Which? Don't Buy hobs

Don't Buy hobs might take ages to heat up, leave cold spots at the bottom of your pans and struggle to gently simmer – meaning you're likely to end up with dried-up or burnt food.

Our expert lab tests separate the hobs you should avoid from those we recommend.

What makes a Don't Buy hob?

Sometimes, manufacturers' claimed discounts and impressive-sounding specifications can make you think you're getting a top product for a bargain price. But if you aren't careful, you could end up with a slow-heating hob that has poor heat distribution and is a tight squeeze for your pots and pans.

The experts at Which? have identified the things a hob should do well, to help you find products that won't let you down.

• A disappointing hob will be slow to boil water, either on a single cooking zone or when all zones are in use.
• A decent hob will simmer gently so that food can be kept warm without sticking to the bottom of the pan. It should also fry evenly, without you needing to move your food around.
• A poor hob can prove difficult to use in several ways, whether it's too cramped to place pans on all the zones at once, or its dials are too close to the heat source.

We've tested and reviewed some great hobs to help you finalise your shortlist and dodge the disappointing hobs that we've rated Don't Buys.

Join Which? to find out which hobs we've named Don't Buys.

How we test hobs

Which? has reviewed the latest hobs, including models by Bosch, Hotpoint, Whirlpool and Zanussi. Find out from our test results which hobs will heat quickly, simmer gently and fry evenly – and, on top of that, be a pleasure to use.

• Every hob sent to the Which? test lab is tested on how quickly it boils water, how well its cooking zones work individually and together, and how well it simmers and fries. We also test how easy it is to use.
• Each hob is given a Which? test score so you can see the best and worst at a glance, plus how each hob compares with others on features and specifications.
• Our Which? hob tests cover a range of brands, prices and types, including gas, electric, and electric induction hobs.

Which? is independent – we work for you, the consumer, so you can be sure that our product recommendations are influenced only by our test results. We're not influenced by third parties and we don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers. We buy all the products that we test ourselves, so our advice helps you to make the right choice first time and avoid costly mistakes.

Our reviews will help you avoid a bad choice when it comes to buying a hob. Join Which? for instant access to our Best Buy and Don't Buy recommendations.