Who this choice affects

Frequent batch-curry cooks

If you cook a large potato curry while making rice or side dishes, the space and positions available for several pans matter as much as the hob’s overall width.

Large-pot cooks juggling other tasks

If you portion food or prepare accompaniments while the curry cooks, you may value a wide cooking area and controls that help you manage the simmer. Check those features on the exact model rather than assuming every induction hob has them.

Kitchen upgraders

If you are replacing an existing hob, the worktop opening, connection requirements and your regular pots may decide which model is practical, regardless of its advertised width or zone count.

What to check before buying

Count the pans you use at the same time, then decide whether your limiting factor is separate zones or space for one wide pot. Check installation and cookware compatibility before treating either layout as a workable choice.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Separate pan space Count the zones you can use together and compare their positions with your usual curry, rice and side-dish pans. If I cook curry and accompaniments at once, I need places for the smaller pans without crowding the main pot. Around 31% of consumers put separate-pan space first.
Room for a wide pot Check which zones can be joined and whether your pot’s flat, magnetic base suits the resulting cooking area. A wide stockpot is my main constraint, even if I use fewer separate pans. For around 25% of consumers, accommodating that pot is the primary concern.
Simmering and clean-up Look for the exact model’s timer, temperature-assistance or boil-control functions, and follow its surface-cleaning instructions. When I am preparing other food, I want controls that help me manage a simmer and a surface I can clean after cooking. Around 25% of consumers prioritise this need.
Installation and cookware Compare the installation diagram and connection requirements with your kitchen; check the magnetic base and diameter of each frequently used pot. I cannot use a hob that does not fit my worktop or work with my regular curry pot. Compatibility comes first for around 19% of consumers.

Common buying mistakes

  • Choosing by visible width alone

    Two 80 cm AEG models with different zone layouts both specify a 750 × 490 mm built-in opening, according to AEG UK. The width category alone does not tell you whether a hob fits your existing aperture.

    Measure the opening and check the chosen model’s installation diagram for clearances and space below the worktop.

    An incompatible opening may require worktop alteration and installation work.

  • Assuming every existing pot works on induction

    Bosch UK advises using cookware with a magnetic base suited to the cooking zone. A familiar curry pot may not work if its base is unsuitable.

    Test your regularly used pans with a magnet, then compare their flat base diameters with the hob’s cookware guidance.

    You may need to replace pots that are not induction-compatible.

  • Counting a bridge as another pan position

    Joining two zones gives wide cookware one larger cooking area; it does not add an independent position for another small pan.

    If several separate pans are your usual constraint, compare the usable zone layout. If one wide pot is the constraint, inspect where and how the bridge operates.

  • Leaving the electrical connection until installation day

    The cited AEG 80 cm models are specified as hardwired-only. Their connection requirements cannot be inferred from their size or applied to every hob.

    Check the chosen appliance’s instructions and ask a competent installer to assess the existing circuit and installation route before ordering.

Relevant brands to consider

AEG

AEG UK lists two different 80 cm layouts relevant to large-pot and multi-pan cooking.

  • The NIK85M00AZ has five 210 mm zones and DoubleBridge areas; the four-zone IKX84443CB has a bridge function and a 240 mm zone.
  • Both cited models are hardwired-only and specify a 750 × 490 mm built-in opening. Check which layout and installation requirements suit your kitchen.

Bosch

The Bosch PXV831HC1E is a five-zone option with a flexible cooking area.

  • Bosch GB lists FlexInduction and Easy Flex Zones for this model.
  • Flexible zones do not remove the need for magnetic cookware with a base suited to the cooking area, as Bosch UK’s cookware guidance explains.

NEFF

The NEFF T68FHV4L0 is relevant if you want five zones and a flex induction area.

  • NEFF lists a flex induction zone and a frying sensor on this model.
  • Check the exact installation instructions and whether your pans suit its cooking areas before choosing it for a batch-cooking routine.

Hotpoint

The Hotpoint HTX8017DCF2 is relevant if cooking-assistance controls are important to your routine.

  • Hotpoint UK lists HeatControl, BoilControl, a FlexiZone, pause and residual-heat indicators for this model.
  • Hotpoint’s cleaning claims for CleanProtect are manufacturer claims, not a basis for comparing its cleaning performance with other hobs. Check the pan layout and installation instructions separately.

Four-zone bridge hob on Joybuy

This 77 cm Belling hob is a four-zone choice for cooks who want separate positions for several pans and a bridge area for wider cookware. If you routinely need five independent pan positions, compare that requirement with its four-zone layout.

Belling IHL773 BLK 77 cm induction hob

Belling IHL773 BLK 77 cm induction hob

Consider its flexible bridge if a wide curry pot is your main pan-space constraint. It has four cooking zones, touch controls and Boost mode; using the bridge as one area leaves fewer independently controlled areas. Check the installation instructions and zone-specific cookware guidance against your kitchen and regular pots before choosing it.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Do I need five zones to batch-cook potato curry?

No: four zones may be enough if you usually have one curry pot and two or three smaller pans in use. If curry, rice, tempering and sides regularly need separate positions at the same time, compare five-zone layouts; if one wide pot is the difficulty, check a suitable bridge or flex area instead.

Will my current curry pot work on an induction hob?

It needs a magnetic base suited to the hob’s cooking area. Bosch UK advises checking induction compatibility and matching the cookware base to the zone size, so test your pot with a magnet and consult the chosen model’s pan guidance.

What should I check before arranging electrical installation?

Start with the exact hob’s connection and installation instructions, then have a competent installer assess the existing circuit and worktop. The cited AEG 80 cm models are hardwired-only; in England, GOV.UK’s Approved Document P covers electrical safety in dwellings. Confirm the applicable requirements for your UK nation before work begins.

How should I clean curry splashes from an induction hob?

Let the surface cool and follow the cleaning instructions for your exact model. Hotpoint says the CleanProtect coating on its HTX8017DCF2 can be cleaned with water, but that manufacturer-specific claim is not an instruction for other induction hobs.