Electric Hob Not Working: Troubleshooting and Fast Repair Tips

Ever started prepping dinner, only to find your electric hob is as dead as disco? Suddenly, your whole meal plan is toast. An electric hob that stops working feels like recipes gone wrong in real-time. Sometimes the solution is simple, and sometimes it means calling in the experts. Let's get your kitchen up and running again by breaking down why your electric hob might quit—and how to fix it without losing your sanity (or dinner plans).

Common Causes When Your Electric Hob Stopped Working

If you think about it, an electric hob isn't as mysterious as it seems. It takes power, routes it to heating elements, and brings the sizzle. Most breakdowns start with boring stuff: fuse issues, faulty controls, worn-out elements, or even a sneaky child lock. Some stats show nearly 30% of hob repairs are just electrical faults that could be checked at home. Nothing techno-magic—just a handful of things that could trip you up.

Power supply is always the first thing to question. A tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse happens way more often than you’d think. We sometimes blame the appliance when it’s really the electrics behind the wall. Walk over to your fuse box and have a look—if the switch is down, that’s your culprit. Reset, wait, and try the hob again. Still no go? Then check the outlet or the isolation switch. Yes, it sounds basic, but skipping this step is like forgetting to turn the tap before checking for water pressure.

Still no power? Take a look at the hob controls themselves. Touch-sensitive panels can get stuck, buttons can jam, and dials wear out. If one of those is playing up, sometimes the hob acts like it’s off even when it’s on. Ever heard the one about the child lock? It exists for a reason. If your hob suddenly stopped working and you see a tiny padlock light or the controls don’t respond, hunt through your manual or look for a button combo to turn off the lock. This trips up both new and experienced users. As

"A recent Which? survey revealed that up to 15% of electric hob call-outs turn out to be activated child locks."

The actual heating elements (the bits that glow red) are another classic fail point. Sometimes you’ll see clear damage—burns, cracks, or nothing lighting up even after the hob says it’s on. If some zones work but one or two don't, that's a robust clue. Elements are known to just wear out from use, especially if they’ve seen a decade or more of service. Modern hobs often have indicator lights for a failed element or error codes flashing, so keep an eye on those clues.

Another overlooked issue is the connectors or wiring beneath the glass. If you’ve recently had a spill or cleaned the hob using a lot of water, moisture can sneak down where the wires live and cause shorts. Occasionally, moving or bumping a hob can pull wires loose—this is rare with built-ins, but not impossible. Burn marks or a faint toasted smell? That’s a textbook sign something’s cooked inside, and you’ll want to stop using the hob until you know it’s safe.

Don’t forget about the sensors—temperature limiters and thermostats. Today’s hobs often come with safety features to shut down overheated zones automatically, which means one runaway pan can trigger a ‘lockout.’ It’s a protective design, but sometimes it stays tripped even after cooling down. Giving the appliance a full reset (turning it off at the mains for a minute) might solve a false alarm here.

Lastly, there’s the control board. Like your phone, modern hobs have computer chips inside. Power surges or actual component faults can take them out. Unless you’ve got a test meter and a knack for electronics, this is where the DIY path usually stops and the professional takes over.

Step-by-Step Fixes: Getting Your Electric Hob Working Again

So you’ve changed your dinner plans and rolled up your sleeves. What next? Let’s walk through the fixes anybody can try before calling for backup. First—safety. Always unplug or isolate the circuit before poking around. Yes, it sounds obvious, but electric shocks are on nobody’s menu.

1. Check the Power: Look at your fuse box for any tripped switches or blown fuses. It's the most common and overlooked cause.
2. Examine the Outlet and Isolation Switch: Make sure the switch is on and the socket isn’t loose or showing signs of burning. Try plugging in a lamp to check if it’s live.
3. Investigate the Controls: Test every button, dial or touch zone. Look for response, lights, or error codes in the display.
4. Child Lock Reset: For hobs with digital displays, look for a lock icon. Flip through the manual or try holding the ‘lock’ button (sometimes it’s on the panel itself) for several seconds to switch the feature off.
5. Heating Element Check: If only some zones work, it’s usually the element itself. Check for visible cracks or if nothing glows at all. Replacing elements means removing the glass and swapping parts—which is doable if you like DIY, but don’t force it.
6. Error Code Lookup: Newer hobs throw out codes for faults. Note what’s flashing and Google the model plus the error code for insight. Manufacturers sometimes publish free troubleshooting PDFs online.
7. Reset the Hob: Sometimes a hard reset (switch off at wall, wait, turn on again) is enough. Systems can get confused—tech support for big brands like Bosch and AEG recommend this first!
8. Moisture or Spills: If liquid got inside, let it dry out. Don’t use the hob if you spot any fizzing or see steam under the glass. Moisture left unchecked can ruin circuit boards fast.

A lot of issues boil down to connections, fuses, or settings. If you’re handy and the hob is out of warranty, removing the top glass is possible. Every model’s screws are a bit different, but you’ll usually find them on the edge. Just don't yank or rip anything—cables inside are delicate. Take photos as you go for easy re-assembly. For swapping an element, unscrew the old one, match the part number from the label, and install the new one—Amazon or spare parts websites are your friends for finding replacements.

If nothing changes after these checks, the control board—basically the hob’s brain—might have failed. At this point, dinner plans probably need rescuing with a takeaway, and you may want to call in someone who can test with proper meters. Boards are fixable but tricky for a novice; no shame in leaving it to a pro.

One last smart move: check your warranty or household insurance. Manufacturers sometimes extend coverage for hidden faults even outside the usual period. Keeping receipts and taking a photo of the model number makes a difference if you need to argue your case for a free repair or replacement.

When to Call a Pro—and How to Avoid It Next Time

There’s a fine line between heroic DIY and disaster. If you smell burning, see scorch marks, or the unit is throwing out error codes you can’t decipher, get an expert. Electric hobs use a lot of current, and messing with them live can be dangerous. UK regulations actually require that, for some wiring jobs, only certified professionals should attempt a repair—especially with built-in appliances.

If you’re booking a repair, be ready with your model number and a quick list of what you tried so far. Techs like it when you’ve done your homework. It cuts diagnostics time and can save you from extra call-out charges. For issues that keep coming back, sometimes a wiring check on your kitchen circuit or a hob replacement (if yours is over 10 years old) might actually be cheaper than endless repairs.

Want to keep your hob sweet for years? Run it at medium settings rather than full blast all the time—elements last longer if you don’t always cook on max. Clean spills right away, as sugar and acids from food can corrode the element connections underneath the glass. “Maintenance is the best cost-saving you’ll ever do for kitchen appliances,” says appliance expert Joe Chase from Fix-It Quick.

"Preventive care is worth more than emergency repair—give your hob five minutes TLC each week."

Keep an eye on power surges—if you live in a stormy area or have sketchy wiring, fitting a surge protector for your kitchen ring main reduces the risk of fried control boards. They’re cheap compared to new hobs. If you have tiny, curious hands in the house, teach kids what the controls do or activate the child lock even when it’s working fine.

For hobs that have seen a few years, consider a yearly “health check.” Local repair techs sometimes offer discounted rates for regular customers who want routine inspections. It’s better than waiting until dinner is ruined by a sudden blackout on the stove.

So next time your electric hob stops in its tracks, skip the panic. A methodical look often turns up a fix you can do yourself—or at least puts you ahead of the curve if you need a repair pro. A working hob is essential, but a little know-how means you don’t have to fear dinner disasters every time something goes dark on the glass.