When your oven not working, a household appliance used for baking and roasting food. Also known as a cooking oven, it’s one of the most relied-on devices in the kitchen. If it suddenly stops heating, you’re not just stuck with cold food—you’re facing a disruption in your daily routine. The problem could be as simple as a tripped breaker or as serious as a failed heating element. Most of the time, it’s not a full replacement you need, just a targeted repair.
There are two main types of ovens: electric ovens, ovens powered by electricity that use heating elements to generate heat and gas ovens, ovens that burn natural gas or propane to produce heat. Each has different failure points. For electric ovens, a broken oven element, the metal coil inside the oven that glows red-hot when powered is the most common culprit. It’s often visible—look for cracks, blistering, or sections that don’t glow. Gas ovens, on the other hand, might fail because of a faulty igniter, blocked gas line, or broken thermostat. Neither requires a full unit swap. Many repairs can be done in under an hour by a local technician.
Before you call someone, check the basics: Is the oven plugged in? Is the circuit breaker tripped? Did you accidentally turn on the child lock? These simple mistakes happen more often than you think. If those are fine, and the oven still won’t heat, the issue is internal. Don’t guess—don’t poke around the wiring unless you’re trained. A failed thermostat or control board might be the real problem, and those aren’t DIY fixes. But here’s the good news: replacing an oven element or igniter is usually cheaper than buying a new oven. And if your oven is older than 10 years, it might be worth comparing repair costs to energy-efficient replacements.
What you’ll find below are real fixes, real stories, and real advice from people who’ve been there. From how to test a heating element with a multimeter to why your gas oven clicks but won’t light, we’ve gathered the most helpful posts to get you back to baking without the stress. No fluff. No theory. Just what works.
Most electric oven problems aren't electrical-they're broken parts inside the oven. Learn when to call an appliance technician versus an electrician, what commonly fails, and whether to repair or replace.
