Electric Cooktop Troubleshooting: Common Issues and How to Fix Them

When your electric cooktop, a kitchen appliance that uses electrical resistance to generate heat for cooking. Also known as electric stovetop, it's one of the most used but least understood parts of your kitchen. stops working, it’s not always a sign you need a new one. Most electric cooktops fail because of simple, fixable parts—not the whole unit. The heating element, the infinite switch, or the control board can go bad without taking the whole system down. You don’t need to replace your cooktop just because one burner won’t heat up.

One of the most common problems is a burner element, the coiled or flat heating unit under the glass surface that turns electricity into heat. Also known as cooktop coil, it’s the part that actually gets hot. That’s usually easy to spot—if one burner doesn’t heat at all while others work, the element is likely dead. You can test it with a multimeter or just swap it with a working one to confirm. Another frequent issue is the infinite switch, the dial or button that controls how much power goes to each burner. Also known as power regulator, it wears out from constant use. If the burner stays on full blast or won’t turn on at all, the switch is often the culprit. Then there’s the control board, the brain of the cooktop that manages power distribution and temperature settings. Also known as oven control board, it’s more expensive to replace but still fixable in many cases. If multiple burners stop working at once, or the display glitches, the board might be failing. These aren’t guesswork fixes—they’re repeatable issues seen in hundreds of real repairs.

You might also notice the cooktop heats unevenly, sparks when you turn it on, or the glass surface cracks. Cracks are usually a safety issue and need replacement. Sparks often mean a loose wire or damaged terminal. Uneven heating could be a bad element or a dirty surface—cleaning the contact points under the burner can sometimes fix it. Don’t ignore warning signs like burning smells or flickering lights. Those aren’t just annoyances—they’re red flags that something’s wrong with the wiring or circuit.

Before you call a technician, try a few quick checks: make sure the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped, verify the outlet is live, and clean the burner contacts. A lot of "broken" cooktops are just dirty or unplugged. If those don’t help, you’re likely dealing with a worn-out part. And yes, replacing a burner element or switch is often cheaper than buying a new cooktop—especially if yours is under 10 years old.

Below, you’ll find real repair guides from technicians who’ve fixed hundreds of these units. From diagnosing a dead element to testing a control board, you’ll see exactly what works—no theory, no fluff. Whether you’re trying to save money or just want to understand why your cooktop stopped working, these posts give you the facts you need to decide what to do next.