Gas Burner Replacement: Fix Your Stove When It Won't Light

When your gas burner, the part of a gas hob that produces the flame for cooking. Also known as a gas stove burner, it stops working, it’s rarely a big mystery. Most of the time, it’s dirt, rust, or age messing with the gas flow or spark. A gas hob, a kitchen appliance that uses natural gas or propane to generate heat for cooking relies on clean, unblocked burners to function. If one burner won’t light while others do, you’re likely looking at a single failed component—not a whole system breakdown. And in most cases, replacing just that one burner is cheaper and faster than calling a technician.

Gas burners don’t last forever. Over time, grease, food particles, and moisture build up inside the burner ports, choking off the gas. The igniter—the little spark plug that lights the flame—can also wear out. If you’ve tried cleaning it with a toothpick or needle and it still won’t light, the burner head itself is probably cracked, corroded, or warped. Replacing it isn’t rocket science. Most modern gas hobs use standard burner assemblies that snap in place. You just need the right model number. Brands like BOSCH, WHIRLPOOL, and BECKERMANN all use similar designs, so finding a match isn’t hard if you know what to look for. And if you’re unsure, a quick photo of the burner and your appliance model number can get you the right part in under an hour.

Don’t confuse a bad burner with a faulty gas valve or thermocouple. Those are bigger jobs. But if the flame sputters, lights weakly, or won’t stay lit even after you hold the knob down, that’s your burner talking. It’s not the gas supply. It’s not the control panel. It’s the part that actually touches the flame. And that’s the part you replace. You don’t need to replace the whole hob. You don’t need to upgrade your kitchen. You just need a new burner and ten minutes of your time.

Some people think they have to call a pro for anything gas-related. But gas burner replacement is one of the few gas appliance fixes that’s safe for homeowners to do—when you follow basic steps. Turn off the gas. Unplug the hob if it has electric ignition. Remove the grates and burner caps. Unscrew the old burner. Plug in the new one. Test it. Done. No special tools. No permits. No scary gas leaks if you’re careful.

And if you’ve tried all this and it still doesn’t work? That’s where the real diagnosis begins. Maybe the gas valve is stuck. Maybe the spark module is dead. Maybe the thermocouple isn’t sensing heat properly. Those are the issues we fix every week in Weymouth. But 8 out of 10 times, it’s just a worn-out burner. You can find dozens of real-life examples of this exact fix in the posts below—from step-by-step guides to part comparisons and brand-specific tips. Whether you’re dealing with a 10-year-old stove or a brand-new one that’s already acting up, the solutions here are real, tested, and written by people who’ve been under the cooktops doing the work.