pan, giving you that essential sizzle for stir‑fries and making quick work of bigger volumes of water for pasta or stock. If you often cook for a family or entertain, this extra punch saves time and adds versatility.
Cast iron pan supports are a notable feature in this category. They’re more robust than lightweight enamelled supports, helping distribute weight more evenly and resisting wear over the long term. They also contribute to a more upmarket, professional look that matches Smeg’s Victoria styling.
On the safety side, the hob includes flame failure devices and automatic safety shut‑off. If a flame is accidentally blown out, the gas supply is cut, reducing the risk of gas build‑up. Combined with automatic ignition, this makes the hob feel reassuringly modern even though it uses familiar rotary controls.
Installation‑wise, it’s designed for both natural gas and LPG, with a conversion kit included for bottled gas setups. You’ll need a Gas Safe engineer for the gas connection and an electrician to attach a suitable plug or cable, which is standard practice for built‑in gas hobs of this type.
With a price tag that sits in the mid‑to‑upper range for 60cm gas hobs, the Smeg Victoria SR964NGH isn’t aiming to be a budget buy. Instead, it justifies its cost through design, materials and user satisfaction rather than a long list of tech features.
The combination of a powerful wok burner, durable cast iron pan supports and solid safety features puts it ahead of many entry‑level models that may be cheaper but feel flimsier or less capable. For cooks who will actually use the extra burner power and appreciate the sturdier build, that premium is likely to feel worthwhile.
Owner feedback is very strong, with a 4.8 out of 5 rating from multiple reviews, which suggests that real‑world reliability and day‑to‑day performance are living up to expectations. If you simply want the lowest possible price, you can certainly find a basic gas hob for less, but if you value both aesthetics and hardware quality, this Smeg offers good overall value for money.
The Smeg Victoria SR964NGH is a stylish, well‑built 60cm gas hob that focuses on doing the fundamentals very well. It combines a powerful wok burner, robust cast iron supports and sensible safety features in a compact, classic‑looking package.
It’s best suited to households that cook regularly and want a hob that feels more substantial than entry‑level options, without stepping up to the complexity or cost of high‑end glass or induction models. The lack of extras like timers or child locks might put off some buyers, and you are paying a slight premium for the Smeg badge and design.
Overall, if you’re after a dependable, attractive gas hob with enough power for serious cooking and a track record of happy owners, the Victoria SR964NGH is a very strong contender and well worth shortlisting for your next kitchen refresh.