Whether you regularly use your range to cook or warm your jeans on a cold winter’s morning, it would be a major inconvenience if it were to stop working. But if it does happen to break, are you better off fixing your range or buying a new one? The experts at Consumer Reports (CR) have created a guide and interactive tool to help you figure it out.
How to use Consumer Reports’ interactive tool
You can access the interactive online tool on this page of the CR website. First, use the drop-down menu on the top right to select the type of range you have, choosing between electric coil, electric smooth-top, electric induction, gas, and pro style. Then, use the sliders on the bottom of the tool to indicate how long you’ve owned your range, the original cost, and any estimate you have for a repair.
The color bar will then let you know whether you should definitely repair, consider a repair, or replace your range. If it indicates that you should replace your range, the tool provides recommendations for new models to consider.
The cost of repairing a range
According to a 2021 CR survey, the median cost for parts and labor to repair a broken range is $206. Of the people surveyed, 24 percent were either able to repair their broken range themself, or have a friend or family fix it for them. For those who paid to have their range repaired, the median costs were:
-
Gas ranges: $191
-
Electric ranges: $212
-
Pro-style ranges: $290
Out of those repairs, roughly two-thirds of those done by a professional technician were fixed on the first attempt.
But even if you decide that it makes more sense to buy a new range, that doesn’t mean your old one has to end up in a landfill. Although appliances are notoriously difficult to recycle, you can try to find a retailer that will haul away—and ideally recycle—your old range when you purchase a new one.
You can also check with your local city/town or county government to see if there are dedicated appliance or large-item recycling days, or use Earth 911’s search tool to find the nearest recycling center (by ZIP code).