What Are the Parts of a Stove?

Gas and electric stoves share some common parts. Your stove also contains more parts under the surface that are not visible on the surface but are essential to your stove’s functionality. Knowing the parts of a stove teaches you how to upkeep your stove and run a quick diagnosis when things go wrong.

A common stove, regardless of electric or gas-powered, comes with the following parts:

• A control panel

• Knobs

• Oven

• Oven racks

• Drip Pan

• Warming drawer

Meanwhile, the stovetop’s cooking elements are different depending on what type of stove you have.

Control Panel

As the name suggests, a control panel controls your stove’s functionality. Usually, the panel controls the oven portion of the stove, with a general timer, an auto-shutoff timer, and an auto-cleaning button if your stove comes with that option. It also controls the hood vent and oven light, if applicable.

Electric stoves, especially newer ones, might have more comprehensive control panels than gas stoves.

Knobs

All stoves come with knobs. They are turn dials that control the heat of each cooktop. Gas stove knobs directly adjust the scale of the flame, whereas electric stove knobs control the output wattage, which then translates into different heat levels.

Knobs may be marked with measurements indicating low, medium, or high heat or numbers often ranging from 1 through 8. On a gas stove, you may also see a “lit” indicator where you turn your knob to ignite the flame.

Oven

The oven is an essential part of the stove. Most ovens come with the following components:

• Oven racks: often made with steel or enameled metal.

• Oven vents: ensures even temperature in the oven by creating a small airflow

• Thermostat: connects to the control panel for preheating, temperature control, and broiling

• Warming drawer: keep food warm or let flour dough rise.

Most ovens also have a broil element at the top of the oven for surface broiling. Some might have high and low broiling settings.

Drip Pans

Older stoves often have drip pans under the burners to catch cooking debris, while newer stoves with a glass surface typically do not have this component.

Drip pans are easy to clean and maintain. For gas stoves, simply remove the metal grates, and you’ll be able to clean the drip pans as you clean the stove surface. For coil electric stoves, you’ll need to unplug the cooking coils to reach the drip pans underneath.

Parts of a Gas Stove

A gas stove ignites natural gas and allows you to cook over a real flame at home. Hence, it is deeply loved by those who enjoy the old-school ways of cooking. In addition to the common parts above, a gas stove has a few unique components: oven igniter, oven safety gas valve, gas pressure regulator, surface burner control valve, spark igniter switch and electrode, and spark module.

Oven Igniter

Do you see the glowing white bar in the oven? That’s your gas stove’s oven igniter. It ignites the gas for the oven burner. Some gas ovens have two igniters, one for regular baking and the other for broiling.

If your oven is not heating up, the igniter is often the problem. Most replacement igniters cost less than $50, but some higher-end brands may cost over $80.

Oven Safety Gas Valve

When the oven igniter is hot, the oven safety gas valve opens to let gas into the bake or broil burners. If your igniter is functioning properly, but your oven doesn’t heat up, you might have a faulty safety gas valve.

Gas Pressure Regulator

The regulator controls incoming gas pressure, ensuring that gas flows in at a safe and consistent level. If your gas stove shuts down abruptly or your flame turns yellow or orange, your gas pressure regulator might be bad. Ask a professional to inspect it immediately, as a faulty regulator can lead to gas leaks.

Surface Burner Control Valve

The burner control valves allow you to control the heat level by controlling how much gas is let through. Each control valve is connected to an ignition switch.

Spark Igniter Switch and Electrode

By turning your knob to “lite,” you turn on the spark igniter switch. The switch sends a signal to the insulated spark ignite electrode, which then sends a spark to the burner. If your switch and electrode are working, you should hear a ticking or clicking noise when the knob is set to “lite.”

Spark Module

The spark module provides electric voltages that power the igniter electrode, which lights the flame when a signal is received from the igniter switch. If you think something has gone wrong, do not attempt to replace or diagnose a spark module. Hire a professional to inspect and repair it.

Parts of an Electric Stove

Similar to gas stoves, electric stoves also have their unique surface elements, switches, and oven elements.

Surface Element

There are three common types of electric stove surface elements: radiant surface, coil surface, and solid disks. Coil surfaces use a simple plug-in mechanism and are the easiest to replace. However, debris tends to get stuck between the coils and end up getting burnt. Radiant surfaces and solid disks are mounted on your stovetop and are easier to clean. However, replacements should be done by a licensed professional.

Surface Element Switch

Also known as the surface burner switch, this element is mounted on your control panel. If your electric stove isn’t working, something is most likely wrong with the surface element switch. A new surface element switch can cost from $67 to $104.

Ceramic Glass Cooktop

Newer electric stoves have clean and leak-resistant ceramic glass cooktops. These surfaces usually have decent impact and scratch resistance. To clean your ceramic glass surface, use a food-safe surface cleaner and a soft towel. Harder scrubs can scratch the surface.

If you notice obvious dents, cracks, or scratches on the cooking surface, it might be time for a replacement. A new glass stovetop costs from $200 to $1,000, but sometimes, it might be a better deal to replace the stove altogether.

Bake and Broil Element

The bake element is at the bottom of your electric oven, whereas the broil element is at the top. If your bake and broil elements are visible, you can try to replace them yourself if you’re experienced with appliances. However, some models have those elements hidden, and a licensed professional must do the repairs.

Parts of an Induction Stove

An induction stove uses an electromagnetic field to turn suitable cookware into its own heat source. This allows accurate temperature control with improved safety and energy efficiency. Common parts of an induction stove include the glass surface, the induction heating system, a control panel, and oven elements.

The induction heating system is the core of an induction range. It consists of a tank circuit, a power supply, and a work coil and often sits underneath the glass surface. This intricate system should not be replaced by an unlicensed and untrained individual. On the rare occasion an induction heating system fails, it costs between $200 and $800 to repair the stove.