Yes, there are 13 amp (plug and play) induction hobs available on the market; however, there isn’t a great amount of choice as most induction hobs require a larger electrical load.

What Is A 13 Amp Induction Hob?

A 13 amp induction hob, sometimes referred to as a plug and play induction hob, is an electric induction hob that comes with a standard three-pin 13 amp plug attached to it (or one that can be attached to it) and will run off of a normal plug socket.

You can plug them directly into a normal socket and they don’t need to be connected by a professional electrician.

In a hurry? Check out my top picks table below:

Why Would You Need A 13 Amp Induction Hob?

There could be a few reasons why you might need a 13 amp induction hob; the most common is usually because you don’t have the correct wiring in place to be able to install a regular induction hob.

Most regular induction hobs require over 4KW to power them, which will be more powerful than your normal 13 amp plug socket. Therefore you need to have a separate dedicated cable from your fuse box to the hob, which can carry a greater electrical load to power the hob. 

This is why some people might want a 13 amp induction hob – installing that dedicated new cable can be very difficult and/or costly. Usually, you encounter this scenario if you are having a kitchen refurbishment and don’t want to carry out any major building work but you want to install an induction hob.

Another reason for wanting a 13 amp induction hob is if you want to be able to move the hob or install it in a campervan. Smaller 13 amp hobs with one or two cooking zones are popular for people with campervans or who want to be able to travel with cooking equipment that can be easily plugged in and used.

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What Are The Pros And Cons Of A 13 Amp Induction Hob?

Pros:

The benefits of a 13 amp induction hob are that they are far more flexible to install and don’t require any professional installation service.

It can also save money on having to carry out any additional building and electrical work. They also allow the freedom to be transported and used out and about, such as cooking demonstrations or camping.

Cons

The downside to having a 13 amp induction hob is that there are very few models available on the market to choose from and that the features and functions you get can be quite limiting.

I’ve yet to find a 5 zone 13 amp induction hob (the most I’ve seen is a 4 zone), and more often than not they lack particularly useful features such as having an effective boost function (some may have it, but it’s never that effective).

Also, as they are limited for power, if you have more than one zone on at a time this can lower the maximum output of each zone. As an example: think of it as if you have a four-zone hob and each zone can go up to 10 power points, making a total of 40.

However, you only have 20 power points to play with. So you could have 2 zones on full power, but wouldn’t be able to use the other 2 zones, or you could have all 4 zones on, but they would only get to half power. You have to allocate what power you do have between the zones you want to use accordingly.  

Pros:

• Easy to install
• No need for dedicated wiring
• Freedom to use out and about

Cons:

• Shortage of choice
• Lack of functions and features

The Best 13 Amp Induction Hobs

These 13 amp induction hobs are ones I have used in the past with clients or have all scored well in reviews and are all from good quality manufacturers. If you are looking for a 13 amp induction hob, I would recommend any of the below.

Click on the links below to go to AO.com and find out more info and prices on each induction hob.

• Bosch Serie 4 PUE611BF1B
• NEFF N30 T36FB41X0G
• Aeg HK604200IB
• Siemens IQ-100 EU631BEF1B
• Belling IHT6013
  
  

If you are looking for smaller induction hobs for camping or taking around to cooking demonstrations, I’d recommend these great cheap options from Amazon:

• Andrew James Single Induction Hob
• VonShef Twin Induction Hob

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The Best 2 Zone Induction Hobs – Perfect For Small Kitchens

FAQs

How Do You Work Out The Amps Needed To Power An Induction Hob?

Working out the amps needed to power an induction hob is a quick and easy calculation.

Amps = 1000 x KW / Voltage

Example: The induction hob you want says that it’s 7.4KW.

So, 1000 x 7.4 = 7400     7400 / 240 (voltage in UK) = 30.8amps

Therefore, you would need a fuse that can carry 30.8 amps or more to be able to power the induction hob. The closest fuse would be a 32 amp fuse.

Do You Need Special Pots And Pans To Work On An Induction Hob?

Yes, as induction hobs work through magnetism, the bottom of your pots and pans need to be magnetic for the induction technology to work. Materials such as cast iron and magnetic stainless steel are the most common for induction pots and pans.

If you’re not sure if your pans will work with an induction hob, a good quick test is to try and put a fridge magnet on the bottom of the pan – if it sticks it will most likely work with an induction hob, if not, then you’ll probably need new pans.

Bonus tip: As induction hobs work through the magnetic contact of the bottom of the pan, the flatter the bottom surface is the more effective the induction technology will be. Look out for pans that have a flat magnetic bottom as these will work much better than pans with metal strips or circles with gaps on the bottom of the pan.

You normally come across the latter, when manufacturers don’t want to create new pans but want to make their existing pans induction friendly, so they just add some magnetic material on the bottom. They will work, just not as well.

Can You Hardwire A 13 Amp Induction Hob?

Yes, you can hardwire in a 13 amp induction hob rather than plug it in with a 13amp plug.

However, this most likely won’t make any difference to the power output of the hob if it is a specific 13 amp hob with a lower 3kW max output in the first place. Having it hardwired in won’t make it any more powerful.

If you do still want to hardwire it in you should seek the expertise of a qualified electrician if you wish to do this.

Can You Put A 13 Amp Plug On Any Induction Hob?

No, you should not wire a 13 amp plug on an induction hob unless it is superficially designed to have one. 13 amp induction hob will require less power to run and have a control that limits the max output to 3kW or under. Which 13 amps can handle safely.

Most other induction hobs on the market will be over 3kW and will need to be hardwired on a dedicated circuit back to a larger amp fuse/breaker. Typically 16 or 32 amps.

Final Thoughts…

There you have it. Everything you need to know about 13 amp induction hobs.

I hope this post has helped to answer any questions you may have had and explain a little more about 13 amp induction hobs.

If you’re looking for information on other appliances, have a look at my Appliance Guide section for more info and recommended products.

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