Although induction hobs make cooking faster and more efficient, they do encounter occasional problems that could disrupt your cooking routine.
They work differently than traditional cooktops, so it can be a bit confusing to troubleshoot at times.
Let’s delve into some of the most common problems you might encounter with an induction hob and how you can fix them.
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10 Common Induction Hob Problems and Fixes
1. Induction Hob Won’t Work with My Pans
Check if your cooking pots or pans are made with ferrous metals, such as cast iron or stainless steel. Induction hobs use electromagnetic waves to heat your cookware and won’t react with incompatible metals.
Place a magnet on the base of your pan, if it sticks, you’re good to go, this will indicate compatibility with your induction hob. If you have aluminium or copper cookware, you will need to upgrade to compatible induction hob pans.
2. Induction Hob Won’t Start When I Turn It On
Another common problem people encounter when using their induction hob is it failing to start when you turn it on. First, you should check if your induction hob is in safety lock mode.
Another reason this problem may occur is an overload in your home’s circuit breaker or a broken electrical outlet. When you experience power problems, you can’t use your induction hob, unlike gas ones.
Additionally, your induction hob’s voltage might not be compatible with your outlets. Depending on how often you use your induction hob, how long you’ve had it, and how much power it uses, a diminishing lifespan can also be why it would it has trouble starting up.
Consider calling a qualified electrician to resolve these electrical issues to keep your induction hob working normally.
3. Induction Hob Keeps Shutting Down While Cooking
Configure the induction hob’s settings to turn off the automatic shutdown features when leaving it alone after it finishes cooking your food.
Although this feature is ideal for homeowners looking for safer cooking methods, constantly switching it back on can be tedious.
Other auto-shutdown features activate when it becomes too hot, so checking for blockage in its vents would be wise.
4. Induction Hob’s LED Screen Keeps Flashing
If you own an induction hob with an LED screen, it may flash to tell you that it reached a specific cooking temperature or the timer went off.
It’s a helpful tool that reminds you to turn off the hob if you left it on for a while.
If it continues flashing after using your induction hob, turn it off. Then, after a few seconds, turn it back on to see if it keeps blinking.
5. The Control Panel Buttons Won’t Work
If you can’t adjust your induction hob’s settings with the buttons on its control pad, check if you activated the safety lock feature.
Some induction hob problems occur when we do something without even realizing it.
Dirt or residue can also interfere with the sensitivity of your hob’s buttons. You can fix this issue by cleaning up messes as quickly as possible.
However, if none of these is the source of your induction hob problems, it might be a technical problem. Consider calling a technician to see what’s wrong before you decide on replacing your unit.
6. Malfunctioning Burners
A faulty copper coil burner can be one possible reason why your burners won’t work correctly.
Since they use electromagnetic induction to heat compatible cookware and food, any damage to these coils cancels the energy flow between each surface.
Consider having a qualified technician replace your induction hob’s coils as soon as possible if you suspect cracks or tears in the coil.
7. Induction Hob Making Noises
Although an induction hob makes humming/buzzing noises when heating your cookware or when its internal fan cools down after using it, cracking noises are the sound you should listen for when troubleshooting it.
Crackling noises indicate that your induction hob has come into contact with incompatible materials. Continuous interaction between these surfaces can lead to scorch marks and other physical damage.
You can resolve this issue by swapping out your cookware with better construction and electromagnetic properties.
If the fan makes more noise than usual, call a professional to help you resolve the issue.
8. Half of the Induction Hob Isn’t Functioning
Induction hobs use a lot of energy to function, especially if you run several burners simultaneously, which sometimes leads to some of them failing to work.
One way to fix this problem is to check if it’s placed correctly in its power source. If not, adjust it as quickly as possible.
However, if your device is plugged into a compatible source, and only half of it’s working, some of its components might be faulty.
Consult a technician or the manufacturer’s technical support for more information about fixing it safely.
Related: Induction Hob Not Working on One Side – Causes and Solutions
9. Induction Hob Isn’t Heating the Food Evenly
Uneven cooking on your induction hob could be the result of using the wrong cookware. The electromagnetic energy heating the pans transfers better when using flat bases for even distribution and contact.
The weight of your cookware also affects how they cook your food. Lightweight pots or pans won’t heat evenly and burn your food quicker.
Heavier pots can overcook your food if you don’t control your temperature settings and damage the hob’s surface because of its weight.
The best solution for counteracting this is finding cookware with a balanced weight.
10. Boost Settings Reduces the Hob’s Power
Using the boost feature doesn’t usually indicate there’s a problem with your induction hob. Instead, it draws energy from other burners to maximize the strength and heating time of the burner you want to use.
To solve this issue, just turn the boost function off, and your other hob burners should go back to their normal power levels.
Wrapping up
Hopefully, this list of solutions and fixes for your induction hob problems has helped with any minor problems you might be having.
As with any home appliance, always reach out to the manufacturer if you fail to troubleshoot any problem.