Range Oven Lifespan: How Long Do They Last and When to Replace

When you buy a range oven, a built-in cooking appliance that combines an oven and stovetop, commonly used in home kitchens. Also known as a cooker, it’s one of the most used appliances in the house—used daily for baking, roasting, and broiling. But like all machines, it wears out. Most range ovens last between 10 and 15 years, but that’s only if they’re treated right. Many fail sooner because of ignored issues like a failing heating element or a cracked door seal that lets heat escape.

What really cuts an oven’s life short isn’t age—it’s neglect. A oven heating element, the metal coil that generates heat inside the oven cavity. When it burns out, the oven won’t reach the right temperature or heats unevenly. Replacing it is cheap and easy—often under $100. But if you keep using the oven with a broken element, you strain the oven control board, the electronic brain that tells the oven when to turn on, how hot to get, and for how long. When this fails, repair costs jump fast, sometimes close to what a new oven costs. Other problems like a faulty thermostat, a worn-out door gasket, or a buzzing fan can also add up. If you’re fixing the same part twice in a year, you’re not repairing—you’re delaying the inevitable.

Climate matters too. In humid areas, moisture gets inside the electronics and causes corrosion. If you live in a place with hard water, mineral buildup can clog steam vents or damage internal sensors. Even how you clean matters—spraying harsh chemicals directly on control panels or heating elements can fry the wiring. Simple habits like wiping spills right away, checking the door seal yearly, and letting the oven cool before cleaning can add years to its life.

Here’s the truth: most people wait too long to act. They ignore odd smells, slow heating, or error codes until the oven just stops working. By then, the cost to fix it often isn’t worth it. But if you catch problems early—a flickering display, a burner that won’t turn off, or the oven taking twice as long to bake—there’s usually a simple fix. The posts below show you exactly how to spot these signs, test parts yourself with basic tools, and decide whether to fix it or walk away. You’ll see real repair costs, common failure points, and what most technicians in Taunton see day after day. No fluff. Just what actually happens when your oven starts acting up.