Some people use the hob even more than they use the oven, and so a broken hob can quickly spell disaster in the kitchen. How will you boil your rice, fry your bacon, and simmer your soup now?
Well, given that most cookers have more than one hob, you could always just use one of the non-broken ones. Still, it’s nice to have a fully-functioning cooker – after all, there may well come a time when you’re cooking loads of different things at once, and when that day arrives, you’ll need your hobs to be firing on all cylinders!
With that in mind, here are some tips for diagnosing your poorly hob and getting it back in working order...
Please note that this article is intended for informational use only. Cooker Spare Parts will not be held responsible for any damage that occurs while you are trying to repair your oven. Always unplug your appliance before attempting any repairs, and call a professional if you don’t know what you’re doing.
- Loose connections? Malfunctioning hobs (particularly malfunctioning electric hobs) are quite often caused by loose connections and faulty wiring. Consider contacting a qualified electrician.
- Don't overload it! If you're trying to cook several different things at once - perhaps for some big family dinner - it may be that your cooker simply can't handle another hob's worth of work. Switch everything else off and try the unresponsive hob again; if it works, it may just be that your cooker doesn't have a very good circuit rating.
- Blown fuse? If all the lights went out when your hob stopped working,the problem is likely to be a blown fuse (which caused your electricity supply to trip)
- Out of its element! Some hobs rely on heating elements, just like ovens. If the hob element is dead, you probably just need to purchase a replacement.
- Broken simmerstat? Another part that may need replacing is the simmerstat. This regulates the energy used by your hob, and if it is broken, it may not allow your hob to light at all. You can purchase a new simmerstat here.
- Lid problems? Some cookers (particularly gas cookers) come with glass lids that cover the hobs when they're not in use. The manufacturer will often include a shut-off valve to ensure that the hobs cannot be lit when the lid is down; if this safety valve is malfunctioning, it may stop the hobs from lighting regardless of whether the lid is up or down.
- Give it a clean! The accumulation of grease and gunk can, over time, clog up a gas hob, rendering it unable to function. A good, thorough clean is sometimes enough to get things working again.
- Check your supply! If you use a gas cooker, then the problem may not lie with your appliance at all, but with your gas supply. Call in a tradesperson and get them to check your gas (particularly if you are having problems with other gas appliances in your home).
Important: Only a registered gas-safe engineer can legally perform repairs on a gas appliance.
