Electric Cooktop Reset: How to Fix and When to Call a Pro

When your electric cooktop, a common kitchen appliance that uses electric coils or induction to heat food. Also known as electric hob, it suddenly stops working, the first thing to check isn’t the circuit breaker—it’s the reset button. Most modern electric cooktops have a built-in safety feature that shuts down the unit if it overheats or detects a power surge. A simple reset can bring it back to life, but if that doesn’t work, something deeper is wrong. You’re not alone—this happens more often than people admit, especially in older homes with outdated wiring.

Related to this are electric stove, a broader category that includes cooktops and full ranges. Also known as electric range, it shares many of the same issues. If your stove’s burners won’t heat up, the problem could be a faulty control board, a broken thermostat, or even a tripped internal fuse. Many homeowners try to fix this themselves by unplugging the unit or flipping the breaker, but that’s not always enough. The reset button is usually hidden under the control panel or behind the front edge of the cooktop. You’ll need to remove a panel, often with a screwdriver, and press a small red or black button. If you can’t find it, check your manual—or skip the guesswork and call a pro. Trying to force it open without knowing what you’re doing can cause more damage.

Don’t confuse a reset issue with a power supply problem. If your cooktop is completely dead and nothing else on the same circuit works, that’s a different story. It could mean a blown fuse, a tripped GFCI outlet, or even a wiring fault in the wall. These aren’t DIY fixes. And if you’ve reset the cooktop three times and it keeps shutting off, you’re not fixing the problem—you’re just delaying the inevitable. Something inside is overheating, and it’s a safety risk. The same goes for strange smells, sparks, or flickering lights when you turn on a burner. Those aren’t normal. They’re warning signs.

What you’ll find below are real fixes from people who’ve been there. Some posts show you exactly where to look for that reset button on popular models. Others walk you through testing the heating elements with a multimeter. A few even explain why a $50 repair is smarter than replacing a $1,000 appliance. You’ll also see cases where people thought it was a reset issue, but it turned out to be a bad control panel—or worse, a cracked ceramic glass that needed full replacement. No fluff. Just what works.