Should you repair or replace your cooktop?
Updated August 2026
← Every repair-or-replace call
Repair a gas cooktop and replace a cracked glass one: igniter, valve, and sealed-burner faults run $100–350, while a cracked ceramic-glass surface is a shock hazard and a $200–500 part on its own. Cooktops last 13–15 years, and gas versions age well because nearly everything on them unbolts. Radiant and induction units concentrate their value in the glass and the electronics, so once either fails the repair crowds a new cooktop at $500–2,000. That is the whole decision in one line: gas faults are parts, glass and board faults are appliances.
The short version
Split the question by fuel before you price anything. A gas cooktop is a manifold, valves, igniters, and burner caps, and each of those is a discrete $100–350 repair that leaves the rest of the appliance alone, so keep fixing it well past year 10. A ceramic-glass electric top is one integrated panel, and a crack lets moisture and spills reach the radiant elements and wiring beneath, which takes it out of service the day you notice it. That panel is $200–500 as a part, plus labor, on an appliance that costs $500–2,000 new. An induction unit past 10 years with a failed inverter board at $300–700 lands in the same place, and replacing is the sounder call.
Your situation, decided
| Situation | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gas igniter clicking, burner slow to light, unit under 12 years | Repair | A $100–250 igniter or a cleaning, not a new cooktop |
| Gas valve or burner switch failed | Repair | A $150–350 part on an appliance built to run 13–15 years |
| Ceramic-glass surface cracked through | Replace | A shock and spill hazard, and the $200–500 panel nears a new unit |
| Induction inverter board failed past 10 years | Replace | A $300–700 board on a cooktop at the end of its life |
What each path costs
Repairs typically run $100–350; a replacement is $500–2,000 installed. Cooktops last 13–15 years. Gas parts stay worth replacing the entire time; a cracked glass surface or a failed board past year 10 sends you to a new unit. Price your own number on the home maintenance cost calculator before you commit either way.
The repair-or-replace call is easy when you know the unit's age and service history. OnOtto keeps both, plus the maintenance that delays this decision for years.
Start your home's service log, freeFrequently asked questions
Can I keep using a cooktop with a cracked glass top?
No, and this is not a cosmetic judgment. The glass-ceramic panel is the barrier between your spills and the live radiant elements or induction coils underneath. A crack lets water and boilover reach that wiring, which risks a short or a shock, and heat cycling widens the crack until the panel fails outright. Stop using the affected zone, and stop using the cooktop entirely if the crack crosses it. Replacement panels are $200–500 plus labor, which is why many owners put the money toward a new $500–2,000 unit instead.
Why does my gas cooktop keep clicking after the burner lights?
Moisture or debris is bridging the spark electrode, so the control keeps trying to light a burner that is already lit. Dry the burner area, lift the cap and head, clear the ports, and set the cap back down flat. If it clicks with every knob off, a stuck switch or a failing spark module is the cause, and that runs $150–300. Our pages on a constantly clicking stove and a burner that will not light walk the sequence.
One electric burner stopped heating. Do I need a new cooktop?
Usually not. On a coil cooktop, a dead element or a corroded receptacle block is a $60–180 fix. On a radiant glass top, a single failed element or its infinite switch runs $150–350, and the technician reaches it from underneath without disturbing the glass. Replace the cooktop only if the glass itself is damaged, or if two or three zones have quit on a unit past 12 years. See why one electric burner stops heating and how long cooktops last.