“Whether you should repair your range depends on how old your range is and how much the repair will cost, balanced against the cost of a new model,” says Martin Lachter, research program leader at CR, who helped develop the tool, above. Generally speaking, the data tends to point to repairing your range.
If your appliance is relatively new, still under warranty, or the repair cost is significantly lower than replacement, opting for repair makes sense. For older appliances with frequent breakdowns, costly repairs, or obsolete technology, replacement becomes more economical in the long run.
A wall oven or range typically lasts about 16 years if it's properly maintained. Even though oven lifespan varies, you may reasonably expect that your oven will work for more than a decade—even two decades on the higher end of the spectrum.
Cooktop, range, and oven repairs cost between $100 to $500. Prices vary considerably based on the model of the stove, its energy source, and the nature of the repair. Replacing burner coils is usually the least expensive, while costlier repairs include broken glass top or control panel failure.
Consider the Age of Your Range
Electric ranges are not too far behind, usually lasting about 10 to 13 years, depending on how well they are maintained. If your range is already halfway through its lifespan (7.5 years for gas, 6.5 for electric), then it may be smarter to replace it rather than repair it.
Range or Stove, 13-15 years:
Good everyday care will help extend the useful life, such as cleaning the stove after every use and regularly checking the burners.
Considering ovens can last 15 years (and sometimes more), it is likely a better idea to repair a 10-year-old oven, assuming the repair won't cost more than 50% of the oven's value. So, for instance, if your oven is worth $1,200 and the repair is only $400, it's a better option to complete the repair.
Electric ranges and ovens are generally easy to repair, because there's not much to go wrong and there's not much you can do. Most repairs are actually replacements, a matter of unplugging the old part and plugging in the new. Most of the malfunctions that affect electric ranges involve faulty heating elements.
These factors include the type of appliance, the extent of the damage or malfunction, the availability and cost of replacement parts, and the expertise of the repair technician. Generally, labor costs, diagnostic fees, and the cost of replacement parts make up the bulk of the repair expense.
Unfortunately, electric stove burners, otherwise known as cooktop surface coil elements, will wear out over time.
If the repair cost is reasonable and significantly less than the cost of a new stove, repairing it may be worth considering. 3. Energy efficiency: Older appliances tend to be less energy-efficient compared to newer models. Consider the potential energy savings that a new stove could offer.
Signs that your gas stove is not working properly include smelling gas, the burners not lighting, strange noises, poor temperature control, or the flame color changing to red, yellow, or orange rather than blue.
For most home chefs forced to choose between gas ranges that heat quickly or electric-coil stoves that are inefficient and ugly, the answer is simple: gas. But there's a third option: induction stoves, which heat with a tightly controlled magnetic field rather than a flame.
In other words, a $212 repair on a low-end electric range rarely makes financial sense after the first few years; you're better off putting the money toward a new $800 range. But for, say, a more premium $1,250 range, the $212 repair is often worth making for at least a decade.
Many factors, including wear and tear, electrical problems, or physical damage can cause broken or damaged burners. If you continue to use the stove with a broken burner, it can cause further damage to the stove or even pose a fire risk.
The national average repair price for an appliance repair service to fix a stovetop is $100–400, including parts and labor. Induction cooktops repairs can be higher. The average cost of oven repair falls in the $125–350 range. Factors affecting these costs are discussed below.
Lifespan: 10–15 years
You shouldn't take chances with anything that can catch fire. A stove and oven's average lifespan is up to 15 years—occasionally longer if you opted for a gas range. “The biggest thing to note is that a proper stove shouldn't take too long to heat up properly,” according to Paul.
The rule of thumb is that if repair costs exceed 50% of the price to install a new oven, you should buy a new oven instead of replacing it. For example, if your oven costs $2,000 but costs $1,500 to repair, you could use that $1,500 for a new and improved oven.
The most common issue is that no power is getting to the burner or coil. This could be a tripped breaker, a blown a fuse, or a defective switch. If there is power going to the burner, but it still doesn't work, then there might be an issue with the burner or coil itself, and it will need to be replaced.