How long does a range last?
Updated August 2026
A freestanding range, the single unit that combines a cooktop and an oven, lasts 13–15 years. Gas models tend to edge out electric ones, because a gas range has fewer parts that burn out: the surface burners and bake burner rely on igniters rather than electric elements that eventually fail. On an electric range, the coil or radiant elements and the control board are the usual wear items. Heavy cooks who run the oven several times a week land at the low end; a lightly used range in a small household can cook well past 15.
Lifespan by type and situation
| Type or situation | Typical lifespan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gas range | 15–18 years | No heating elements to burn out, so it usually wins |
| Electric coil range | 13–15 years | Coils are cheap to swap but the board ages with it |
| Electric smooth-top | 13–15 years | Radiant elements last, though the glass can crack |
| Control board failure | Common at 10–14 | A $150–400 part that can total a cheaper range |
| Heavy daily cooking | Low end | More burner and oven cycles wear parts faster |
| Light use, kept clean | 15+ years | Wipe spills before they bake onto igniters and elements |
Signs yours is near the end
- Burners or elements that heat slowly, unevenly, or not at all after you have ruled out a bad element
- Oven temperatures that drift far from the setpoint even after recalibration
- A control panel with dead buttons, a flickering display, or settings that change on their own
- A persistent gas smell near a gas range, or repeated clicking that never lights
- Rust or cracked porcelain around the burners and an oven door that no longer seals
How to add years
Cleaning is most of the maintenance a range needs. On a gas model, keeping the burner ports and igniters clear of spilled food stops the slow, clicking, hard-to-light problem that wears the ignition system. Wipe spills before they carbonize onto elements or the smooth-top glass, and use the self-clean cycle sparingly, since its extreme heat is hard on igniters, sensors, and the door lock. Check that the oven gasket still seals and recalibrate the temperature if your baking drifts. When the control board dies on a range already past 12, do the math: a board plus labor can approach the $700–1,500 a new range costs. The range and oven checklist lays out the routine, and the repair-or-replace guide settles the close calls.
What it costs to replace: plan on $700–1,500 installed ($1,500–3,000 for a slide-in or dual-fuel model). Replacing on your own schedule, before it fails, is almost always cheaper than the emergency version. The home maintenance cost calculator helps you set the money aside before it comes due.
OnOtto tracks your range upkeep age and service history, and warns you before end of life instead of after the flood.
Track your home's systems, free for 30 daysFrequently asked questions
Does a gas range really last longer than an electric one?
On average, yes, by a couple of years. A gas range commonly reaches 15–18 years while an electric one averages 13–15. The reason is parts count: gas burners light with an igniter and have no element to burn out, whereas electric coils and radiant elements wear and the control board on either type can fail around year 10–14. That said, the difference is smaller than the maintenance difference. A filthy gas range with clogged igniters can die before a well-kept electric one.
Is the self-clean cycle bad for my range?
Used occasionally it is fine; used often it shortens the appliance's life. The self-clean cycle locks the door and heats the oven to roughly 900°F to burn residue to ash. That heat stresses the control board, the temperature sensor, the door lock, and on gas models the igniter, which is why so many ovens fail a day or two after a self-clean run. Use it two or three times a year at most, wipe up big spills by hand, and never run it right before a holiday you are cooking for.
What usually breaks first on a range?
The electronic control board and the ignition or heating components. Boards are the common culprit past year 10 and run $150–400 for the part before labor. On gas ranges, igniters weaken and cause slow or failed lighting; on electric ranges, a surface element or the bake element burns out. Elements are cheap and easy, often $20–60, so they are worth fixing at any age. A dead board on an older, cheaper range is the point where replacement usually wins.
Is a range or a separate cooktop and wall oven better long term?
Separates often last longer in practice, because you replace only the half that fails. A wall oven and a cooktop age on their own clocks, 13–18 years each, so a dead oven does not force you to toss a perfectly good cooktop, and the reverse holds too. A combined range is simpler and cheaper up front, but one failed control board can total the whole unit. If long-term flexibility matters more than install cost, separates have the edge.