Reviewed by Liam Porter · Last reviewed August 11, 2026
Written by
Liam Porter Appliance Care EditorPublished September 2, 2026Updated October 17, 2026
Content status:
Verified
Error codeH / HOT
ApplianceCooktop
Quick answer
H or HOT warns that a cooking area is still hot. Waiting is the answer; a stuck or flashing H calls for a breaker reset.
Model compatibility: KitchenAid reuses codes across series and model years, so H / HOT may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
Plain language
What this code means
An H (or HOT) indicator means a cooking area is hot, even if switched off, and it goes out once the area cools.
An indicator, not a fault
A letter H in the heat-setting window (a few cooktops show HOT) lights whenever a surface cooking area is too hot to touch. It stays on even after you switch the area off.
What KitchenAid advises
Usual situation: wait, and keep your hands away from the cooking area while the H shows.
H still lit, or flashing, once everything has cooled: switch the circuit breaker off for one minute, switch it on, and check that the cooktop operates.
An H on a zone nobody used
The induction-cooktop page makes a surprising point. The H can appear for a zone that was never turned on, because a neighbouring zone can warm it or a hot pot may have been put on it. Once the zone cools, the indicator goes out by itself.
Do not mix it up with fault codes
Codes beginning with F or C are faults and have their own steps. As examples, F2 is a cooking area that is still hot and clears when it cools, and F8 is the automatic shutoff after a burner has been on too long.
Questions
When does the H disappear? No time is given. It goes once the zone has cooled.
H is showing on a cold cooktop. What next? That is the case the breaker reset was written for. If it does not clear the H, a technician should examine the cooktop.
Cooktop repair help in Los Angeles
An H that stays lit on a cold cooktop after the power reset is worth a call to (310) 363-8964. Say whether it is steady or flashing. We describe the work on our cooktop repair page.
Important safety warning. Do not attempt repairs involving electrical components, gas, water lines, refrigerant or sealed systems. Unplug the appliance if it is safe to reach the outlet, and leave internal diagnostics to a qualified technician.
Seeing this code on your KitchenAid appliance?
Book a specialist visit for a clear estimate and approval before any repair.
