Most power reductions on modern hobs are deliberate.
They’re safety responses, load management, or temperature control.
But sometimes, a hob that keeps cutting power is no longer regulating — it’s failing to deliver heat reliably.
This article marks that final boundary.
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Normal power regulation vs real power failure
Normal regulation:
• power drops temporarily
• heat returns on its own
• cooking continues
• behaviour changes with pan or setting
Real power failure:
• power cuts repeatedly
• heat doesn’t return
• cooking can’t be sustained
• behaviour worsens over time
The difference is recovery.
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Clear signs power cutting is not normal
A hob likely has a fault if any of the following apply:
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Power cuts under light cooking loads
If the hob:
• reduces power while simmering
• cuts out on low settings
• struggles without high heat demand
…it’s not a safety response.
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Heat does not return
If:
• power drops and stays low
• zones shut down completely
• cooking can’t resume without restarting
That’s failure, not regulation.
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Power cutting worsens over time
If the hob:
• used to work normally
• now cuts power more often
• fails under conditions it handled before
That indicates degrading components.
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Power loss affects multiple zones
If:
• several zones cut power together
• behaviour is unpredictable
• the hob becomes unresponsive
The issue is likely internal, not cookware-related.
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Why hobs often fail this way
Modern hobs are designed to:
• protect electronics aggressively
• shut down before damage occurs
• avoid overheating or overload
So failure often looks like:
“It keeps protecting itself — even when it shouldn’t.”
Which masks the underlying problem.
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Common causes once power cutting is real
When power cutting is genuine failure, causes often include:
• faulty temperature sensors
• failing control boards
• internal power supply issues
• damaged wiring or connectors
At this stage, changing pans won’t help.
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The key diagnostic question
Ask:
Is the hob limiting power — or unable to deliver it?
Limiting = normal
Unable = fault
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When to stop adapting and act
It’s time to consider repair or replacement if:
• cooking cannot be sustained
• power drops constantly
• behaviour continues to degrade
• error codes appear
Continuing to cook on a failing hob risks:
• uneven results
• overheating elsewhere
• sudden shutdowns
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The calm conclusion
Most hob power reductions are normal safety behaviour.
But when:
• heat cannot be maintained
• recovery doesn’t happen
• performance worsens steadily
…the hob has crossed from regulation into failure.
This is the point where action is justified.