How to Replace an Electric Cooktop Element — Step-by-Step Instructions
Coil swap: just make sure the burner is off and cold. Smooth-top: flip the breaker — you’ll be working under the glass near live terminals.
Tools
- None for coil tops; nut driver for smooth-tops
Parts
- Coil element or radiant element for your model
Step by step
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1 Coil tops: swap like a plug
Lift the cold coil, pull it out of its receptacle at a slight angle, and push the new one in. That’s genuinely the whole job — test it on medium.
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2 Coil still dead? Check the receptacle
Charred or loose receptacle blocks replace with a screwdriver — kill the breaker first.
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3 Smooth-tops: get under the glass
Breaker off. The glass top either hinges up or lifts off after removing front screws. The radiant element sits in a spring bracket below its burner zone.
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4 Swap the radiant element
Photograph the wiring, transfer the spade connectors, and seat the new element centered under its zone.
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5 Reassemble and test
Glass down, screws in, breaker on, and test every burner — not just the new one — since you disturbed shared wiring.
A burner stuck on HIGH is the infinite switch, not the element — replaceable but live-terminal work behind the control panel. If that wiring makes you pause, it’s a quick pro fix. If you'd rather skip it entirely, find a oven & range repair pro near you →
Sources
Where the safety, regulatory and warranty claims on this page come from. Repair costs are our own figures based on Arizona market rates and OEM parts pricing.
- Carbon Monoxide Safety Guide U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Carbon monoxide risk from gas cooking and heating appliances.
Step-by-step instructions for your exact model
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