Don’t be shocked that you need a professional
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and when you consider that most meals are made using the stove, a broken stove is a big household problem. You might be tempted to tackle fixing an electric stove on your own, but that might be one DIY worth skipping. Instead, hiring an appliance professional with the right knowledge, experience, and tools can be the difference between whether you’re enjoying a home-cooked meal or ordering takeout.
You probably use kitchen appliances like an electric stove every day. And if not every day, multiple times a week. It’s easy to take them for granted until they malfunction or break, and it disrupts your daily routine. Instead of trying to troubleshoot the problems yourself, there are a few reasons to consider hiring a local appliance professional.
A professional will bring:
Knowledge and experience: Appliance professionals often have years of experience, so they know the ins and outs of electric stoves, including their common issues. This makes them especially skilled at diagnosing the problem and quickly fixing it.
Safety: Working with some appliances can expose you to electrical hazards. Professionals can take extra precautions, such as ensuring that your electric stove is unplugged or the power has been turned off.
Tools and Parts: Repairing an electric stove may require some tools and equipment that you don’t have sitting around your home. Appliance professionals not only have the tools needed to disassemble and reassemble electric stoves, but they also have access to genuine replacement parts for appliance models.
Time: Fixing an electric stove can take up a lot of time, and if you’re juggling a 9-to-5 or other responsibilities, you won’t have time to address the issue yourself. Some appliance professionals can sometimes offer same-day or next-day services, so your problem gets fixed as soon as possible.
Before contacting a professional to repair your broken appliance or trying to DIY the project yourself, take the time to make sure it’s actually broken. With an electric stove, you should:
Check if your stove is plugged in and receiving power
Plug another device into the outlet to determine if the outlet is the problem
Reset the electric stove or unplug the appliance for a few minutes
Confirm that the electric stove hasn’t exceeded its life span
When you’re positive that your stove is the actual issue, you may be dealing with a common problem—the cooktop won’t turn on, the coils won’t heat, or the temperature settings won’t work. You might be tempted to try your hand at fixing it yourself, but it’s better to put down the manual and close out of that DIY YouTube video.
A broken electric stove might require fixing its internal components, making sure the electric coils are installed properly, or replacing a faulty ignition switch—all of which require technical knowledge and experience. You could also be dealing with electrical hazards like sparks or loose wire connections that can cause electric shock. And that’s what makes fixing electric stoves a job best handled by a professional appliance technician who can guarantee the job is done quickly, correctly, and safely.
Because you’re dealing with electricity, there are instances when you could hire an electrician for your electric stove. Hiring a licensed electrician is ideal for proper wiring during installation. However, installation is usually where their work on an electric stove will end. Typically, electricians repair the power supply for your household appliances and not the appliances themselves. So while they might be able to install your electric stove and fix its power supply, it’s still better to rely on an appliance professional to get the job done.
A handyperson is a jack-of-all-trades that can tackle multiple household projects. Handyman services include painting, working on gutters, and doing basic plumbing and electrical work. Complex electrical jobs may require a license, but you can find a local handyperson specializing in electrical work that includes fixing appliances like your electric stove. Depending on the job, the cost of a handyman can range from $65 to $1500, or $50 to $150 an hour. This is slightly less—but relatively on par—than the $50 to $200 an hour it costs to hire a local appliance repair technician.
Considering the large scope of a handyperson’s job, it may take some time to vet them and their electrical skills. For a quick fix that’s guaranteed to work, it may be more time-efficient to go with an appliance professional.
The process to fix an electric stove isn’t one-size-fits-all. That means there are several different steps a professional might take to fix it. They may need to:
Check the receptacle for signs of damage
Assess if burner coils are damaged or broken
Check for loose or damaged wiring or connectors
Check if the burner switch failed
Fixing an electric stove requires some trial and error before you can pinpoint the exact problem. That’s why hiring an appliance professional with the skill, experience, and time to tackle the project is the best way to get the job done.
