Choose a portable single-zone induction hob if you usually make cheese sauce in one saucepan and need to clear the worktop afterwards. A built-in hob makes more sense if you have room for a permanent installation and want to use several pans at once. In either case, check that your saucepan fits, that you can adjust the heat while stirring, and that the exact model suits your kitchen’s electrical installation.
If you make sauce in one saucepan and put the hob away afterwards, a portable model lets you reclaim worktop space. Check your pan against the exact model’s induction and size requirements, and look for manual heat adjustment.
If you have space for a permanent hob and regularly use several pans, consider a built-in model. Compare its appliance dimensions, required worktop opening and connection instructions with your kitchen before choosing.
If adjusting heat as the sauce thickens is your main concern, look for documented manual settings and controls you can reach while stirring. A pause or timer may be useful, but do not assume an automatic programme is intended for cheese sauce.
Choose it when: one saucepan is enough and you need to put the hob away after cooking.
Trade-off: you cannot cook with a second pan on the same hob at the same time.
Choose it when: you can accommodate a permanent hob and want to prepare other food while making sauce.
Trade-off: it takes permanent worktop space, and connection requirements vary by model.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Worktop space and storage | Compare portable and built-in dimensions, and check how many cooking zones you need. | I want to make sauce in one pan, then clear the worktop for other tasks. Around 42% of consumers put space-saving and storage first. |
| Adjustable heat | Look for documented manual settings and controls you can adjust while stirring; check what any preset is designed to cook. | As my sauce thickens, I need to change the heat rather than rely on a boiling programme. Gentle heat control comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Fit and electrical requirements | Check induction pan compatibility and size; for a built-in hob, check the opening and connection instructions. | I need the hob to work with my saucepan and fit the kitchen without an unsuitable electrical connection. Around 25% of consumers make compatibility and installation their primary concern. |
An induction-compatible pan still needs to fit the chosen hob’s supported diameter range. Tefal states a 12–26 cm pan range for its Everyday IH201840; check the instructions for any other model separately.
Check that your saucepan base is induction-compatible, measure it and compare it with the exact hob’s requirements.
If your existing saucepan is unsuitable, you may need a compatible one.
Connection and worktop requirements differ. AEG specifies a hardwired connection and a 560 × 490 mm built-in cut-out for its SO64IB00FB.
Check the exact model’s dimensions, cut-out, ventilation and electrical instructions before ordering or arranging kitchen work.
A built-in installation may also involve worktop preparation or electrical work.
A programme intended for boiling water does not replace heat adjustment and stirring as a dairy-based sauce thickens.
Use an adjustable manual setting where the hob provides one, stay with the pan and change the heat as needed.
In a 2025 report, the Office for Product Safety and Standards identified a particular induction cooker as presenting a serious fire risk because its plug lacked a fuse link conforming to BS 1362. That finding concerns the reported product, not portable hobs generally.
Choose an identifiable model and seller, read its instructions, and do not use it with a damaged lead or plug. Tefal’s cooker instructions also say to switch the power off immediately if the cooking surface cracks.
Tefal’s portable Everyday range is relevant if one-pan cooking and storage are priorities. Tefal describes the Everyday Slim IH210840 as 45 mm thick.
Bosch’s PUG61RAA5B is a four-zone built-in option for a kitchen that can accommodate a permanent hob. Bosch specifies Plug & Play connection for this model.
AEG’s 6000 Bridge SO64IB00FB is a fitted four-zone option with a Bridge function for larger cookware.
Neff’s T66FHE4L0 is a built-in model to consider if cooking-assistance controls matter to you.
These options include a portable hob for one-pan cooking and built-in hobs for kitchens with room for a permanent cooking surface. Check the exact pan, fitting and electrical requirements before choosing.
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Consider this portable model if you make sauce in one pan and want to clear the worktop afterwards.
The product name specifies touch controls, 10 power settings, six functions and a safety lock. Check that your saucepan fits and that the manual settings suit the heat adjustments you want to make.
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Consider this model if you have room for a permanent hob and want to use other pans while making sauce.
Its product name specifies four zones and modular power control. Check the required worktop opening, electrical connection and fit of your saucepan before choosing it.
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Consider this built-in model where a permanent hob and its electrical installation can be accommodated.
The product name specifies a hardwired connection. Check the opening and electrical requirements for PIE631BB5E, as well as whether your saucepan fits its intended cooking zone.
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Consider this model if you are choosing a 60 cm hob for more than one-pan sauce-making and want to assess a flexible-zone option.
Area Flex is named for this variant. Check its installation and electrical instructions, saucepan fit and manual heat controls against your kitchen and recipe.
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Consider this four-zone model if you need a permanent cooking surface for sauce-making alongside other dishes.
Check the HI642BCB installation and connection instructions, required worktop opening and supported saucepan sizes before choosing it.
Choose a portable single-zone hob if one saucepan is enough and you need to clear the worktop afterwards. A built-in hob suits a kitchen with a suitable permanent opening when you want several pans in use; check whether the exact model is plug-in or hardwired.
Look for manual heat settings you can adjust while stirring, rather than choosing on maximum power alone. Check what any automatic programme is intended to cook, and stay with the sauce as it thickens.
It needs an induction-compatible base that fits the chosen hob’s supported size range. Tefal states a 12–26 cm pan range for its Everyday IH201840; measure your saucepan base and check the instructions for the exact model you plan to buy.
No. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service advises against leaving pans unattended. Stay with the saucepan so you can stir and adjust the heat as the sauce thickens.
Read the exact model’s instructions and check that its plug, lead and cooking surface are undamaged before use. A 2025 Office for Product Safety and Standards report identified a serious fire risk with a particular induction cooker whose plug lacked a conforming fuse link; it was a finding about that product, not every portable hob.