Is It Better to Repair or Replace Your Oven?: 2025 Guide

Follow this expert advice for determining whether to repair or replace your oven.

How Much Does Will It Cost to Fix My Oven?

Wall oven repairs typically range from $150 to $1,000. At the low end, replacing a temperature sensor would likely cost around $180 to $200. The most expensive repairs involve control board or control panel replacement. Sometimes, both the control panel and the electronic control board need replacing at the same time. That type of repair would likely cost around $1000.

It's difficult to estimate repair cost when your oven breaks down because fixing a problem like the oven not heating could require an inexpensive part such as a temperature sensor or an expensive part such as a control board.

The best way to determine repair cost for your oven is to have a service technician diagnose the oven failure and provide an estimate of the repair. You typically need to pay a diagnostic fee of around $150, but that repair estimate is essential for helping you work through your repair/replace decision.

How Much Does a New Oven Cost?

Replacement cost is much easier to determine than repair cost. Search for a replacement oven that fits your current wall oven cabinet opening, has with the features you want and is the color that matches your other kitchen appliances. Add the cost of delivery and installation to the cost of the oven you selected to determine your total replacement cost.

Evaluate Your Situation and Decide

Consider Your Oven’s Age

Age of your oven is a key factor in making your repair/replace decision. When your oven is over 20 years old, you’ll likely want to replace it when it needs a repair costing more than $500. After 20 years, replacement parts often start becoming scarce and the oven may continue to have failures as additional parts begin to wear out.

On the other hand, if your oven needs a minor repair and you maintained it well over the years, then you will likely be better off paying a few hundred dollars to replace a part with the expectation that you’ll enjoy several more years of use from your current oven.

Decide Whether the Repair Cost Is Justified

The next consideration is whether paying the repair cost is reasonable. If the repair cost is low, you will likely be better off paying for the repair even if your oven is older than 20 years. If your oven needs a $1,000 repair and it’s over 15 years old, you’re likely better off replacing the oven if replacement cost is less than $2,000.

With most appliances, you can make a repair/replace decision by applying a general rule that you should replace the appliance if it’s over halfway through its useful life and the repair will cost more than half the appliance’s replacement cost. With oven’s, that rule is more difficult to apply. Wall ovens are often expensive to replace so a repair seldom exceeds half the oven’s replacement cost. Ovens typically last longer than other appliances so you can often enjoy many more years of service from your oven when it’s over 15 years old.

Factor Replacement Cost into Your Repair/Replace Decision

Wall oven replacement cost often skews your replace/replace decision toward repair. The typically high cost of oven replacement is often hard to swallow when your oven breaks down. In some circumstances, you will need to consider replacing all of your kitchen appliances so they can match your replacement wall oven.

You’ll likely be better off replacing your oven when it needs an expensive repair at the end of its useful life. Otherwise, you’ll need to bite the bullet and make that repair.

How to Save on the Cost to Repair an Oven

Saving money on oven repairs is possible when you’re skilled at DIY appliance repairs. If you can safely and accurately diagnose an oven failure, you may be able to replace a broken part yourself and save yourself the price of labor charges for having a service technician fix the oven.

For DIY oven repair help, visit the DIY wall oven repair section on our Sears PartsDirect website. You’ll find safe and practical advice for resolving many oven issues.

You can also save on oven repair and repairs for all the appliances in your home by getting a Sears Protect whole home appliance warranty. For more information about this plan, call our Sears Protect experts at 646-440-2437.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oven Repair

What is the life expectancy of an oven?

Wall ovens typically last an average of 15 to 20 years. Having your oven professionally maintained by a Sears Technician yearly can often extend the life expectancy of the appliance.

Is it worth repairing an oven that’s 10 years old?

For built-in wall ovens, it’s typically worth it to repair the oven rather than replacing it. Because the oven has an average life expectancy of up to 20 years, it will likely last for many years after making the repair. Also, it’s typically much easier to repair a wall oven rather than replacing it because finding the exact size and type of replacement wall oven can be challenging. Also, the supply of wall ovens is often limited so you may have to wait for a replacement oven to arrive once you order the new one.

How do I know when my oven needs to be replaced?

You’ll typically need to replace a wall oven when it’s over 15 years old and you’re facing an expensive repair such as replacing electronic controls or other parts that will cost more than $800. You’ll also need to replace an oven when it’s so old that replacement parts are no longer available from parts suppliers to fix common oven problems.

Can I fix a broken oven door?

You may be able to fix broken oven door hinges or replace oven door glass yourself. Our Sears PartsDirect YouTube Channel has DIY videos that show how to complete oven door repairs.

Here’s a DIY video that provides easy-to-follow steps for replacing the door hinges in a common oven:

Rely on Sears Home Services for Oven Repair or Maintenance

When you can’t fix an oven problem yourself, Sears Home Services is your best, most-trusted option for appliance repair. With over 2,500+ appliance technicians across the US, Sears has local repair techs near you who are highly skilled and trained to fix your wall oven. Sears technicians are factory trained to repair all major brands of ovens including Whirlpool, Frigidaire, GE and Kenmore.

Whether you have a gas oven that won’t heat or an electric oven that won’t self-clean, we provide the experienced techs to fix all wall oven problems. Sears technicians completed over 300,000 cooking appliance repairs in the past year.

Choose the nationwide leader in oven repair when you encounter a failure.

Save time and money with regular maintenance by scheduling the Kitchen Appliance Check-up package which provides maintenance for your refrigerator, dishwasher and oven for one low bundle price. Yearly maintenance helps prevent costly breakdowns, reduces energy costs and extends the life of your oven.

Trust Sears Home Services for all of your appliance repair and maintenance needs.

Deciding whether to fix an ailing oven or buy a new one involves weighing costs, age, and how often you cook. This post helps you assess those factors and avoid hasty purchases. If repairs make sense, stove repair service near me can breathe new life into your appliance. When it’s all said and done, an informed choice keeps your kitchen functional without overspending.