Start with a four-zone induction hob if a flat-bottom wok or frying pan can sit on a suitable zone while the pans for the rest of the meal remain usable. Consider a wider bridge or flex-zone layout when large cookware or crowded pan placement is a regular problem, but check the worktop opening, electrical requirements and magnetic cookware compatibility before choosing extra features.
If rice, sauce or another dish cooks alongside the stir-fry, look at where the pans will sit, not just how many zones the hob has. AEG bridge and Neff flex-zone models illustrate layouts worth considering when large cookware or pan spacing is a recurring concern.
If prompt heating matters most, compare boost availability on the zone you intend to use. Bosch and AEG offer boost functions on relevant models, but the pan and exact hob still matter to the cooking result.
Check the planned opening and electrical installation before choosing a wider layout. AEG specifies different cut-outs for its TO64IA00FB and IKX84443CB models, both of which require hardwired connections.
For a family vegetable stir-fry, establish that the hob fits the kitchen and the main pan first; then decide whether the remaining pans need a wider or more flexible layout.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Room for several pans | Compare zone positions and pan sizes. If you use wide cookware, check whether the exact model has bridge or flex zones. | If I prepare sides while stir-frying, I need the main pan and saucepans to sit without crowding each other; around 40% of consumers put cooking space first. |
| Heat for the main pan | Check whether the intended zone has a boost function and which pan sizes its instructions allow. | When dinner needs to come together quickly, I want the stir-fry pan to heat promptly without assuming boost will produce the same result with every pan; roughly 30% of consumers prioritise responsive heat. |
| Installation fit | Match the exact cut-out, clearances, electrical loading and connection instructions to the kitchen plan. | If I am replacing an existing hob, I need to know whether the worktop or electrical installation must change; about 20% of consumers make installation fit their primary concern. |
| Existing cookware | Check for a magnetic base and decide whether a flat-bottom pan will suit a flat hob. | If I want to keep using my current wok and saucepans, I need them to work with induction; around 10% of consumers put cookware compatibility first. |
The AEG TO64IA00FB requires a 560 × 490 mm cut-out, while the wider IKX84443CB requires 750 × 490 mm. The stated hob width does not replace the installation dimensions.
Measure the opening and compare it with the exact model’s installation instructions before ordering.
Moving to a wider hob may also mean altering the worktop and arranging installation work.
Induction needs a magnetic pan base, and a round-bottom wok is not easy to use on an ordinary flat surface.
Choose a suitable flat-bottom wok or frying pan for a flat hob, or check that the exact hob has a dedicated curved wok zone.
Keeping a round-bottom wok may require a more specialised hob; choosing a flat hob may mean using a different pan.
Boost is a feature on specific models, not a promise of the same cooking outcome with every pan, zone and amount of food.
Compare boost on the zone you will use, but check cookware compatibility and the usable layout as well.
Four zones do not establish that four large pans can sit comfortably at once. Bridge and flex functions also differ by model.
Check the zone diagram against the pans you use for the stir-fry and its side dishes, then confirm that the required cut-out fits your kitchen.
AEG offers examples of both a standard four-zone layout and a wider bridge layout for multi-pan cooking.
Bosch is relevant if you are comparing a conventional four-zone hob with models offering combinable zones.
Neff’s flex induction layout is worth examining when flexible pan placement is the reason for changing hobs.
The RH60IH414B is a conventional four-zone model to compare if you do not need a bridge or flex layout.
Only if your existing pans are unsuitable for induction. Neff and Bosch state that induction requires a magnetic base, so check the induction marking or whether a magnet sticks to each pan’s base; for a standard flat hob, also check that your stir-fry pan has a flat bottom.
A round-bottom wok is not easy to use on an ordinary flat hob. Use a suitable flat-bottom wok or frying pan, or choose a model explicitly designed with a curved induction wok zone if you want to keep using a round-bottom wok.
Not necessarily: a four-zone hob may accommodate a flat-bottom stir-fry pan and the pans for side dishes if its zone positions and sizes suit them. A bridge zone becomes more relevant when you regularly use wide cookware that benefits from combined zones; check how it works on the exact model.
No. AEG specifies hardwired connections for both the TO64IA00FB and IKX84443CB, with total electrical loadings of 7350 W and 7200 W respectively. Check the chosen model’s installation instructions and arrange an assessment of the planned electrical installation rather than assuming it uses a plug.