Residual heat (H or h)
That part of the glass is still hot enough to burn you, even though the zone is off. It goes out by itself when the surface has cooled.
What it is for
Do not touch or wipe the zone while it shows. The leftover heat is still useful: Whirlpool’s manual suggests keeping a dish warm or melting butter on a zone that shows H.
Makes differ, check your hob’s manual: the same letter or drawing can do a different job on another brand, and only your model’s manual gives its exact times and limits.
- What it looks like
- A capital H in a zone’s display after you switch it off, sometimes a small h; on some hobs one to three dots or bars that go out one by one.
- Names makers use
- Residual heat indicator “H” (Whirlpool, Hoover); Residual heat indicator, high and low temperature (Bosch); OptiHeat Control, 3-step residual heat indicator (AEG); Residual heat dots (Miele)
Where makes differ
The H is not the only way it is drawn. Bosch shows two different indicators, one for a high and one for a low temperature. AEG’s OptiHeat uses three steps meaning continue cooking, keep warm and residual heat. Miele lights up to three dots above levels 1, 2 and 3 that go out one after another. Hoover says a lowercase h means moderate heat.
What it does not mean
H does not mean high power or a fault, and it does not mean the zone is heating: induction zones only heat the pan, and the glass warms up from the pan sitting on it.
Other symbols with the same shapes
Sources
No published standard we could check defines hob control icons, so this meaning is taken from 5 makers’ own manuals and support pages, each fetched and read on the date shown:
- Bosch: Bosch — Instructions for installation and use, induction hob with integrated ventilation system PVS8..F21E (9001337462) — “The hob has a residual heat indicator for each hotplate. This indicates that a hotplate is still hot… The following indicators are shown depending on the amount of residual heat”: one display for “High temperature”, another for “Low temperature”. Checked 2026-09-28.
- Whirlpool: Whirlpool — Induction hob instructions for use (flexible-zone models) — “If the display shows H, the cooking zone is still hot. If the residual heat indicator of a given cooking zone is lit, that zone can be used, for example, to keep a dish warm or to melt butter.” Checked 2026-09-28.
- AEG: AEG — HKP85410FB induction hob user manual — “OptiHeat Control (3 step Residual heat indicator): continue cooking / keep warm / residual heat… There is a risk of burns from residual heat. The indicator shows the level of the residual heat.” Checked 2026-09-28.
- Miele: Miele — Operating and installation instructions, induction hobs KM 7897 FL (en-GB) — “Depending on the temperature, a dot will appear above power levels 1, 2 and 3. The dots of the residual heat indicator go out one after the other as the ceramic surface cools down.” Checked 2026-09-28.
- Hoover: Hoover UK — Induction hob symbol guide — “Residual Heat Indicator (H)… Displayed as “H”, it warns you not to touch the surface”; ““h” (lowercase) = moderate heat.” Checked 2026-09-28.
Written in our own words; quotations are the makers’ wording.