Induction hobs: buying guide
Check cookware, zone layout and the electrical installation before comparing cooking energy.
Reviewed · Next editorial review by 5 February 2027 · Independent buying framework; no hands-on testing or product ratings.
Start with the pans you use together and the kitchen's installation constraints. The important question is whether those pans can sit and operate comfortably on the available zones. Then verify compatible cookware and the exact model's power requirements. A high maximum connected load describes an installation demand, not the electricity used for every meal.
Which type suits your home?
Fixed-zone hob
Compare zone positions and sizes with your everyday pans. Check whether a larger pot leaves room for another pan you normally use at the same time.
Flexible or linked-zone hob
Consider it for cookware that genuinely needs that arrangement. Verify permitted pan shapes and zone combinations instead of assuming every area of the glass is an unrestricted cooking surface.
Portable induction unit
Potentially useful for a separate supported cooking position. Check connection requirements, placement rules and controls for that exact model rather than generalising from a built-in hob's specifications.
What to check before buying
Cookware compatibility
Check the hob maker's cookware guidance and your pan bases. Include replacement cookware in the purchase budget if needed; do not count only the price of the glass appliance.
Simultaneous cooking
Compare how controls and power allocation work when several zones are used. Your normal meal may matter more than the highest short-term setting available on one otherwise unused zone.
Cut-out and electrical requirements
Verify the installation drawing, ventilation and permitted supply arrangements with a suitable installer. Do not infer compatibility from a superficially similar hob already fitted in the kitchen.
Controls and cleaning
Check the ease of setting each zone, reading the display and using supported safety controls. Decide whether the layout suits your hands and usual cooking rhythm rather than choosing on appearance alone.
What ownership really involves
Include installation and any cookware changes in the total. Compare measured energy for the same food, pan and starting conditions when possible. Maximum power multiplied by a full meal duration is usually an unsuitable substitute for task-level consumption.
A common comparison mistake
A flexible-zone description or a fast boost setting is not proof of lower annual cost. This guide gives buying criteria, not wiring advice, and does not establish compatibility for a particular pan or existing electrical circuit.
Compare running costs
A hypothetical complete hob cooking task using 1kWh, once a day. These are hypothetical starting figures, not a measured product average. Scenario B starts equal to A: change it to your alternative's documented figure.
Annual difference: £0.00. Equal under these assumptions.
This is invented task energy, not a typical induction meal or maximum connected load. Different pans, settings and recipes change consumption. Electricity only; excludes standing charges and purchase costs. Monthly figures spread annual cost over 12 calendar months. Seasonal estimate uses active weeks × uses per active week; 52 weeks is 364 days. A and B share the same usage assumptions.
Your questions answered
Can I use all my existing pans?
Check the exact hob's cookware guidance and the pan manufacturer's information. Verify base size and compatibility rather than assuming that every metal or expensive pan will work as intended.
What energy figure should I enter?
Measured kWh for a complete, repeatable cooking task is the best basis for your own comparison. Keep food quantity and conditions consistent; the connected-load rating is not a measured meal-energy figure.
Sources and evidence limits
Source links support the stated buying considerations. Manufacturer material is commercial information, not independent comparative testing. Our editable energy figures are hypothetical and are not taken from these products.
- Bosch UK: electric hob buying guide ↗
Manufacturer buying guidance. Induction/ceramic formats and cookware considerations. Installation must follow exact model requirements.
Check the current manual and product sheet for the exact model before purchasing. How we selected these 30 categories · Calculation methodology · Affiliate disclosure