A hob that suddenly reduces power while you’re cooking often feels like it’s ignoring your settings.
People assume:
• the controls are faulty
• power is cutting out
• the hob can’t cope with heat
In many cases, the hob is protecting itself and regulating temperature, not malfunctioning.
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Why modern hobs adjust power automatically
Modern hobs — especially induction and ceramic — are designed to:
• prevent overheating
• protect internal electronics
• manage power safely
• avoid damage to cookware
If conditions exceed safe limits, the hob will reduce power automatically.
This is intentional behaviour.
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The most common normal reasons power drops
1. Pan overheating
If the pan becomes:
• very hot
• empty or nearly empty
• unevenly heated
…the hob may reduce power to prevent damage.
This is common when:
• heating oil
• boiling dry
• using thin cookware
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2. Thermal protection
Hobs contain sensors that monitor:
• internal temperature
• surface heat
• electronic load
If temperatures rise too quickly, power is reduced until conditions stabilise.
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3. Shared power limits
On multi-zone hobs:
• zones often share a total power budget
• increasing one zone may reduce another
• boost modes may be temporary
This can feel like random power loss, but it’s load management.
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4. Induction-specific behaviour
Induction hobs constantly:
• adjust magnetic output
• respond to pan temperature
• cycle power rapidly
If the pan heats faster than expected, power drops automatically.
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Why this behaviour feels wrong
People expect:
The hob to deliver exactly what they set.
Modern hobs behave more like:
A regulator than a switch.
That mismatch causes frustration.
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When power reduction is usually normal
Power reduction is usually normal if:
• cooking continues
• heat returns after a pause
• behaviour changes with pan type
• no error codes appear
Temporary power drops are part of safe operation.
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When power reduction may indicate a problem
It may indicate a fault if:
• power drops repeatedly under light loads
• cooking cannot be sustained
• zones shut down unexpectedly
• error messages appear
• performance worsens over time
Those signs suggest control or sensor failure, not normal regulation.
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The key diagnostic question
Ask:
Is the hob managing heat — or unable to deliver it?
Managing = normal
Unable = fault
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The calm conclusion
A hob that turns itself down is usually:
• preventing overheating
• protecting electronics
• managing shared power safely
It feels like interference — but it’s usually safety doing its job.