Why does my induction hob buzz, click or whirr?
Four distinct induction hob noises identified by what changes them — pan, power level, or nothing at all — and which one is worth a call.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 10 min
- Read
- 3 min
Short answer
Identify the noise by what alters it. A buzz or hum that changes when you swap pans is the pan's own construction vibrating, and it is not a fault. A regular clicking at low power is the hob pulsing the coil. A constant whirr is the cooling fan. A rattle is the pan lid or a loose trivet. Only a noise that persists with no pan on the hob is worth reporting.
An induction hob makes noise because it is driving a rapidly alternating magnetic field into a piece of metal a few millimetres away, and metal in an alternating field moves. Most of what people hear comes from the pan rather than the appliance, which is why the same hob is silent with one pan and audible with another.
Step by step
- Change the pan and listen again.A buzz or hum that changes pitch or disappears with a different pan is the pan. Multi-layer clad pans, where a ferrous disc is sandwiched between other metals, buzz most because the layers vibrate against each other. Heavy single-material cast iron is usually the quietest.
- Change the power level and listen again.Buzzing that gets louder at high power and quiet at low is normal and is the field strength changing. A regular click or pulse at low settings is the hob switching the coil on and off to deliver an average power, which is how many hobs produce a low simmer.
- Take everything off the hob and listen.With no pan on it and the rings off, a soft constant whirr for a few minutes after cooking is the cooling fan clearing heat from the electronics. That is normal and it stops on its own.
- Check the pan is flat and empty of rattles.A loose lid resonating, a rivet in a handle, a warped base drumming against the glass — all sound like hob noise and none of it is. Press gently on the pan with a wooden spoon: if the noise changes, it is mechanical and it is the pan.
- Check nothing is trapped under the pan.Grit, a crumb or a small piece of dried food between base and glass buzzes loudly and scratches the glass while it does it. Wipe the glass and the base and try again.
- Escalate only for the noises that survive all of that.A hob that buzzes or hums with nothing on it and no rings selected, a fan that runs constantly and never stops, or a new grinding or ticking sound is worth reporting. Everything else is physics.
Tips
- A little water on the base of the pan, or a wet glass surface, makes buzzing noticeably worse. Dry both.
- If one particular pan is the offender and you like it, moving down one power level and cooking a little longer usually silences it.
- The cooling fan runs longer on a hob installed above an oven, because it has more stored heat around it. That is a fitting characteristic, not a fault.
If it doesn't work
Buzz that changes with the pan
Cause: Layered pan construction vibrating in the field — Fix: Nothing to repair. Use a heavier or single-material pan, or drop a power level.
Regular clicking at low settings
Cause: The hob cycling the coil to produce a low average power — Fix: Normal on many hobs. If it bothers you at a simmer, a heavier pan evens out the heat between pulses.
Constant whirr after cooking, then silence
Cause: The electronics cooling fan — Fix: Normal. It runs on a thermostat and stops when the hob has cooled.
Harsh rattle or gritty buzz
Cause: Debris trapped between pan and glass, or a warped base — Fix: Clean both surfaces. Check the base with a straight edge — a domed base cannot be corrected.
Noise with nothing on the hob and everything switched off
Cause: Electronics or a fan fault — Fix: Report it. This is the one pattern that is not explained by the pan.