Electric Hob Crack: What to Do When Your Cooktop Cracks

When your electric hob crack, a visible break in the ceramic glass surface of a cooktop used in commercial kitchens. Also known as a cracked cooktop, it’s not just a cosmetic issue—it’s a safety hazard that can lead to electric shocks, gas leaks (if gas lines are nearby), or even fire. This isn’t something you can ignore, especially if you run a restaurant, café, or hotel kitchen in Birmingham. A cracked surface doesn’t just look bad—it stops working properly, heats unevenly, and can let moisture and grease seep into the wiring underneath.

Most electric hobs are made with a tough glass-ceramic surface, but they’re not indestructible. Dropping a heavy pot, hitting it with a metal tool, or even sudden temperature changes—like pouring cold water on a hot surface—can cause cracks. In commercial kitchens, this happens more often than you think. One busy shift, one slipped pan, and suddenly your main cooking station is out. The good news? Sometimes the crack is only on the surface. But if the heating element underneath is damaged, or if the crack runs deep enough to expose wires, you’re looking at a full hob element replacement, the process of swapping out the damaged heating coil inside the cooktop. And that’s not a DIY job unless you know exactly what you’re doing. Many business owners try to patch it with heat-resistant glue. Don’t. It won’t hold. It won’t be safe. And insurance won’t cover it if something goes wrong.

Before you call a technician, check if the crack is just a surface scratch or a full break. Run your finger over it—if it catches, it’s serious. Look for discoloration or sparks when you turn it on. If the hob still heats but unevenly, the element might be failing too. That’s a double problem: surface damage and internal failure. In commercial settings, downtime costs money. A broken hob means delayed meals, unhappy customers, and lost revenue. That’s why quick, professional repair matters. Our team in Birmingham sees this every week. We’ve fixed cracked hobs in pubs, takeaways, and hotel kitchens. Sometimes it’s just the glass. Sometimes it’s the whole unit. We don’t upsell. We tell you what’s safe, what’s cheap, and what’s just plain risky.

You’ll find real case studies below—from restaurants that saved thousands by fixing instead of replacing, to kitchens that ignored the crack and ended up with a full kitchen shutdown. We’ve got guides on how to spot early signs of damage, how long a commercial hob typically lasts, and when replacing the entire unit makes more sense than repairing it. No fluff. No guesswork. Just what works in real kitchens, in real time.