Oven Heating Element: Signs of Failure and How to Fix It

When your oven won’t heat up, the oven heating element, the metal coil inside the oven that generates heat when electricity passes through it. Also known as a bake element, it’s one of the most common parts to wear out in electric ovens. Unlike gas ovens that use a pilot or igniter, electric ovens rely entirely on these elements to reach and hold temperature. If they crack, burn out, or lose connection, your oven might warm slightly but never get hot enough to cook properly.

Most people assume a broken oven means it’s time to replace the whole thing. But often, it’s just the oven heating element that’s gone. You can test it yourself with a multimeter in under 10 minutes. Look for visible signs like blistering, warping, or dark spots—those are red flags. If the element glows unevenly or not at all when the oven is on, it’s likely dead. The faulty oven element doesn’t always make noise or throw an error code, so visual and functional checks matter more than you think. Replacing it usually costs under £50 for the part and takes less than an hour if you’re handy. Even if you’ve never changed a household part before, it’s one of the easiest repairs you can do.

But here’s the catch: sometimes the problem isn’t the element at all. A broken oven thermostat or a failed control board can mimic the same symptoms. That’s why checking the element first is smart—it’s the cheapest and most likely culprit. If the element tests fine, then you dig deeper. Most of the posts below walk you through exactly how to test each part, what tools you need, and how to tell if you’re wasting your time trying to fix it yourself. You’ll find real stories from people who replaced their element, saved hundreds, and got their oven working again. Others learned the hard way that the issue was something else entirely. This collection gives you the clarity to avoid guesswork and know exactly where to start.

Whether you’re dealing with a slow preheat, uneven baking, or no heat at all, the fix might be simpler than you think. You don’t need to buy a new oven just because the old one isn’t working right. The oven heating element is often the answer—and knowing how to spot it saves you time, money, and frustration.