Replace Oven Element: Signs, Costs, and When to Do It Yourself

When your oven won’t heat up, the oven element, the metal coil inside the oven that generates heat when electricity passes through it. Also known as a heating element, it’s one of the most common parts to fail in electric ovens. It’s not always the control board, not always the thermostat — sometimes it’s just that one broken wire glowing in the back. If your oven takes forever to preheat, or only the top element works while the bottom stays cold, you’re likely dealing with a dead oven element.

Replacing it isn’t rocket science. Most homeowners can do it in under an hour with basic tools. You don’t need to be an electrician — just someone willing to unplug the oven, remove a few screws, and swap out the old part. The element itself usually costs between £30 and £80, depending on your oven model. Labour from a local technician? Around £80 to £150. But if you’re handy, you can skip the call-out fee entirely. Just make sure you get the right part. Not all elements are the same — size, wattage, and connector type matter. Check your model number before buying.

Before you buy a new one, confirm it’s really the element. Sometimes the issue is a blown fuse, a faulty thermostat, or even a broken terminal block. But if you see visible cracks, blisters, or dark spots on the element, or if it doesn’t glow red at all when the oven’s on, it’s done. A quick multimeter test can confirm it — no continuity means no heat. And if you’ve had the oven for over 10 years, replacing the element might be smarter than replacing the whole unit. Ovens last 15-20 years on average, and fixing one part can extend its life by another decade.

Don’t confuse this with gas ovens — they don’t have heating elements. They use burners and igniters. This guide is for electric ovens only. And if you’re in Warwick or Warwickshire, local repair techs see this problem every week. It’s one of the top requests we get. People think they need a whole new oven, but often, it’s just a £50 part and 30 minutes of work.

Some folks panic when the oven stops working and assume it’s time to upgrade. But replacing the element is one of the most cost-effective repairs you can make. It’s not just about saving money — it’s about keeping your appliance out of landfill. And if you’ve got a decent oven, why throw it away? We’ve seen ovens from the 90s still running fine after a simple element swap.

Below, you’ll find real-world guides from people who’ve been there — how to test the element, which brands have the most reliable parts, when to call a pro, and what to watch out for when buying replacements. No fluff. Just clear, step-by-step advice from those who fix these every day.