How to Reset Electric Hob: Simple Fixes and What to Check First

When your electric hob, a cooking surface that uses electric coils or induction to generate heat. Also known as electric cooktop, it suddenly stops working, it’s rarely a broken element—it’s often just stuck in a safety lock. Most modern hobs have built-in overload protection. If the power surged, something boiled over, or the unit overheated, it might have shut down automatically. A simple reset can bring it back to life, saving you a service call and a lot of frustration.

The electric hob isn’t like a boiler or water heater—it doesn’t need complex diagnostics to reset. Usually, all you need is to turn off the power at the wall socket or circuit breaker for a full minute. That’s it. No tools, no manuals, no guessing. Some models have a dedicated reset button under the control panel, often hidden behind a small cover. Others rely entirely on a power cycle. If your hob has digital controls and the display is blank, a reset is almost always the first step. This also applies if one burner works but others don’t—sometimes the control board locks up and needs a fresh start.

Before you reset, check for simple stuff first. Is the circuit breaker tripped? Did you accidentally turn off the hob’s dedicated fuse? Are the sockets working? Plug in a phone charger to test. If the hob still won’t turn on after a reset, the issue might be deeper—a faulty control board, damaged wiring, or a failed heating element. But those are problems for later. Most times, the reset works. And if it doesn’t, you’ll know exactly what you’re dealing with before calling a technician.

There’s a big difference between a hob that won’t turn on and one that heats unevenly. If the display lights up but the burners don’t heat, that’s a different fix. But if the whole thing goes dark, power reset is your friend. You’ll find plenty of real-world examples in the posts below—from people who fixed their hob after a power cut, to those who learned the hard way that leaving a pan on too long can trigger a safety shutdown. Some even thought their hob was dead, only to find out it just needed five minutes unplugged.

Don’t rush to replace your hob just because it stopped working. Many of the same issues that affect electric stoves also apply to hobs. The control systems, power supplies, and safety features are often nearly identical. That’s why the guides below cover everything from resetting a single burner to diagnosing a full unit failure. You’ll also see what happens when you ignore warning signs—like flickering lights or strange smells—and why that’s a bad idea. The goal isn’t to turn you into an electrician. It’s to help you make smart calls before spending money.

What you’ll find here aren’t theory-heavy guides. These are real fixes from real people who dealt with the same problem. Whether your hob is five years old or fifteen, the reset process is usually the same. And if resetting doesn’t work, you’ll know exactly what to look for next—without wasting time on guesswork.