Which hob brand is the most reliable?

We investigated the performance and reliability of some of the most popular hob brands including AEG, Bosch and Neff.

In our unique large appliance survey, we asked more than 4,000 Which? members and members of the public if they’re happy with their hob and if they’ve experienced problems, so you can see which brands are worth the money.

Head to our round up of the best hobs to help you decide what type of hob you need

Only logged-in Which? members can see the full results of our brand reliability survey. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Which hob brands develop the least faults?

This table shows how quickly models develop faults, based on hobs bought in the past seven years.

Want to browse hobs by type? See our guide to the best ceramic hobs, best induction hobs and best gas hobs.

Which hob brands do owners recommend?

As well as faults, our survey also revealed which hob brands owners feel happy with – and which they'd recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as each brand's customer score, based on hobs bought in the past seven years.

Browse all of our hob reviews to find the right one for your home

The three most common hob faults

1. Ignition not working properly/at all (24% of all faults reported)

This common fault is only an issue if you own a gas hob, but despite the surge in popularity of induction hobs, a third of those we surveyed still cook on gas.

2. Electrical fault (20%)

Second on the list of most common problems is an electrical fault. This could include a blown fuse, issues with the connections or faulty switches. You're likely to need an appliance repairer to fix these types of problems.

3. Broke down for no obvious reason (18%)

If your hob stops working for no apparent reason, your first thought might be to replace it. But it's worth checking, either with the manufacturer (if it's still under warranty) or a technician, whether the hob can be repaired.

If your machine is approaching the end of its natural life or it can't be repaired, read our guide on how to recycle electrical items

Is it possible to repair a hob?

If something goes wrong with your hob within the first few years, then you’re unlucky, as our regular owner survey reveals that hobs are one of the most reliable appliances. If you do experience a fault , especially within the first few years, it’s worth checking if a fix is possible.

Most faults on a hob – whether gas or electric – will require the attention of an engineer. Don’t be tempted to dismantle parts unless you’re qualified to do so, as this could be dangerous.

Which? Trusted Traders will help you to find a local company that can assess what’s wrong and maybe fix it on the spot.

We’ve looked at what top hob brands offer in repairs and spare parts.

• AEG provides free repairs when within the manufacturer’s warranty, followed by a £165 fixed fee and guarantee of original AEG spare parts if out of warranty. It also offers Repair and Care insurance for £15.84 a month.
• Beko will repair free of charge when within the warranty. After that, there’s the choice of paying for a one-off fix by Beko engineers using Beko parts, or Repair and Care insurance.
• Bosch repairs faults for free within the warranty period. If out of warranty, you’ll be charged for the call-out, even if the engineer isn't able to repair it. Call-out charges range from £106 to £117 depending on location. Any replacement spare parts are an extra cost.
• Hotpoint Once out of guarantee, Hotpoint will supply a quote for the cost of sending out one of its engineers to fix the fault with your hob, before you're committed to paying.
• Zanussi Zanussi-approved technicians will fix any fault free of charge within the warranty period, using original Zanussi spare parts. Out of warranty, it offers a fixed-price repair costing no more than £145, or a Repair and Care service starting at £14.84 a month.

Hob guarantees

Hobs are usually guaranteed for two years by larger retailers such as Currys and John Lewis, although some offer more. Sometimes retailers offer a longer guarantee for parts, and a shorter one for labour.

If your hob breaks down when it's still under guarantee, your first port of call should be the retailer, which should fix it for free or offer you a replacement.

Hobs aren’t yet covered by the new right to repair law that came in for washing machines, fridges and some other appliances in July 2021. This law obliges manufacturers to have spare parts available for up to 10 years after the appliance is discontinued.

Common problems with hobs includes one of the zones stopping working or the ignition on a gas hob giving up the ghost.

Which hob brands offer the best guarantees?

Most hob brands offer a one- or two-year product guarantee as standard, but there are a handful of brands that offer longer cover, including:

• Ikea appliances come with a free five-year guarantee (except for Lagan and Tillreda, for which they offer a free two-year guarantee).
• CDA appliances are covered by a five-year parts and two-year labour warranty.
• Lamona appliances come with a three-year manufacturer warranty as standard.

Faulty product? How to get a refund, repair or replacement

How we discover the most reliable hob brands

Which? has a wealth of information on Britain's favourite brands. Every year we ask Which? members to tell us about the home appliances they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand to how reliable the products are once they get them home.

This year, 8,922 Which? members and 5,559 members of the public told us about more than 39,757 individual products. We calculate each brand's customer score, fault rate and reliability rating using the results of our annual survey.

Our surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best hob to buy.

For more on what it takes to earn a Best Buy recommendation, read how we test hobs