Electric oven not heating up (Zanussi, Beko & AEG)
⚠️ This needs a qualified professional
This fault involves gas or mains electrical work. Don't attempt a DIY repair — UK law requires gas work to be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Below is what to check and describe to them, not step-by-step repair instructions.
If the oven light and fan come on but the interior never heats up (or food cooks far slower than the set temperature suggests it should), the heating element has usually failed, or in fan ovens, the element behind the fan at the back.
What’s safe to check yourself
- Check the oven clock/timer isn’t set to a delayed-start mode, which can look like “nothing’s happening” when it’s actually waiting.
- Check the grill element (if separate) still works — if the grill heats but the main oven doesn’t, that narrows the fault to the main bake element specifically.
- With the oven off and cool, you can visually inspect the exposed lower element (on ovens where it’s visible, not hidden behind a panel) for an obvious break or blistering — a visibly snapped or split element confirms the diagnosis without needing to touch anything electrical.
Don’t attempt to remove or replace the element yourself. Oven elements run on mains voltage and are wired directly in, not plugged in — this is mains electrical work and should be done by a qualified appliance engineer or electrician, with the oven isolated from the power supply (not just switched off at the oven itself) before any panel is removed.
What to tell the engineer
Whether the grill still works, whether you could see visible damage to the element, and roughly how long the fault’s been present — this often lets them bring the right part on the first visit.