Here's The Average Lifespan Of Your Electric Stove

Major appliances might not be built to last like they were in the 1970s, but if you're savvy and shop around, you can still get good value for what you pay (though that price is steadily increasing with every passing year). For example, you can typically get on average 12 years out of your brand new refrigerator, plus it has the additional benefit of being one of those major purchases that is okay to buy used. Gas stoves should keep working for about 13 to 15 years, provided they're well-maintained, and electric stoves? Their lifespans are a little bit shorter, as they tend to tap out around 13 years.

The reason your electric stove might not last quite as long as a gas stove is technological; the latter is simply made up of fewer elements that can malfunction or wear down over the years. Even with those additional electrical components, though, electric ranges are almost as easy to repair as their gas alternatives, provided the fix is relatively small. That means, if you want your electric stove to last as long as possible, at the first signs of malfunction you should investigate the cause and/or have a professional take a look at it, so that the problem doesn't grow into a potentially life-threatening one.

In order to keep your electric stove running for as long as possible — perhaps even beyond the given time frame of 13 years, which is certainly not unheard of — it's important to recognize the signs of malfunction. You'll want to jump on getting them fixed while they're still minor so that you're not stuck footing a huge bill for a more complex repair, or worse, having to buy an entirely new appliance.

If you notice your burners aren't heating up as they should, and your food isn't cooking through as quickly or thoroughly as it once was, you will definitely want to do something about that, as you don't want your family consuming undercooked meals. It could be as simple as the burner needing replacing, which you could even do yourself if you have coil burners. If it turns out to be something a bit more complicated, like a circuit board repair, you'll be glad you reached out to an expert.

If you notice the control panel malfunctioning, giving error messages, randomly beeping, flickering, or the buttons aren't working, that is also not something you should ignore, because it could indicate damage located within the appliance. Finally, with all that metal, a little rust is bound to occur, especially on solid hot plates, but it's important to stay on top of removing it. If it's allowed to get worse, especially near where you cook food, it can pose a health hazard in addition to looking unaesthetic. And of course, keep those drip pans clean, too.