Households looking to keep their cookware
Before replacing your hob, check which pans and pots will work on an induction model. If several important pieces aren’t compatible, it’s also worth considering a ceramic or mixed hob.
Who is this choice for?
People who cook with large dishes
A large casserole dish or long roasting tin can make the size of the cooking zones just as important as their number. Compare your cookware dimensions with the zones available on each model.
Households renovating a kitchen with a gas hob
A mixed hob lets you reserve the gas burners for cookware that isn’t compatible with induction. You’ll also need to check the cut-out and gas installation requirements.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with the cookware you actually use, then compare each option with your cooking habits and the kitchen where the hob will be installed.
Induction
Worth considering: if your everyday cookware has a compatible base and the hob’s zones are the right size for it.
The trade-off: incompatible items will need to be used with another type of hob or replaced.
Ceramic
Worth considering: if keeping cookware made from different materials matters more than choosing induction; Bosch says ceramic hobs work with all types of cookware.
The trade-off: be mindful of residual heat after cooking, and compare energy use on a like-for-like basis.
Induction and gas
Worth considering: if you want to use compatible cookware on the induction zones and keep the rest for the gas burners.
The trade-off: Cegibat and GRDF point out that the gas hob’s positioning, ventilation, taps and pipework all need to be taken into account.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cookware compatibility | For induction, test the base with a magnet; Electrolux says it should stick. Also check the cookware maker’s guidance and the hob’s accepted pan diameters. | I want to know which pans and pots I can keep using before choosing induction. If only a few items aren’t compatible, I could replace just those. |
| Cookware materials to keep | Bosch says ceramic hobs work with all types of cookware. With a mixed hob, remember that gas burners and induction zones are different: the latter still require cookware with a compatible base. | I often use non-magnetic cookware and want to keep using it without having to reserve it for another kitchen. |
| Cooking zones and dimensions | Compare the number and diameter of the zones, and check for any expandable or combinable zone to suit the dishes you use. Consult the limits for the specific model you’re considering. | I need to be able to fit a large casserole dish or several pans on the hob at the same time. |
| Electricity consumption | Based on 409 cycles a year, ADEME gives figures of 115 kWh a year for induction and 200 kWh a year for ceramic hobs. These indicative figures don’t predict the consumption of a specific model or cooking zone. | If I cook often, I want to take electricity use into account without assuming these indicative figures will reflect my kitchen. |
| Cut-out and power supply | Compare the cut-out and clearance requirements in the instructions with your worktop. For an electric hob in France, Promotelec recommends a 32 A circuit in the context it describes; have your existing installation checked before fitting the hob. | I’m replacing a built-in hob: its visible width doesn’t tell me whether it will fit the cut-out or whether my electrical installation is suitable. |
| Gas installation | For a mixed hob, check the gas supply, positioning, ventilation, tap and pipework. Cegibat and GRDF cover these points in their guidance on installing gas cooking appliances. | I want to keep cooking with gas for some of my cookware, but only if this option can be fitted in my kitchen. |
Which pitfalls should you avoid?
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Assuming all stainless-steel cookware works on induction
The material alone doesn’t tell you whether the base is compatible. A pan might also be the wrong size for the cooking zone you want to use.
Test the items you use most often with a magnet, then check their compatibility guidance and the hob’s instructions.
This check can help you avoid having to change your cooking habits after installation.
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Ignoring energy use when choosing between induction and ceramic
For 409 cycles a year, ADEME gives indicative figures of 115 kWh a year for induction and 200 kWh a year for ceramic hobs. Your own consumption will depend on how you use the hob and the appliance itself.
Compare the difference on the same usage basis, but don’t treat it as a prediction for the hob you’ll buy.
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Relying only on the hob’s visible width
Overall dimensions and cut-out dimensions aren’t interchangeable. For example, the Electrolux EHV6232FOK specifications list the appliance as 590 × 520 mm and the cut-out as 560 × 490 mm.
Measure the cut-out, worktop thickness and available space beneath the hob, then compare them with the fitting diagram for the exact model.
If the dimensions don’t match, you may need to adapt the worktop.
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Treating a mixed hob like a standard electric hob
The induction zones require compatible cookware, while the gas burners bring additional positioning and ventilation requirements, as well as checks on taps and pipework highlighted by Cegibat and GRDF.
Have the gas installation requirements and cut-out checked before choosing a mixed hob. Also compare this option with an induction hob and replacing a few pieces of cookware.
A guide to the brands
These examples of ranges and models can help you identify features to compare; they don’t represent every hob from each brand.
Bosch
Bosch offers induction and ceramic hobs, giving you options to compare for cookware compatibility and cooking zone layout.
- Bosch says its ceramic hobs work with all types of cookware. Its PUJ611BB5E induction model has three cooking zones, including a 28 cm zone.
- The stated width of 592 mm for the PUJ611BB5E doesn’t tell you the cut-out dimensions required.
Electrolux
Electrolux ceramic and mixed hobs show two different ways to keep using cookware that isn’t compatible with induction.
- The ceramic EHV6232FOK specifications list a 560 × 490 mm cut-out; the mixed KDI951723K hob is listed as 880 mm wide.
- These dimensions apply to these specific models. For the mixed hob, you’ll also need to check the gas installation requirements.
Smeg
Smeg offers hobs that combine gas and induction, so you can use different cookware with each type of cooking zone.
- According to Smeg, its mixed range includes 65 cm, 70 or 75 cm, and 90 cm formats, depending on the model.
- The format alone doesn’t confirm that the hob will fit: check the cut-out and gas installation requirements for the model you choose.
Two hobs to consider on Joybuy
These two models illustrate the choice between keeping cookware made from different materials with a ceramic hob and switching to induction after checking the bases of your pans. They don’t represent the mixed induction and gas option.
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HK654850XB Series 3000, 60 cm ceramic hob
Consider this ceramic hob if you’d like to keep using cookware made from different materials rather than switching to induction. Check the cut-out dimensions and electrical requirements in the instructions against your kitchen.
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Samsung NZ63M3707AK, 3-zone induction hob, 7200 W
Consider this induction hob if the pans and pots you want to use have compatible bases. Compare their diameters with the zones listed in the instructions, then check the required cut-out and power supply before installation.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check my pans before choosing induction?
Place a magnet against the base of each pan: according to Electrolux, it should stick for the pan to work on an induction zone. Then check the cookware maker’s guidance and the pan diameters accepted in the hob’s instructions.
Can a ceramic hob be used with non-magnetic cookware?
Yes: Bosch says its ceramic hobs work with all types of cookware. However, check the condition of the bases and the usage instructions for the model you choose.
Will a mixed hob solve the problem of pans that aren’t compatible with induction?
It lets you reserve the gas burners for this cookware, but those items still won’t work on its induction zones. Before choosing a mixed hob, also check the cut-out and gas installation requirements, including ventilation, taps and pipework mentioned by Cegibat and GRDF.
What should I check about the electrics before replacing a hob in France?
Before installation, check that your existing circuit is compatible with the new hob’s instructions. Promotelec recommends a 32 A circuit for an electric hob in the context it describes; if you live in an existing property, have the installation assessed in light of the work planned.
Will a new hob of a similar width fit the old cut-out?
Not necessarily: compare the cut-out dimensions for the exact model with the actual cut-out, as well as the required clearances. For example, the Electrolux EHV6232FOK specifications distinguish between the appliance dimensions of 590 × 520 mm and its cut-out dimensions of 560 × 490 mm.